Seminary task force finalizes recommendations

WINNIPEG – After almost two years of meetings, travel, online discussions, and deliberations, Lutheran Church–Canada’s Task Force on Cost-efficient, Sustainable Seminary Education is fine-tuning its recommendations. During a Winnipeg meeting at the end of August the members of the task force sought the opinion of LCC’s legal counsel on some of the options it is exploring. The task force also looked at funding scenarios related to potential recommendations.

“No one ever thought this would be easy,” said Rev. Nolan Astley, chairman of the task force. “We’ve gone around the block a couple of times on some issues and engaged in healthy discussions on others, but these men have always kept their eye on what is best for God’s people in Lutheran Church–Canada.”

Pastor Astley, LCC President Robert Bugbee and an additional task force member will meet Tuesday, October 5 in Winnipeg with Dr. Thomas Winger, acting president of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines and Dr. Manfred Zeuch, president of Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton. The chairman will present the task force’s primary recommendations and ask the presidents for their response.

Following the meeting and taking into account the discussions with the presidents, the task force will draft recommendations for LCC’s Board of Directors (BOD) who meet in early November. The 2008 convention resolution calling for cost efficient seminary education gives the BOD responsibility for bringing recommendations to the 2011 convention next June.

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