bruce-church (http://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Modest Proposal":
All conservative Lutherans in America should be supporting St. Catharine's Lutheran seminary because it is affordable enough for younger seminarians to attend--not just second career students and retirees. Who wants a geriatric ministerium? Besides, no one should recommend a seminary that a student couldn't possibly afford.
Even if a church chips in, say $2,000, each year towards his seminary education, that's just loose change compared to the seminary bill and cost of living. Moreover, these churches often don't give any money during the vicarage year thinking that the seminarian is employed, but yet the pay is so very low that during that year the seminarian runs up great credit card debts.
He might enjoy the seminary while he's there, not thinking about how many experience crushing debt and penury afterward, especially if the seminarian doesn't receive a call. (The reasons for not receiving a call a myriad, and often quite petty.) That's no reason to put any seminarian at risk. Just recommend St. Catharine's to be on the safe side.
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GJ - Bruce C. is right.
The synods should say, "This seminarian is from your congregation. We expect you to pay a substantial part of his education." Perhaps there is a more diplomatic way to say it, but that is the main point.
