Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University

Return to: Degree Requirements

Dean - The Rev. Dr. Kathryn Kleinhaus

Professors - The Rev. Dr. Brad Binau, The Rev. Dr. John Karanja, The Rev. Dr. Anne Marshall, The Rev. Dr. Paul Numrich, The Rev. Dr. Cheryl Peterson, The Rev. Dr. Mark Allan Powell, May Schwarz, The Rev. Dr. Joy Schroeder

About Trinity Lutheran Seminary

An institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University is committed to expanding its students’ discernment of faith, responsibility to one another and purposeful impact. That’s forming leaders for Christ’s church at work in the world.

History

In 1830, the German Theological Seminary of the Ohio Synod, later known as the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary, was founded to meet the need for educating pastors in the Ohio region. During its first decade it had one theological professor, Wilhelm Schmidt.

In 1840, Ohio Lutheranism suffered schism. Th English Synod of Ohio and the Joint Synod of Ohio eventually became part of the Lutheran Church in America and The American Lutheran Church respectively. 

In 1845, the English Synod of Ohio founded Wittenberg College at Springfield to provide pastors  for the Church as well as members of other professions. Ezra Keller was the first theological professor, and first president, of the fledgling college. In 1906, the theological department was named Hamma Divinity School in recognition of the generosity of Michael and Almira Hamma. In 1964, Hamma received a large measure of autonomy within the Wittenberg structure and was renamed Hamma School of Theology.

In 1850, the Joint Synod of Ohio founded Capital University. At that time, the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary was part of Capital University. In the 1920s the Seminary was moved to the present Trinity campus and given a large measure of autonomy within the University. In 1959, the Seminary was separated from Capital, becoming an independent institution of The American Lutheran Church.

By the early twentieth century, Hamma and ELTS were united by a shared allegiance to the Lutheran Confessions, by the Common Service used by several Lutheran bodies in North America, and by much common history. As The American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church in America came to work closely together in theological education in the 1960s and 1970s, it was decided that there should be only one Lutheran seminary in Ohio. Trinity Lutheran Seminary opened its doors on September 1, 1978, as a joint seminary of the ALC and the LCA.

As a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America since 1988 Trinity stands for that which its predecessors, ELTS and Hamma, embodied- commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to educational excellence, and to thorough preparation for Christian service.

We Share a Common Mission and History
In 1830, the church founded the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary in Ohio to educate pastors in the region, which later resulted in the charter of Capital University in 1850. Despite numerous changes over the years, the relationship between the church and the university remained strong. 

On January 1, 2018, the historic bonds between Capital and Trinity were restored, promising a stronger future for both institutions. Trinity Lutheran Seminary at Capital University is sustainably empowered to deliver an innovative, integrative and invigorating theological education through one of Ohio’s top comprehensive, private universities, and to impact the world as one of the strongest seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Beyond the Books
A theological seminary is more than an educational institution. It is also a community of Christians gathering in the name of Jesus to praise the Lord and to be empowered for mission. A seminary education involves seeking the maximum possible involvement in the various dimensions of the entire experience: academics, common meals, worship, ministry in context, community life and special programs.

Mission

Disciples of Jesus are called, gathered, and sent. Trinity’s mission statement clearly has that missional thrust. The faculty are determined to make our long standing commitment to educate leaders for the church’s mission even more explicit by shaping a curriculum that is missional in focus.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Trinity Lutheran Seminary is a professional school on the graduate level.

The Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree program typically prepares students for ordained ministry. The program typically spans four years for full-time students, which includes the contextual education requirements.The Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) degree may be earned in two years of full-time study. This degree  is intended for those persons seeking personal and/or professional enrichment through the study of theology, bible, history, and related disciplines. In cooperation with the Capital University Law School, a dual J.D.Students seeking such degrees will make application at both schools under terms specified by the two schools.

The Master of Arts in Youth and Family Ministry (M.A.Y.F.M.) may be earned in two years of full-time study or an equivalent amount of part-time work. A combination of broad theological studies, focused studies in youth and family ministries, and supervised fieldwork provide the foundation and experience for service in congregations, outdoor ministries, and other church agencies.

Because each program has its own integrity, transfers between the M.Div., the M.T.S., and the M.A. degree programs must be approved by the faculty. If a student transfers from one degree program to another, credit for a course taken in the first program may be applied to the second program only with the approval of the Academic Dean.

The Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) is a post- graduate degree which may be completed in twelve months of full-time study. It is offered to those candidates who hold the Master of Divinity or the Master of Theological Studies and who engage in a rigorous program of specialized post-graduate study.

