Events

LSTC will hold its 161st Commencement virtually on Sunday, May 16, 2:30 p.m., Central Daylight Time. The pre-recorded celebration will be released on LSTC’s Facebook and YouTube channels. This year’s commencement speaker will be José David Rodríguez, Augustana Heritage Chair of Global Mission and World Christianity at LSTC.

A virtual baccalaureate service will be held Saturday, May 15, 4 p.m. (CDT) via Zoom and livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube. The baccalaureate preacher, Kimberly Wagner, assistant professor of homiletics and Alex Jacob and Gerda Maria (Swanson) Carlson Chair in Homiletics, was selected with input from the graduates. Register here to receive the Zoom link.

David Grinspoon will present “The Emergence of Planetary Intelligence: Astrobiology and the Anthropocene Earth” Thursday, June 3, at 5 p.m., Central Daylight Time. This free Zoom webinar is hosted by the Center for Advanced Studies in Religion and Science (CASIRAS) and LSTC.

Grinspoon is an astrobiologist, award-winning science communicator, and prize-winning author. His research focuses on climate evolution on Earth-like planets, potential conditions for life elsewhere in the universe and the planetary scale impacts of human activities on Earth.

Register here to receive the link and a reminder on June 3.

For further details about the lecture and David Grinspoon, reference this news release.

Mark your calendars for Homecoming 2021! All alumni, all classes come back home to LSTC for this all alumni virtual event!

Plans for an all-class Zoom gathering, class hangout/breakouts and another "Talking About Antiracism" Learning Session are underway. Special recognition will be given to classes marking 10-, 25-, 40- and 50-year reunions, with distinct gatherings for each. We culminate the event celebrating our 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awardees.

More information coming soon!

The annual James Kenneth Echols Prize for Excellence in Preaching was held virtually on Thursday, April 15 at 11:15 a.m. The theme for this year was "food and feasting." This broad theme invited students to think creatively with a biblical text about the themes of food and/or feasting.

The James Kenneth Echols Prize for Excellence in Preaching is an annual preaching event established and funded by Mr. LeRoy T. Carlson. The aims of this event are to promote the quality and excellence of preaching, to inspire students at LSTC to fully use their varied gifts to improve their preaching skills, to increase the visibility and importance of preaching the Gospel on the LSTC campus and the world beyond, and to recognize the Rev. Dr. James Kenneth Echols and his many contributions by naming the prize in his honor.

Review the recorded sermons of the 2021 prize recipients.

Several worship services featured meaningful sermons by LSTC faculty and special guests.

Dr. Peter Vethanayagamony on April 7, 2021

Stacy Kitahata on April 12, 2021

Dr. Eunyung Lim on April 14, 2021

Rev. Dr. Sunder John Boopalan on April 26, 2021 - Coming Soon!

Watch a recording of this panel presentation.

April 6 at 1 p.m.: Marvin Wickware Jr., LSTC assistant professor of church and society and ethics, presented the third in a series, “Talking About Antiracism.” The title of the presentation was "For Such a Time as This: Public Church Theology in the Pandemic." LSTC Alumni Board members Melissa James and Liz Kocher served as hosts. Mr. Vance Blackfox, Rev. Scott Fritz and Rev. Priscilla Paris-Austin served on a panel. Watch the panel presentation recording.

April 6 at 6 p.m.: In "Introducing the Antiracism Transformation Team," Vima Couvertier-Cruz, team liaison, along with team members, discussed the team's work and purpose at LSTC. Watch the presentation recording.

This year's World Mission Conference focused on migration, mission, and spirituality, and the strong connection among all three. Peter Phan's keynote address grounded such a spirituality in the very being and mission of God. To be God, he suggested, is to be a migrant, to be on a journey in search of and in solidarity with all of humanity and the entire created world.

The World Mission Institute is sponsored annually by A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice, Catholic Theological Union, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and McCormick Theological Seminary.

Watch the presentation recording.

So often, Black people are invited to teach others through the lens of their pain. This Black History Month, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, LSTC Antiracism Team, Metropolitan Chicago Synod, and the African Descent Lutheran Association - Metro Chicago Chapter collaborated to explore the resilience of Black people through the intricacy of Black joy.

Black Joy Worship Services

February 1 with Nikkeya Berryhill

February 3 with Rev. Robert E. Biekman

February 10 with Rev. Charles M. Straight

February 15 wtih Pastor Fanya Burford-Berry

Black Joy Presentations

February 4: "Celebrating Black Joy: Perspective from a Panel"

February 10: "Sitting with a Beloved Ancestor: James Cone and the Complexity of Black Joy"

Febrary 15: "Black Joy through Art Lunch and Learn"

February 18: "Black Voices of Transformation: A Virtual Spoken Word Event"

February 23: "Complicated Joy: A Conversation on Black Joy in the Movement for Black Lives"

February 26: "Black Joy Revival"

Dr. King’s message of unity was the theme for the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration Monday, January 18. Five leading theologians reflected on the theme during the 60-minute pre-recorded tribute, and music was provided as well.

Read more about this important event!

Review the event recording on YouTube.