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| Here we have the beginning of theological double-talk, where "grace" means whatever the master says it means. ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC tak about grace, but they mean universal forgiveness and salvation, just like the Unitarian-Universalists. |
But they decided long ago to emulate and imitate the methods and dogma of the LCA and ALC Left-wing, so WELS-LCMS-ELS pushed forward with UOJ, women's ordination, and gay liberation.
Now all the seminaries are shrinking faster than Clinton's credibility rating, whether LCMS or WELS or ELS or CLC.
http://newschooloftheology.info/uniting-pennsylvania-seminaries-choose-name-launch-presidential-search/
Luther Seminary in rejoicing in selling off land to two different entities.Not long ago they fired their president at Christmas. Christmas! They are so deep in debt in the middle of the year.
Likewise, Wartburg has been in crisis, firing tenured professors. Berkeley is selling its deluxe location, Southern Seminary moved already. Chicago is in trouble, and Philadelphia's land may be sold to help fund this new United Seminary.
Philadelphia Seminary interviewed me when I was still a doctoral student, so I visited the campus. They were formed when the confessional Lutheran part of the General Synod had enough of the revivalism and Pietism of their Mother Church. They formed the General Council and built the Philadelphia Seminary.
The General Council emphasized Luther, the Reformation, and the Book fo Concord. They also had great leaders. They became influential in the old Muhlenberg tradition, 1918 merger that formed the United Lutheran Church in America (General Council and General Synod, United Synod of the South). The twain became one, more confessional and more liturgical, but the Pietistic and unionistic segment took over again as the LCA was formed in 1962.
Those returning to Lutheran doctrine are well advised to know about Krauth, Passavant, Jacobs, and
Schmauk. ELCA has forgotten them. The doctrinally discerning will find more to value in those writers than in Martin Stemphan, CFW Walther, and the LCMS sycophants.
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| WELS is another example, making Hoenecke and Gausewitz disappear so they can promote snickerdoodles like Kelm, Jeske, and Olson. |
INSTITUTIONS
Two Lutheran seminaries to close and reopen as new school
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(RNS) Two Lutheran seminaries in Pennsylvania are planning to close and launch together a new school of theology in 2017 with hopes of slashing costs and reversing years of declining enrollments.
The decision came this week from the governing boards of Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg and Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. The plan will cut the number of seminaries affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America from eight to seven.
David Lose, president of the Philadelphia seminary, said the move would create opportunities for redesigning everything from faculty and curriculum to calendars and relationships with donors.
The board votes came quickly after a recommendation from a joint task force, which held its first and only meeting last month.
Gettysburg was projecting yearly deficits above $200,000 and could not keep eliminating faculty positions by attrition, according to board chair James Lakso.
“We have too many people and too much physical capacity to be viable and sustainable in the long term,” Lakso said.
RELATED STORY: Oldest US graduate seminary to close campus
Combining into one institution, distributed across two locations at Gettysburg and Philadelphia, could solve the thorny problem of what to do with tenured faculty, whose salaries and benefits weigh heavily on each school’s budget.
The logic: if a school ceases to exist, then it’s no longer obligated to retain faculty members, even if they had tenure. A new school has flexibility to start over.
“Part of that flexibility would be exploring the possibility of having faculty who are both teachers and practitioners,” said Philadelphia board chair John Richter. “Is it possible to have practicing clergy or laity teaching stewardship, church administration or worship? There’s the possibility.”
Reducing the combined faculty size from about 30 to 15 or 18 at the new institution could achieve seven-figure savings. Some building space might be repurposed, and larger decisions about real estate holdings will be considered in years ahead, Lakso said.
The new plan comes as mainline Protestant seminaries take steps to weather financial storms caused by an average drop in enrollments of nearly 24 percent since 2005, according to the Association of Theological Schools. About 80 percent of the nation’s 100 mainline seminaries are likely to feel financial pressure and might consider revamping their models in years ahead, according to ATS Executive Director Daniel Aleshire.
Since 2012, other Lutheran seminaries have found shelter inside universities. Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary merged with Lenoir-Rhyne University in Columbia, S.C., and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary became part of California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Church leaders hope the new school can pass savings along to students and help motivate more to attend seminary.
Bishop Jim Dunlop of the ELCA’s Lower Susquehanna Synod says he needs as many as 15 graduates per year to fill pastorate vacancies, but last year there were only three. If the new school can shrink average student debt from more than $30,000 today to less than $15,000, then more might enroll and become the “first-call,” or first-job, pastors he needs.
“Some of our first-call pastors are under real financial strain,” Dunlop said. “I’m hopeful and excited that we’re open to new possibilities. This is a way forward in that.”
(G. Jeffrey MacDonald is an RNS correspondent)
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| Why not introduce beach worship, a surf board on a garbage can? The Episcopalians deftly blended traditional communion with surf and sand. Ski, Ski? Anyone? |
