Seminary president resigns

Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch addresses the CLS Sacred Convocation in May, 2011

The president of Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton, Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch sent a letter of resignation to LCC President Robert Bugbee; Rev. Mark Dressler, chair of CLS Board of Regents; and Rev. Don Schiemann, president of the ABC District. The resignation is effective immediately.

Dr. Zeuch, a native of Brazil, accepted the call to serve as president of CLS in January 2007. “I was honoured to lead CLS through the phases of renewal in curriculum and vision,” he said in his letter noting that the changes will continue as a result of the Memorandum of Understanding which seeks to produce cost efficient and sustainable seminary education in Canada. He believes his “mission and vocation at CLS has now come to an end, and it will be good for other leaders to continue in the path of the agreement reached in June.”

“These sorts of moments are bittersweet for me,” commented President Bugbee. “I will deeply miss the warmth and collegial spirit that Dr. Zeuch always displayed toward me personally in his role as seminary president, and yet I thank God for his consecrated service, both to CLS and to the Synod.” He asked the church to pray the Lord’s guidance for the Zeuch family in the future, and for the ongoing work being done by faculty, staff and students at Concordia Lutheran Seminary.

The Board of Regents will name an acting-president in the near future to provide oversight of the seminary’s operations.

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