Why the new seminary?
article by attending student John Graham
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Why the Institute of Lutheran Theology for Seminary
January 31 – 2010
By John Graham
A new seminary has arisen among confessional Lutherans: the Institute of Lutheran Theology. While the school is new, its roots are old, grounded in the orthodox Lutheran tradition. I thoroughly enjoyed the first session as we jumped into learning, being challenged and getting to know the wonderful minds of the faculty and the eleven other students. For the spring term our student enrollment has grown to eighteen. One might think most of the professors had done this before, but this is not a surprise since many of the professors and administrators come from long, established seminaries. The reason I chose ILT for my pastoral seminary training is it is established on God’s Word as it is written in the Scriptures. Their sharply stated and insistently practiced principles, being solidly biblical, distinguish them from other seminaries, like those we find in the ELCA/ELCIC. This is a truly confessional Lutheran seminary. It is an honor and privilege to be trained at ILT. The faculty and staff are committed to training this coming generation of God’s faithful pastors.
ILT is an international seminary and a Pan-Lutheran seminary. Students come from Canada, the USA and even Cameroon. Many Synods and church organizations support or cooperate with the Institute of Lutheran Theology, including: Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations, Lutheran Church Canada, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the Word Alone Network, The Lutheran Coalition for Reform and many congregations, individuals and seminarians from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. ILT is representative of a movement, a reclamation of Lutheranism as part of an awakening of God’s faithful in North America. The commonality I’ve witnessed with those involved with ILT, despite being from all kinds of different backgrounds and circumstances, is we all are of like mind in following Christ despite any other power or influence of this world. The most basic mission and cause of ILT, proclaiming Jesus Christ and making disciples of all nations, has drawn together the finest individuals.
The technology of ILT is amazing. I sit, in the comfort of my home office, in a virtual classroom with the rest of the students and the professor. We see one another, as in ‘Hollywood Squares’, speaking and hearing, seeing and being seen, put together in time and space by inexpensive, easy to use technology. We may not be able to physically touch one another, but we can type chat about what the professor is saying without moving our lips! By this technology and structure there was no need to up-heave my family from our home and move to a new city, with new jobs etc. So much can be said of the sheer convenience of this technology, economically and comfort-wise, but the technology also allows for high-tech multi-media learning, with multiple levels of interaction among students. In both quality and cost, the technology of the Institute of Lutheran Theology gives it a definite advantage as a place of learning.
It was initially a painful decision to attend seminary at ILT, because it is not the seminary of my specific denomination, the ELCIC. It was a bit of a leap of faith, though with the information I now have it didn’t have to be. Many of my pastors in the ELCIC advised me to not go to the designated seminary of our Synod for reasons of both prominent and heterodox teachings. Being a member of the ELCIC, my Synod did say I must attend seminary in Saskatoon in order to be ordained. Although that information affected me a lot, it was disinformation. Even the Bishop of our Alberta and NW Territory Synod came to us with a different Synod background. It is common for pastors to join the ELCIC who were educated in different seminaries and are from different backgrounds. It should never have been the case that I considered allowing denominational politics to prevent me from getting the very best seminary education possible. Taking this leap of faith opened me up to a world of Christians who likewise refuse to allow denominational politics to inhibit the unity of Christ’s body in any way. In this way ILT opened up more opportunities for ministry than I would have had strictly in the ELCIC. Yet, as a member of the ELCIC and one who loves God’s people in it, I am overjoyed to be getting the best seminary training possible to serve God’s church. It is for sharing this joy that I write this article for you.
As a confessional Lutheran seminary, the Institute of Lutheran Theology has arrived as a major player in the Lutheran church. It is a viable, readily available and superior option for both seminarians and congregations who wish to help train God’s faithful to be pastors. It might also be mentioned that high-quality lay-courses are also offered by ILT to congregations and individuals. One such lay-person in Canada commented on a specific course, “the lessons are illuminating and very beneficial.” The benefits received also include the ability for a congregation to sponsor a candidate of their choice, even someone from their own congregation, to be trained as their pastor. Providing faithfully educated pastors for God’s church in the future is critical to the health and success of the church’s mission. ILT and its networks are here to support and work with individuals, congregations and denominations to further the Gospel of Jesus Christ on earth.
For more information about the Institute of Lutheran Theology, its biblical principles or to make a donation, please go online to www.ilt.org .
