About Concordia Seminary

VISION

Abiding in Christ and His Word, Concordia Seminary will be a world leader in confessional Lutheran ministerial formation, scholarship and theological resources.

MISSION

Concordia Seminary serves church and world by providing theological education and leadership centered in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ for the formation of pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

OUR CORE VALUES

Faithfulness

to the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions

Servanthood

to Christ and His Church

Responsiveness

to a changing world

Excellence

in all our endeavors

2022-26 Strategic Plan

Concordia Seminary’s strategic plan reflects upon, articulates and rededicates our identity, mission and vision for continued growth and success in serving our students, donors and alumni; the congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and our partners worldwide.

The distinct mission of Concordia Seminary flows from the Lutheran confession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Gospel is distinct, true and necessary. “It illumines and magnifies the honor of Christ and brings to pious consciences the abundant consolation that they need. … One can easily see how necessary it is to understand this faith, for through it alone we recognize Christ’s work and receive his blessings, and it alone provides a sure and firm consolation for devout minds” (Apol IV:2, 118).

Download Full Strategic Plan

2020-23 Enrollment Strategies and Initiatives

Overview:

In pursuit of its mission and guided by its core values, Concordia Seminary has adopted four strategic priorities for 2022-26.

Strategic Priority 1: Faithful and full-person formation

This priority places an emphasis on the centrality of daily chapel worship, ministerial formation and the intentional cultivation of future faculty.

Strategic Priority 2: Commitment to community and collaboration

This priority focuses on the importance of fostering community and hospitality, and emphasizes collaboration with our sister seminary, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., and with our Synod and its various agencies.

Strategic Priority 3: Strong recruitment and enrollment

This priority focuses on the importance of prayer, increased enrollment and a “well-prepared ministerium from ‘all nations.’”

Strategic Priority 4: Lutheran resources and reach

This priority emphasizes a comprehensive continuing education strategy and quality Lutheran theological resources, and also focuses on furthering the Seminary’s Lutheran reach and worldwide impact.

Our History

Concordia Seminary was founded in 1839 in Perry County, Mo., by a group of emigrants from Germany. In 1849, the preparatory division and the school of theology of the young institution moved to St. Louis and relocated to South Jefferson Avenue and Winnebago Street. The preparatory division moved to Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1861. In 1926, the campus moved to its current 72-acre site in suburban Clayton.

Today, Concordia Seminary is one of two private seminaries of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) providing men for the holy ministry of Word and Sacrament in the LCMS, preparing women through its Deaconess Studies program and offering advanced degree programs to qualified students of theology. It also serves as a center for theological research, scholarship and continuing education of the clergy. Since its inception, Concordia Seminary has provided more than 12,500 professional workers for the church.

1839

A group of German immigrants built a small log cabin and founded Concordia Seminary (originally known as “The Log Cabin College”) in Altenburg, Mo., part of Perry County.

1850

The community of Altenburg generously agreed to give its school to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, which moved the Seminary to a building on South Jefferson Avenue in St. Louis.

1883

To accommodate its growing student population, the Seminary replaced the original South Jefferson Avenue building with a large Gothic structure complete with 136-foot-high steeple, a library, dormitories and a gymnasium.

1926

Concordia Seminary’s campus moved to its current 72-acre site in suburban Clayton, Mo. Nearly 75,000 people attended the dedication ceremony.

1956

Concordia Seminary enrollment reached an all-time high. New building projects throughout the 1950s and 1960s resulted in new structures designed in the “ultra plain” architecture of the day.

1966

Construction was completed on Luther Tower, which rises 120 feet over Walther Arch. The 49-bell carillon was installed in 1970.

1992

The Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus was dedicated with more than 1,700 guests in attendance.

Today

Faculty and staff continue to build on the rich heritage of the Seminary’s storied history, and are committed to providing sound theological education and vibrant leadership development to future generations of church workers.