For Immediate Release
August 12, 2008

Concordia Theological Seminary to Offer Pre-Sem Greek Course Online: “Students Can Study Greek According to Their Schedule”

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (CTS) — “I plan to come to the seminary, but I will not be ready to make the move for at least another year,” say many prospective future pastors. Not to worry: Concordia Theological Seminary is coming to you. Biblical Greek online will be offered beginning this fall. The online version of Greek will allow students to study according to their schedule. “If they want to study Biblical Greek at midnight, or early in the morning, or during their lunch breaks—whatever fits into their schedule—they can do so in this program,” commented Dr. Douglas Rutt, Dean for Distance Learning. The objective of offering Greek online is so that students can begin the process of their seminary education before actually moving to Fort Wayne.

Dr. John Nordling, Associate Professor of Exegetical Theology, will be the teacher. “He is eminently qualified as a professor of Greek. Besides his seminary training, he has achieved two degrees in the classical languages, a Master of Arts from Washington University, St. Louis, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin, Madison,” remarked Dr. Douglas Rutt, Dean of Distance Learning at Concordia. Dr. Nordling taught in the Department of Foreign Languages at Valparaiso University and the Department of Classics at Baylor University before coming to Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, in 2006.

The course will begin with the regular academic year on September 8, 2008, and continue for three quarters, ending May 22, 2009. It will be taught online using Concordia Theological Seminary’s learning management system and interactive multimedia learning objects as well as more traditional means of instruction. “Greek lends itself well to new ways of teaching online,” says Rev. William Johnson, Educational Technologist at the seminary. “Because we’re able to offer it over the course of three quarters, we can also slow down the pace and make it easier for the student to keep up.” It will mirror the Biblical Greek course on campus and meet Greek language requirements for study at the seminary.

“Our purpose at Concordia Theological Seminary is to support the church by forming servants in Jesus Christ. We hope that offering Biblical Greek online will make it possible for more people to identify and make use of their talents and gifts for serving in God’s kingdom,” comments Academic Dean Dr. Lawrence Rast. The course is open to anyone, men and women, who have adequate academic preparation to carry out the studies and are planning on or considering church work.

To see more about the course and view a sample lesson go to http://www.ctsfw.edu/greekdemo. For more information contact Rev. William Johnson at (260) 452-3202 or william.johnson@ctsfw.edu. To inquire about registering for the course contact Mrs. Barbara Wegman at 260-452-2153 or by e-mail at registrar@ctsfw.edu.

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