Because of the centrality of Jesus Christ in the revelation of God, this will serve as a foundational course for the entire theological curriculum. After an introduction to Gospel literature as well as the history and practice of biblical interpretation, major portions of the Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew will be studied. Significant teachings such as the Nature of the Scriptures, Interpretation of the Old Testament, the Identity of Christ, the Kingdom of God, the Trinity and Baptism, the Apostolic Mission and Ministry, the Return of Christ, the Lord’s Supper, Jesus’ Death as Atonement and the Resurrection will be examined. Faithful interpretation of the Gospel of Matthew for preaching and teaching will be modeled in lectures and mentored in exegetical groups.

Click to hide description

This course will focus on the centrality of Jesus Christ in the revelation of God in the Gospel of Luke and the significance of the mission of the apostles in the Book of Acts. The teaching and preaching of Jesus in the Gospel, the sermons of the apostles in Acts, the sacramental theology in Luke-Acts and the missional and diakonal ministry of the early Christians will be examined. Since Luke is the only Gospel with a companion work describing the life of the Church, themes unique to Luke will be emphasized. Topics such as the Nature of the Scriptures, Interpretation of the Old Testament, the Identity of Christ, the Kingdom of God, the Trinity and Baptism, the Apostolic Mission and Ministry, the Return of Christ, the Lord’s Supper, Jesus’ Death as Atonement and the Resurrection will be examined.

Click to hide description

After an introduction to the first five books of the Old Testament, major portions of the Hebrew text of Genesis will be studied because of its foundational role in all theology. Creation, Marriage, the Fall into Sin, the Promise of Salvation, the Presence of the Son with the Patriarchs and other biblical themes in Genesis will be examined. Commentaries, sermons, liturgies and hymnody from the history of the church that deals with Genesis will also be considered. Integration of the Genesis narratives and teachings into the life of the church today will be accented.

Click to hide description

After an introduction to the life of the Apostle Paul, major portions of the Greek text of Galatians and Romans will be studied. Important central teachings in the Greek text of Paul’s other Epistles will also be examined, such as the Person and Work of Christ, the Church, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, the End Times and Pastoral Ministry. The importance of the Apostle Paul’s teaching for the life of the church will be highlighted.

Click to hide description

The liturgical life of the church and the devotional life of her pastors have been shaped and influenced by the Psalter. This course approaches the study of the Psalter from an inter¬ disciplinary perspective by incorporating both exegetical and pastoral ministry concerns. Selected Psalms will be closely examined on the basis of the Hebrew text with specific attention not only to their grammatical issues but also to their theological content. The Psalms will also be examined as rich resources for the worshiping community and for the spiritual formation of ministers of the Word and Sacraments.

Click to hide description

A course of your choice from the EXT or EXTE sections of the catalog.

Click to hide description

A survey of the history of the Office of Deaconess. The course will study the origins, development and ministries of the deaconess, with special emphasis on the deaconess vocation as a ministry of mercy and care. Special attention will be given to the description and activities of the deaconess in the early church to the 19th century revival of the office under Fliedner and Loehe and to the ministry of the deaconess in the 21st century.
Required course for Deaconess certification and M.A. in Deaconess Studies students. This course will be delivered as an online course for M.A. in Deaconess Studies (Distance) students and will be noted as HITD 125 on the students’ transcripts.

Click to hide description

Beginning with a description of the Church in the 21st century, especially from the perspective of trends and challenges for world-wide missions, this course looks for historical connections with contemporary Christianity from the Reformation to the present day. Students will learn about the Reformation origins of major Protestant denominations as well as of modern Roman Catholicism, but also will consider the impact on the mission of the Church from broad historical developments like pietism, liberalism and ecumenism. Special attention will be paid to the modern missions movement that has seen the planting of Christianity around the globe and what this has meant for the Church in America as well as abroad.

Click to hide description

A course of your choice from the HIT or HITH sections of the catalog.

Click to hide description

An introduction to the theology and practice of Lutheran liturgy. This course will acquaint the student with the biblical and confessional foundations of the Lutheran liturgy, the structure and components of the Divine Service and the daily office, and provide him with opportunity to develop skills as a servant of the liturgy.

Click to hide description

This course will examine the biblical and confessional foundations for catechesis in the Lutheran congregation and seek to assist students in acquiring skills and developing practices that are consistent with these foundations. Special attention will be given to the content and pattern of catechesis reflected in the catechism of Martin Luther.
This course will be delivered as an online course for M.A. in Deaconess Studies students and will be noted as PMMD 233 on the students’ transcripts.

