Saturday, March 29, 2014

Just Like WELS - Women Are Running the Show in ELCA -
Single Woman to Head Luther Seminary

No mention of a male husband.


Robin Steinke named president of Luther Seminary

3/26/2014 12:00:00 AM
            CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Robin J. Steinke, Gettysburg, Pa., has been named president of Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., effective June 1. Luther is one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
            "I am humbled and honored to be called to this important work in the life of Luther Seminary and the church," Steinke said in a March 26 seminary release. "I am mindful of the strong legacy that is Luther Seminary. As we look forward, I believe we must work in new and nimble ways to imagine a sustainable future. This effort is complex and multifaceted, yet I can't imagine a more exciting time to be doing this creative work."
            Steinke is the first woman to be named president in the seminary's 145-year history. She succeeds the Rev. Rick Foss, who has served as interim president since December 2012.
            Steinke is dean of the seminary and a tenured professor of theological ethics and public life at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa., an ELCA seminary. She was assistant professor of theological ethics and public life from 2000 to 2003, and was ethics lecturer and director of the seminary's program in Washington D.C., through its Center for Theology and Public Life from 1999 to 2000. From 1999 to 2000, Steinke was associate pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Annandale, Va., and she served an internship at Holy Trinity Lutheran in Akron, Ohio. From 1984 to 1992, she was a financial planner and training manager at American Express Financial Advisors in Atlanta, and middle school band director at Dickerson Middle School in Marietta, Ga., from 1980 to 1984.
            Prior to joining Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Steinke earned a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and a Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, an ELCA seminary. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in music education at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., one of 26 ELCA colleges and universities. Steinke has received numerous awards and participated in a variety of community and regional, national and international academic institutional service.
            Steinke co-chairs the ELCA Theological Education Advisory Council, tasked with exploring the future of theological education. She serves as an ELCA representative to The Lutheran World Federation Council and chairs their Endowment Fund. She is a member of the ELCA Ecclesiology Task Force and serves on a number of other church and academic committees. In June, she will conclude her six-year term as a commissioner for the Association of Theological Schools' Commission on Accrediting.
            "Robin is a proven leader who is uniquely qualified for this position. First and foremost, she has a strong faith and is committed to our mission of educating leaders for Christian communities," said Gus Blanchard, a member of Luther's board of directors and chair of the seminary's presidential search committee. "Her forward-looking leadership skills, ability to build strong, productive relationships, financial acumen and commitment to academic quality, ministry and mission make her a marvelous fit for Luther Seminary. We are thrilled to have her join us as our next president."
- See more at: http://www.elca.org/News-and-Events/7655#sthash.HiyY1WT5.dpuf

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Biography:
Dean of the Seminary and Professor of Ethics and Public Life, Prof. Steinke received her doctoral degree from the University of Cambridge, Great Britain after receiving two masters degrees (M.Div. and S.T.M) from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, OH and undergraduate study at Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD.

Prof. Steinke began her third five year term as Dean of the Seminary July 1, 2013. She started teaching at the Seminary in 1999 and directed the Seminary’s Washington D.C. program, known as the Lutheran Center for Theology and public Life. Favorite areas of writing and research include the changing shape of theological education, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and issues in theology and public life.

Prof. Steinke is in her 5th year serving on the Association of Theological Schools Board of Commissioners which is responsible for accreditation of the 260 plus member schools in North America. She also regularly serves as chair of accreditation visits for both ATS and the regional accreditor, MSCHE. She is an ELCA representative to the Lutheran World Federation Council and serves as chair of the LWF Endowment Fund.  She also serves as convener of the ELCA/ELCIC Deans meetings. A favorite avocation is playing the trumpet.

Education: B.A., Augustana College, Soux Falls, SD, 1980
M.Div, S.T.M.,Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH, 1994
Ph.D., The University of Cambridge, Great Britain, 1999

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http://gettysburgseminary.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html

Friday, July 30, 2010


LWF Unity is in Christ

Unity in Christ, by Robin J. Steinke, LWF Council member and dean, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg


I just finished my first meeting on the new council for LWF. It is such a privilege to serve the church and the mission of Christ in this capacity. I wish that each member of the ELCA could experience the genuine love of Christ experienced here across the cultural, social, economic and denominational traditions. There are clear and longstanding differences on a whole range of theological and social issues. Yet the unity of the Lutheran World Federation, a communion of churches, bears steadfast witness that our unity comes as a gift in Christ. We need not be of the same mind on any of these issues as long as we together confess Christ. I give thanks for my brothers and sisters across the communion of the LWF that we stand together as a public sign of unity in Christ in the midst of difference.

