Luther Seminary

Luther Seminary is the result of a series of mergers that consolidated what at one time were five separate institutions into one seminary. Luther Theological Seminary In 1917, three Norwegian-American Lutheran churches united to create the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America (NLCA). Each of the three church bodies had operated a seminary. The Norwegian Synod 's Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota , had been founded in 1876; the Hauge Synod 's Red Wing Seminary in Red Wing, Minnesota , in 1879; and the United Norwegian Lutheran Church 's United Church Seminary in Saint Paul, in 1892. The merged seminaries occupied the site of the United Church Seminary because it was the most developed and elaborate, and retained the name of the oldest of the three schools, namely, Luther Theological Seminary. The NLCA took the name Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1946 and, with other churches, formed the American Lutheran Church (ALC) in 1960. The presidents of Luther Theological Seminary: Marcus Olaus Bockman (1892–1917) (United Church) Marcus Olaus Bockman (1917–1930) T. F. Gullixson (1930–1954) Alvin Rogness (1954–1974) Lloyd Svendsbye (1974–1982)

Augsburg Theological Seminary , later renamed Augsburg University, was founded in 1869 at Marshall, Wisconsin , later moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota , and in 1897 became the seminary of the Lutheran Free Church . It remained a separate seminary until 1963, at which time the Lutheran Free Church merged with the American Lutheran Church and Augsburg Seminary was merged with Luther Theological Seminary. The merged institution took the Luther Theological Seminary name and the 1869 founding date of Augsburg Seminary.

Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary traces its origin to the Chicago Lutheran Divinity School , begun in Chicago, Illinois , in 1920 following action taken by the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Northwest , a synod of the United Lutheran Church in America . In 1921, the seminary was moved to Fargo, North Dakota , and the following year to Minneapolis. From 1921 to 1982, its name was Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary. Located in north Minneapolis from 1922 to 1940 and in south Minneapolis from 1940 to 1967, it moved near the campus of Luther Theological Seminary in Saint Paul in 1967. At the time of the formation of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA) in 1962, Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary was placed under the jurisdiction of two supporting synods: the Minnesota Synod and the Red River Valley Synod. The presidents of Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary: Joseph Stump (1920–1935) Paul Roth (1935–1950) Jonas Dressler (1950–1957) Clemens Zeidler (1957–1976) Lloyd Svendsbye (1976–1982)

Desiring to make witness to a shared mission in theological education, Luther and Northwestern seminaries were functionally unified in 1976, beginning with a single administration. After a period of six years, the two seminaries formally merged on July 1, 1982, as Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary . On January 1, 1988, Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary became affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , which was formed by a merger of the LCA, the ALC, and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches . The seminary's name was simplified to Luther Seminary on July 1, 1994. The presidents of Luther Seminary (1982–1994 as Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary): Lloyd Svendsbye (1982–1987) Gib Fjellman (1987) (interim) David L. Tiede (1988–2005) Richard Bliese (2005–2012) Rick Foss (2012–2014) (interim) Robin Steinke (2014–present)