Seminaries set to harmonize operations

Signing the Memorandum of Understanding (back) Rev. Paul Schallhorn, chairman, CLS Board of Regents; Rev. Dr. Tom Winger, acting-president, CLTS; Rev. Robert Krestick, chairman, CLTS Board of Regents; (front) Rev. Dr. Manfred Zeuch, president CLS; Randy Stefan, chairman, LCC Board of Directors; LCC President Robert Bugbee.

Prior to Lutheran Church–Canada’s national convention June 3-6 in Hamilton, Ontario, discussion across the church centred around the fate of LCC’s two seminaries—Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines, Ontario and Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton. A resolution at the 2008 convention asked LCC’s Board of Directors to implement cost-efficient and sustainable seminary education.

Based on the work of a task force, the BOD asked the seminaries to work together to draft a memorandum of understanding outlining how the two institutions would work together to reduce duplication of classes, services and administration and adapt course delivery to include more online and distance learning. In addition, the BOD set a budget cap within which the two institutions would work.

By the time of the convention, the three entities had drafted a Memorandum of Understanding and the resolutions committee responsible for the seminary issue placed before the delegates a resolution to “To support the LCC Board of Directors and Synod’s seminaries as They Respond to Resolution 08.3.04.”

In the course of the debate on the convention floor, a delegate presented a substitute resolution, based on an overture calling for the amalgamation of LCC’s seminaries on the Edmonton campus.

Following discussion, delegates voted to decline the substitute resolution and adopt the resolution supporting the work undertaken by Lutheran Church–Canada’s Board of Directors and two seminaries that resulted in the MOU. The action by delegates allowed all parties to sign the memorandum that will establish a unified direction for preparing pastors in Lutheran Church–Canada.

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