Leading Lutheran Higher Education in a Secular Age: Religious Identity, Mission, and Vocation at ELCA Colleges and Universities

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Lutheran colleges and universities occupy a distinctive space in American higher education. In an age where the dividing line between sacred and secular has become blurred, Brian Beckstrom argues that their "rooted and open" approach, combined with adaptive theological leadership, could be the best hope for faith based higher education. To do so, he provides an overview of Lutheran higher education, its history, and identity, and combines surveys of students, faculty, and staff at Lutheran institutions with leadership theory and theological reflection. Leaders at Lutheran colleges and universities will find it to be helpful in understanding their mission, identity, and vocation in a secular age, and navigating the changing cultural environment that challenges the church and higher education alike.

Reviews

The identity and vocation of Lutheran colleges and universities in relation to their religious tradition has become increasingly contested in recent decades. This book offers a rich exploration of what is at stake. It digs into the history, reveals important insights from recent research, and mines Lutheran theology for hopeful and faithful avenues forward in a secular age.--Dwight Zscheile

Author Bio

Brian Beckstrom is dean of spiritual life and campus pastor at Wartburg College.