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TechnoratiFor example, Luther Seminary cooperated with three other seminaries to discuss curricula that are mission focused: Fuller, Princeton, and Catholic Theological Union (CTU) of Chicago. We’re all big seminaries and all very different. Fuller is one of the biggest evangelical seminaries; CTU is one of the largest Catholic seminaries; Princeton is one of the dominant mainline Presbyterian seminaries; and Luther is the largest ELCA seminary. Yet we found just a wonderful working relationship on how to do develop curricula and form leaders around the mission of the church.
That’s the stuff I think is coming up. It’s new and exciting and doesn’t necessarily have official documentation, but it's wonderful.
As one of the largest mainline seminaries in the nation, how does Luther plan to continue impacting the mainline churches in the future?
Our key is to stay faithful to our mission. It’s an important statement of how to do an apostolic mission in a world of many cultures and religions.
The question for us is: how do you create ethos, infrastructure, faculty, and curricula that can all be centered in and live out our entire mission?
We’re learning how to be a seminary that can boost up a mission and work toward it. That wasn’t always the case. Seminaries didn’t always have a clear focus of where they were going, so we’re here to do that.
A lot of seminaries are currently facing a decline in student enrollment. Has this been an issue of concern for Luther?
We’re growing in numbers. Last year we had around 804 students and the incoming number of Master of Divinity students [those studying to be pastors] was the largest in a decade. We’re on pace to meet or exceed that again this year.
So our problem is not decreasing in numbers. We think we’re doing a better job in attracting students who are committed to mission and confession, our foci. They are also attracted to our four strategic initiatives: biblical preaching and worship, children, youth, and family ministry, congregational mission and leadership, and outreach to congregations (Center for Lifelong Learning).
Prior to joining Luther Seminary, Dr. Bliese served as the director of graduate studies and as the Augustana Heritage associate professor of global mission and evangelism at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC). He simultaneously served as a part-time pastor at St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Glenwood, Ill.
Dr. Bliese earned a master of theology in 19th and 20th century theology (1992) and a Ph.D. in confessional theology (1995) from LSTC. He has led mission and evangelism seminars and workshops as an independent consultant, administrated the Hein-Fry Lecture Series, and served as president of the Center for World Christian Interaction.
He has published articles throughout the world and co-edited “The Dictionary of Mission: Theology, History, Perspectives” (1997). He is also the co-editor of “The Evangelizing Church: A Lutheran Contribution” (2005).
Bliese, who currently serves as the seminary's dean of academic affairs, will assume presidency on July 1, 2005. He will succeed the incumbent president Rev. Dr. David L. Tiede who will retire from the office of president on June 30.
