Concordia Theological Seminary
| Type | Seminary |
|---|---|
| Established | 1846 |
| Affiliation | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod |
| President | Rev. Dr. Lawrence R. Rast, Jr. |
|
Academic staff
|
24 |
| Students | 298 |
| Location |
Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States Coordinates: 41°8′21.6″N 85°6′32.8″W / 41.139333°N 85.109111°W |
| Website | www |
The Concordia Theological Seminary is an institution of theological higher education of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and dedicated primarily to the preparation of pastors for the congregations and missions of the LCMS and its partner churches.
It offers professional, master's and doctoral degrees affiliated with training clergy and deaconesses for the LCMS.
In 1844, Frederick C. D. Wyneken, pastor of the Lutheran church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, began pastoral training of two young men. Wyneken took a call in 1845 to a congregation in Baltimore, Maryland, and was replaced by Wilhelm Sihler, who continued the training. Wyneken had earlier written to Wilhelm Loehe in Germany, requesting help in providing pastors for German Lutheran immigrants to the United States, and in August 1846 eleven theological students and their instructor arrived in Fort Wayne, having been sent by Loehe. The seminary was formally organized at that time, with Sihler becoming the first president. Classes were held in the parsonage, and a four-room house was rented for use as a dormitory.
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod was organized in 1847, and in response to the new synod's request, Loehe transferred ownership of the seminary to the synod. He continued to support the seminary by sending money, books, and students from Germany. Two years later the seminary purchased 14 acres (5.7 ha) about 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Fort Wayne and erected the first building on its new campus.
Within the synod the seminary was referred to as the "practical seminary" because its purpose was to quickly provide pastors for congregations. It provided both pre-seminary and seminary instruction. The pre-seminary course of work was similar to that of a high school, and the seminary classes provided enough theological training to enable the graduates to serve the congregations. However, the seminary did not require knowledge of the Biblical languages (Greek and Hebrew).
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