One final note, I also wish that each member of the ELCA could witness the faithful, pastoral and wise leadership exercised by Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson as he so ably served as president of LWF and presided at this assembly. There was great appreciation expressed throughout the communion of churches at this assembly for his Christ centered, biblically rooted, and confessionally sound and pastorally sensitive witness in preaching, teaching and presiding. His leadership was a powerful witness which pointed to Christ as the Center of life, faith and ministry.


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"Brett, do not rush to conclusions about our new sem prez."
"But our new bishop is another matter."
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http://www.icpj-gettysburg.org/newsletter/201007/AU_thanks.htm


Adams Unity Coalition Thanks Contributors to Unity Events
The Adams Unity Coalition wishes to thank the following individuals and organizations for their contributions to the success of the unity events held on June 19-20.
Mark Whitney
Chrissy Habeeb
Sylvia Asante
Rev. Jeanette Leisk, St. James Lutheran Church
Rabbi Carl Choper, Interfaith Alliance of PA
Father Bernardo Pistone and Father Jonathan Sawicki, St. Francis Xavier Church
Lakshmi Viswanathan
Rev. Robin J. Steinke, Dean, Lutheran Theological Seminary 

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Building Inclusive Communities

Member organizations of the Adams County Unity Coalition share an interest in building a community of respect for all peoples regardless of age, gender, class, race/ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, ability, or employment status. The Coalition provides resource-sharing and networking opportunities for member organizations and facilitates collaboration among member organizations to support our individual and collective efforts to promote peace, justice, and unity in Adams County, PA. (Read more about our goals and activities here)

Unruly Students Prove Ichabod a Great Success


Joe Krohn sent the original boot image to me, because he wanted to provide a better illustration about WELS.

The recent eruption of nasty comments, from Fox Valley Detox and other locations, has encouraged me. The graphic is fairly old now, but look at how prescient it was.
  • Patterson was only a Circuit Pastor at the time. 
  • Engelbrecht was busy blaming me for the problems he created in his fading district. 
  • Tim Glende had excommunicated Rich Techlin but had not yet taken a church member to court (with Ski and two other staffers).

A WELS DP is someone whose belt size is bigger than his IQ, but no one needs a big IQ to figure where this trio was headed. Patterson was running for DP on the Mark Jeske ticket. Engelbrecht was tamping down turmoil in his Church and Change Anything Goes District. Glende was mocking the Gospel and Sacraments every chance he could get, while piously declaring his passion for sharing Jesus.

Through excommunication? In the courtroom? On anonymous blogs? Working with Paul McCain?

So the Ski situation blew up, just as it did in Milwaukee. Ski managed to be fired twice in Appleton and have the SP zoom in to rescue his boozy career. Mark Schroeder set up a deal with Engelbrecht. Deputy Doug got Ski CRM status in record time and a call next to Patterson before the ink was dry on the CRM paper.

Mission Millions Wasted
This is WELS mission work, folks, propping up dudes like Patterson and Engelbrecht, who prop up duds like Ski and Glende. The symmetry is poetic. Glende had to fashion a new coffee bar church in Illinois, but ducked out when Savoy was going to be an insolvent mess. The WELS mission board wasted a ton of money on Glende in Savoy, then gave him more than $500,000 to buy a bankrupt bar in downtown Appleton, over the objections of local WELS pastors. A real WELS urban church is a short walk away from The CORE, which is not a church, just the evening service for Groeschel worshipers at St. Peter, Freedom.

Glende vicared for Jeske. Questions? No?

The generous WELS mission board, with millions for Glende, is now forcing a foreclosure on his Savoy church property. They want the land and the equity NOW!

Justification by Faith Promotion
I went looking for my graphic about blog cemeteries but instead found a great post on justification by faith - posted below.

Dwell on these Luther quotations for Lent, then buy a copy of his Galatians Commentary.




All-Time Favorite Ichabod Posts

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Apr 17, 2011, 
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May 22, 2011, 
2169




For those who do not take the time to click the links, here they are according to topics:
  1. Holy Spirit teaches - doctrinal quotation from Luther.
  2. A. Nony Mouse (Glende) hates these - doctrinal quotations
  3. Church Mouse - referencing our English blogger and writing about WELS atheist pastors
  4. All time favorite posts - mostly doctrinal
  5. Pileated Woodpecker - about the rare bird I sighted
  6. Project Gutenberg - more doctrine - the Apology of the Augsburg Confession
  7. Donkey poem - great poem for Palm Sunday. Hanky alert.
  8. Sanger, KKK, and Thrivent - about your favorite racist abortion providers
  9. McGavran - WELS/LCMS theologian. Painful facts.
  10. When Lito was a Calvinist - about his doctrinal journey. Another favorite blogger friend.