The Control of Lutheran Theological Education in America (Part I)

The other day, I stumbled upon an interesting book in the library—The Control of Lutheran Theological Education in America, by Oscar Ahlenius Winfield (Augustana, 1933). While I found the entire book to be worth reading, I have decided to only pull out certain quotes which pertain to the Missouri Synod, as well as a few other interesting tidbits of information. This post is part one. Excerpts pertaining to the recruitment of students for the seminary and the control of seminary students can be found at their respective links.

Basic Lutheran Ideas Regarding the Ministry:
Educational Qualifications: The ministers are, as a rule, required to spend three years at a Lutheran Seminary, preferably the seminary belonging to and controlled by the Synod into which the candidate for ordination wishes to enter.... The customary educational requirement for entrance to the seminary is the B.A. degree with reading knowledge of Latin and Greek, and in some cases, as in the Missouri Synod seminary at St. Louis, Hebrew is required for entrance. Since much of Lutheran Church work is carried on among immigrants, a large share of the ministers must be able to speak at least one modern European language. (p. 50-51)

Preparatory Education of Theological Students:
Elementary Education: The only Lutheran body that seriously sponsors a program of parochial elementary education is the Missouri Synod. This Lutheran group constitutes about one fourth of the Lutherans in America. According to its Statistical Yearbook there were 77,837 children in the parochial schools of the Synod in 1928 [excluding the Argentine and Brazil districts]. Another table in the same yearbook shows that there are 18,534 "Lutheran children" not attending the parochial school. This means that nearly 81 per cent of the school children of the Missouri Synod are attending its parochial schools.

No figures are available showing what percentage of the ministers of this Synod come from the parochial schools, but the proportion of 81 and 19 will probably hold its own. In other words, it seems safe to conclude that 81 per cent of the ministers come from the parochial schools. This seems more likely in view of the recruiting value that may lie in parochial education. (p. 68-69)

In the case of the Concordia Seminary at St. Louis, Missouri, owned and controlled by the Missouri Synod, 99 per cent [footnote: From statement by Dean Fritz in a personal letter to the writer] of the students have been educated in either the high schools of the Synod, or in one of its junior colleges. The junior colleges of this Synod are administered on a six-year plan, receiving students from the eighth grade of the parochial school. Ordinarily, one who has decided for the ministry will attend such a junior college, from which he may directly enter Concordia Seminary. The chart on page 71 (below) shows college and seminary enrollment, suggesting a very close coordination throughout. (p. 70-72)

What has been said of the Concordia Seminary and its relation to secondary education is equally true in its relation to college education. The Missouri Synod sponsors a system of junior colleges and in nearly every case the seminary at St. Louis receives its students from these colleges. (p. 73)