A Unifying Force: The Transformative Role of Music at LSTC By Sarah Brooks Students at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago come from more than 60 countries, bringing diverse backgrounds, identities, and perspectives to their work in ministry. For many students who hail from disparate environments and contexts, music serves as a bridge, connecting […]
In the Fullness of Light: How LSTC’s Queer Symposium and Homecoming Offer a Sacred Space for our Community What if joy itself is an act of defiance? What if the simple act of gathering—of speaking, learning, and celebrating—becomes a radical assertion of dignity? These are the questions that animate the 2025 Queer Intersectionality and the […]
Creating New Pathways for Innovation in Theological Education By Alisha Green Over the last three decades, Rev. Dr. Christian Scharen has seen a precipitous decline in the church and theological education. Younger people in particular have shown increasingly high rates of disaffiliation. These discouraging trends sparked Scharen’s ongoing research journey to seek new approaches and […]
Who We Were Then / Who We Are Now Preserving our Values in Trying Times By Rhiannon Koehler At LSTC, we are committed to our role as a Christ-centered institution that is responsive to our context, committed to excellence, and committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. How do we continue to preserve our values […]
Bridging Worlds in Faith and Service:The Journey of Alums Rev. Dr. Pongsak and Monta Limthongviratn By Rhiannon Koehler When Rev. Dr. Pongsak Limthongviratn ThM ’91, PhD ’00 arrived at LSTC in 1989, he was stepping into more than a new academic chapter—he was stepping into a lifelong calling. At the time, he was one of […]
LSTC Faculty Contribute to OPA Critique of Current Administration A group of emeriti faculty from LSTC, along with other faith leaders in academia and the public church, have come together to form a renewed “Old Professors Association” (OPA). The OPA recently released a theologically grounded critique of the administration’s current direction, engaging deeply with the […]
Matt Keadle MDiv ’11 On Keeping the Faith and Building Community When Matt Keadle MDiv ’11 first arrived at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago he saw it as more than just a seminary. It was an opportunity to cross a divide. Growing up in Arlington Heights, a Chicago suburb, Keadle rarely ventured into […]
LSTC Welcomes Interim President Michael Cooper-White The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago is pleased to announce the appointment of Rev. Michael Cooper-White, M.Div., D.D. as Interim President. A seasoned leader in theological education and church ministry, President Cooper-White brings decades of experience as a pastor, administrator, and seminary president. President Cooper-White was selected from […]
A Farewell Letter from President James Nieman If ever I had a plan for my life, being a president was not part of it. In younger years, I wanted to become a medical illustrator. With my modest artistic skills, I wanted to study at the University of Washington with Phyllis Wood, a premier instructor in […]
What Lutherans Can Learn from ELCA Ecumenical Partners: A Call to Mercy and Justice In these deeply divided times, when fear so often overshadows hope, our community has been given a sacred opportunity to reflect on what it means to live faithfully as leaders of the public church. The bold witness of our ELCA ecumenical […]