The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) is a joint degree, offered by Trinity and the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, which may be earned on a part-time basis in four years. The degree is designed to provide ministering professionals with an advanced educational experience, integrating resources from classical and practical disciplines. It is offered to those candidates who hold an ATS-approved M.Div. degree or its educational equivalent and have spent at least three years in professional ministry.

PRE-SEMINARY STUDIES

Because of the wide range of undergraduate programs and majors offered by colleges and universities, Trinity does not demand any one type of undergraduate preparation as a prerequisite for theological study. However, it is recommended that, whenever possible, pre-seminary students include in their course of study a broad background in the liberal arts, including such subjects as English, history, modern languages, philosophy, Greek, and the social sciences.

In light of present-day racism, sexism, global poverty amid affluence, and the history of injustice with respect to American minorities, it is of utmost importance that sensitivity to these issues be nurtured prior to entering the Seminary.  Although college work at the baccalaureate level cannot be counted for credit at the master’s level, students with courses in Bible and theology at the college level may benefit in their seminary program in one or more of the following ways:

1. They may test out of a core requirement. A student who tests out is exempted from taking the course but the hours required for graduation are not reduced. The student may be required to substitute a course from that area of study for the exempted core course.
2. They may have certain entry-level core requirements waived, in which case the student will take another course in that area of study for each course waived.
3. They may be admitted to certain courses for which they do not have the Trinity prerequisites

Academic Calendar

Trinity Lutheran Seminary academic calendar can be found here. 

The January term (J-Term) is designed to provide opportunities for intensive study in many different types of contexts and locations. International courses have been conducted in Cuba, Mexico, El Salvador, the Middle East, Kenya, Germany, and Haiti. Other opportunities for study have included courses in urban settings such as Detroit, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. as well as rural settings such as Nebraska, South Dakota, and Appalachia. On-campus courses feature elements not possible to include during regular terms.

In-Term Course Scheduling - Courses may be scheduled to meet for the full semester, for only the first half of the semester (Session 1), or for only the second half of the semester (Session 2). Course offerings are available through WebAdvisor.

Admission Procedures

Application for admission must be made through the Office of Admissions. Detailed information regarding admissions can be found here. While late applications will be considered, late applicants put themselves at a disadvantage in regard to requests for Seminary housing, financial aid, and campus employment. For this reason, it is recommended that applicants begin the admission process as early as possible.

A student who wishes to transfer from another theological seminary must present from that school a letter of honorable dismissal and a transcript of credits, along with the usual admissions data. A member of  the ELCA who has already completed the equivalent  of one year or more of work at another seminary must obtain the approval of his or her synodical candidacy committee as part of the admission process.

Credit will be transferred from accredited graduate schools and seminaries if it can appropriately be applied to a Trinity degree program, with certain provisos. No transfer credit will be given for work done with a letter grade under C, or with a grade of Marginal in Pass/Marginal/Fail grading systems.

There is a time limit of 10 years on:

1. transfer credit
2. credit from Trinity for a degree that was not completed
3. credit from Trinity for a completed degree that is to be applied to different degree programs.

Worship

First and foremost, worship is where God encounters us with love, mercy, and the transforming presence of Jesus Christ in Word and sacrament. Shared daily worship calls the Trinity Lutheran Seminary community together and forms the basis for our common life, the primal act of the ekklesia, and the center of our spiritual and educational formation  in Christ. We worship together as one academic community of faculty, staff, students and guests. In doing so, we demonstrate our unity as members of the One Body and affirm that the work of praising and serving God is the foundation for our studies and for our corporate life in its entirety.

The worship of God is a priority as a seedbed of formation. Our worship forms, equips, and inspires us and our guests and prepares our students for excellence in worship leadership, not only on our campus but also in the world. The particular focus of our community on preparation for ministry brings certain secondary functions of our worship into prominence. These include the following:

• In worship, our busy and fragmented lives can stop for a moment so we may recollect what we are about and find our lives, individually and corporately, re-centered in God.
• In worship, our vocational commitments can deepen as we cultivate the habits and spiritual dispositions necessary for faithful service.
• In worship, we may be enabled by God to bear one another’s burdens and to uphold one another even in our differences as we pray for each other and for the world.
• In worship, opportunities are provided for students to plan, participate in, and grow to appreciate services representing diverse liturgical traditions while deepening an understanding of their own specific traditions.

Return to: Degree Requirements