LSTC's curriculum cultivates competencies for leadership in a public church that focuses on community engagement, public witness, and social transformation. Our holistic approach to theological education breaks academic disciplines out of their silos and allows creative collaboration to flourish.
Curriculum
The MDiv, MA, and MAM students are encouraged to view seminary as a formative stage of their lifelong journey of learning and intentional cultivation of the skills, aptitudes, and experiences needed for leadership for a public church today. The curriculum takes each student’s strengths, experiences, and unique interests as a starting point. It further equips them with the skills, knowledge, and experiences they need to develop competencies in leadership for a public church.
Features of LSTC’s new MDiv, MA, and MAM curricula include:
- 5-9 required orienting courses (depending on degree) provide foundation and framework
- Competency-based, with multiple pathways toward completion
- Holistic approach to theological education that is rigorous, dialogical, and experiential
- Action-reflection pedagogy that foregrounds learning in context
- Interdisciplinary and integrative design and instruction of courses
- Hundreds of courses available through the ACTS consortium
- Chicago as your classroom
LSTC’s Public Church Curriculum has been recognized as one of the most innovative among North American seminaries by Convergence US.
Public Church Fellows Program
LSTC’s innovative Public Church Fellows program combines service at a community non-profit or social service organization with intentional small group reflection and faith formation. Combining service experience with academic course work creates Public Church Fellows who serve as leaders in the LSTC community and gain meaningful experience for ministry.
Public Church Fellows
- Serve seven hours a week during the academic year with a non-profit community partner
- Develop learning objectives and goals with site coordinator
- Establish relationships and mentorships with off-campus community partners
- Participate in regular reflection and faith formation activities, including trainings and networking with seminarians from other institutions
- Lead within the LSTC community by supporting a broader conversation about public church, service and justice
- Receive a $500 monthly stipend during the academic year
Program Details
Individuals are invited to apply to the program after receiving an offer of admission. All incoming master’s level students (MDiv, MAM, MA) are eligible, including part-time and commuter students. Ten incoming students are selected as Public Church Fellows every fall, which does not affect financial aid offers made at the time of admission. With the exception of internship, the fellowship is guaranteed for all years of study, assuming the fellow remains in good standing and chooses to continue in the program.
Placement SitesThe Public Church Fellows program allows me to synthesize what I am learning in the classroom with my experience serving others in the neighborhood. There is no better way to follow Christ’s command to love our neighbors than actually getting out and loving them!
Public Church Fellows are engaged with a number of different organizations in the Chicago area that provide service in the fields of:
| Aging & Elderly | Homelessness & Housing |
| Children & Youth | Interfaith |
| Community Organizing | LGBTQ+ |
| Domestic Violence | Poverty & Low-Income |
| Education | Refugees & Immigration |
| Environment | Social Justice |
| Food Justice | Veterans |
| Healthcare |
Questions?
Email admissions@lstc.edu or call 773.256.0727