Click to hide description

Theological ethics, understood from a distinctly Lutheran perspective, are contrasted with contemporary pluralistic approaches to ethics. The place of ethics is defined in relation to the doctrine of justification within a trinitarian framework. Key Lutheran themes such as the Law/Gospel distinction, two governments in relation to creation and redemption and vocation are put in conversation with current issues, especially those related to sexuality, marriage, beginning of life and end of life.

Click to hide description

The first in a three-course sequence is a study of the Book of Concord, which will examine the Augsburg Confession and its Apology. Emphasis will be on the basic teachings and issues which define the theology of the Lutheran Church in its historic context.

Click to hide description

The Theologia courses are intentionally inter-disciplinary and integrative. As the constituting sacrament of the church’s life, Baptism provides the focus and emphasis of Theologia I. Using the Scriptures, historic baptismal liturgies, sermonic baptismal catechesis and dogmatic elaboration, this course uses the church’s own ways of speaking and ways of baptismal administration as paradigms for theological thinking and pastoral practice. The course consists of plenary classes and small group workshops.

Click to hide description

Second course in the study of the Book of Concord, which will focus on the Small and Large Catechisms, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise. This course will show the connection between the Confessions and catechesis, providing an appreciation of Luther’s contribution to the Book of Concord.
Prerequisite: Lutheran Confessions I.

Click to hide description

This course engages students in the systematic study of the biblical and theological foundations of God as mercy with particular emphasis of the embodiment of that mercy in the person of the Son, Christ Jesus. From the consideration of Christ’s mercy as bestowed through the life of the church, and its distinctive expression through the care of the deaconess toward the needy and the suffering, the student will develop connections between the theoretical and the practical.

Click to hide description

This seminar will focus on incarnational mercy. e Church, like Christ Himself, has a ministry to people in need, body and soul. Students will receive instruction in research principles and will then select a research topic on theology for mercy in e Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod today. They will conduct a major research project on this topic, focusing on the biblical principles of mercy and incorporating theological knowledge acquired from their academic study. Their research will culminate in a presentation and report.

Click to hide description

The last course in the study of the Book of Concord, which will be devoted to the Formula of Concord. It will emphasize the rich heritage of mature Lutheran theology in its historical context and its application to our contemporary world.
Prerequisites: Lutheran Confessions I, Lutheran Confessions II.

Click to hide description

The Theologia courses are intentionally inter-disciplinary and integrative. As the sacrament through which the life of the church is sustained, the Lord’s Supper provides the focus and emphasis of Theologia III. Using the Scriptures, historic eucharistic liturgies, eucharistic homily and dogmatic elaboration, this course uses the church’s own ways of speaking and ways of eucharistic administration as paradigms for theological thinking and pastoral practice. The course consists of plenary classes and small group workshops.
Prerequisites: Theologia I, Theologia II.

Click to hide description

The purpose of this course is to introduce all beginning students to the way the texts, tools, monographs and periodicals used for theological study are arranged in the library and how to access these using a variety of computer-based tools. Research skills and coping with information overload will also be emphasized. This course is required for all incoming students.

Click to hide description

Customize your program of study with an open course from any of our 100-500 level offerings.  Note that some courses have pre-requisites for enrollment.  See the catalog for details.

Click to hide description

Deaconess students will engage in field education concurrent with Seminary studies. Each student will be placed in a local congregation under the supervision of the pastor. This will become the student’s “home congregation” during her time at the Seminary. During the first year, students will get to know the congregation’s members and needs, while also conducting fieldwork activities in an institutional setting, such as jail ministry, rehabilitation programs, hospice, elder care, work with immigrant populations, work with Christian youth centers. Verbatim assignments and discussion will be completed and shared during the Field Education hour.
Enrollment limited to Deaconess Certification students.

Click to hide description

Deaconess students will continue to engage in field education during their second year of Seminary studies. The supervising pastor will assign fieldwork activities based on congregational need. Typical deaconess congregational field work may include shut-in home visits and/or hospital visits, women’s Bible studies and teaching children and/or youth. Verbatim assignments and discussion will be completed and shared during the Field Education hour.
Enrollment limited to Deaconess Certification students.

Click to hide description

See description of the internship program on page 50 or page 55.
Enrollment limited to Deaconess Certification and M.A. in Deaconess Studies students.

Click to hide description

A post-internship forum designed to assist the deaconess student in processing her internship challenges, struggles and successes. Will include student-led case studies and other exercises toward evaluating and improving the effectiveness of her service. Intended to foster the transition between student learner and rostered deaconess.

Click to hide description