| Ministries, Concentration & Emphases: ELCA Rostered Ministries: |
 |
HISPANIC MINISTRY
Initiated in 1978, the seminary’s Hispanic ministries program has an excellent record providing resources and equipping leaders for the growing bilingual and bicultural Hispanic community in the United States. The program is nourished by the presence of similar programs in the Chicago area where students can take advantage of course offerings, public lectures, fellowship and special events.
The program and its achievements have received national recognition. Recently a study by the Fund for Theological Education (FTE) entitled “The Theological Education of Hispanics” cited the cooperative program with McCormick Theological Seminary as an outstanding model. The program’s reputation extends to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
The program is host of the Dr. Evaristo Falcó-Esteves Lecture Series. The lecture series, developed following the lead of the Hein-Fry Lectures of the E.L.C.A., is designed to enrich the continuing education of Hispanic Lutherans and ecumenical religious leaders in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America. Every three years a distinguished Hispanic or Latin American scholar presents the lectures traveling in Puerto Rico, Mexico and at many seminaries in the United States. The lectures are published through the office of the Hispanic Ministry Program at LSTC.
Hispanic Ministry program requirements
and course offerings
The basic requirement for admission to the Hispanic ministries program is a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. The seminary may admit persons without a bachelor’s degree as special students eligible to be reclassified subsequently as M.A./M.Div. candidates. Graduation requirements are identical to those of the regular M.A./M.Div. program. Students interested in applying need to follow the regular admission process for candidates seeking a degree at the seminary.
The Hispanic ministries program is a track within the regular M.A./M.Div. program. Its purpose is to prepare Hispanics and other bilingual persons to serve effectively in Hispanic communities. This is accomplished by providing a broad range of courses taught in Spanish, or bilingually in Spanish and English, that supplement the regular curricular offerings, and by providing opportunities for teaching parishes, clinical pastoral education, and internship placements in Hispanic settings.
In order to successfully complete the Hispanic ministries track the student needs to complete a core of five courses. These courses will be identified in conversation with the student’s advisor taking into account the student's interest and the seminary offerings. In many cases students may substitute these courses for requirements in the seminary curriculum.
Recently offered courses have included:
- La fe que confesamos
- Predicación en el contexto latino
- Temas centrales de la teología hispano-Latino Americana
- Teología de Lutero
- Religión popular Latina
- Teología y literatura
With its large and diverse Hispanic population representing all major Hispanic groups, Chicago provides a rich array of ecclesiastical opportunities that serve as a laboratory for students. The Hispanic ministries program at LSTC is committed to respond to the needs of the wider Hispanic community through the promotion of research and publications in Hispanic theology and ministry.
