Nine Synod leaders issued a statement today, Dec. 16, regarding the church body’s two seminaries, in St. Louis and Fort Wayne, Ind.
Following is the statement, in its entirety:
In recent months, speculation concerning the possible sale of one or both of the LCMS seminary campuses has taken place in public and private forums. This speculation has proven detrimental to the mission of our seminaries.
The seminaries of our Synod are very important and highly valued institutions that cannot be closed, consolidated, relocated, or sold without action by the Synod in convention. Such convention action would most certainly not occur unless preceded by broad consensus from Synod and seminary leaders, including the Board for Pastoral Education, Board of Directors, seminary boards of regents, and Council of Presidents. As responsible leaders, we wish to state clearly and publicly that such consensus is not under discussion and that there is no plan or proposal being considered in any of the groups with which we are associated to sell one or both of the LCMS seminary campuses.
As the majority of the participants at the recent Pastoral Ministry Summit concluded, the two LCMS seminaries should continue to serve as the hubs for theological education in the LCMS. We desire that the speculation referenced above would end and that all in our Synod would continue to support our seminaries in Fort Wayne and St. Louis with prayer, prospective student referrals, and monetary offerings.
Rev. Dr. Gerald Kieschnick
President, The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Rev. Donald Muchow
Chairman, Board of Directors, The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Rev. Dr. Larry Stoterau
President, Pacific Southwest District; Chairman, Council of Presidents
Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer
President, Concordia Seminary
Rev. Dr. Dean Wenthe
President, Concordia Theological Seminary
Mr. James Ralls
Chairman, Board of Regents, Concordia Seminary
Rev. Wayne Graumann
Chairman, Board of Regents, Concordia Theological Seminary
Mr. John Behrendt
Chairman, Board for Pastoral Education
Rev. Dr. Glen Thomas
Executive Director, Board for Pastoral Education
Posted Dec. 16, 2009
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