Saturday, September 13, 2014

Even the Seminary President's Name Is Ambiguous.
Save the Date - October 12, 2014.
Will She Do an Ellen Afterwards?

Robin Steinke is the only woman Lutheran seminary president, the first woman to head Luther.
Liz Eaton is the first woman to head a Lutheran denomination.

Rebecca M. Bergman is first woman president of Gustavus Adolphus College.
Paula J. Carlson is the first woman president of Luther College.
 

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

THE INAUGURATION OF ROBIN J. STEINKE

SERVICE OF INSTALLATION

Save the Date!
October 12, 2014
3 p.m.
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, Minn.
Preaching: The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, ELCA Presiding Bishop
A reception will follow the service.

ROBIN STEINKE

President
The Rev. Dr. Robin Steinke came to Luther Seminary as president in June 2014. She was the first woman in the 145-year history of the seminary to be named to the position.
Prior to coming to Luther Seminary, Steinke was the dean of the seminary and professor of theological ethics and public life at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, where she served from 1999. She previously served as an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) pastor; a training manager and financial planner at American Express Financial Advisors; and a middle school band director in Marietta, Ga. Steinke is a graduate of Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. She holds a Master of Divinity and a Master of Sacred Theology from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in England.

Steinke is known for her strategic leadership and passion for sharing the gospel. She is involved in a number of important church and academic initiatives. She is currently co-chairing the national ELCA Theological Education Advisory Council that is evaluating and exploring the future of theological education. She serves as the 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. She previously served a six-year term as a commissioner for the Association of Theological Schools’ Commission on Accrediting.


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GJ - A reader noted that Phyllis Anderson (married) became the first woman seminary president when she replaced Timothy Lull, who died after heart surgery. Below is Anderson with the entire incoming class at Berkeley, which had to merge and sell its valuable property to stay alive.

The prez with less than 20 incoming seminary students.
Why not host a secret initiation ritual, the way WELS does, and lie about it?
These are details about the amalgamation.
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Grumpy Luther wrote:

Whenever I see a portrait of Robin Steinke, all I can think of is the "It's Pat" skits they used to do on Saturday Night Live.

If you are not familiar with that, Pat was a sexually ambiguous character.  The whole theme of the skit usually involved the other characters trying to figure out if Pat was a man or woman.

So, ditto with this Robin lady...er...dude....ah...well, anyway....