A large part of our continued work toward the relocation of Luther Seminary to a new campus is keeping in perspective each of the many changes the church is experiencing and the response of theological education to prepare pastors, deacons, and leaders for those changes.<\/p>\n
Like so many of our peer institutions, Luther Seminary is experiencing much more than a transition in our physical campus. We are, in fact, moving through a long season of transformation\u2014with changes to how we teach, where financial support comes from, and how our students engage the church and their call to ministry.<\/p>\n
We understand that a transition as significant as a campus move can lead to conclusions about our long-term viability as a theological school. Because of the innovative work of our faculty and staff, the remarkable generosity of our donors, and the ministry-first attitude of our students and alums, Luther Seminary is not experiencing financial difficulty nor considering closing\u2014we are thriving and looking forward to the many opportunities a new campus space will offer. Importantly, our financial reality now rests on a paradigm that surprises many in the church: today, individual donors\u2014rather than church bodies\u2014provide nearly all of Luther\u2019s primary funding.<\/p>\n
Campus transitions are big, and they are but one piece of a broader financial picture that includes endowment growth and a balanced budget, along with working to continue increasing enrollment. Some of these financial realities are not as visible to most of us as are the shifts in enrollment trends that have taken place in recent decades. They are deeply intertwined as we collaborate with philanthropic supporters to ensure the financial health of theological education today and for the future.<\/p>\n
This fall, we welcome over 130 new students to the seminary. Many of them join us from communities they will continue to serve during their seminary studies and well beyond their time at Luther. We are grateful to you for this shared stewardship of God\u2019s people that sustains our mission. We are already planning how alumni and other partners can visit campus in the coming months as we prepare in the coming year to move to a new location. We look forward to seeing you soon.<\/p>\n
Peace,
\nRobin Steinke
\nPresident<\/p>\n