Seminary
Lutheran Mission – Australia recognizes that the strength of a church and its mission is intimately connected to its seminary and the teaching that is offered there. As Confessional Lutherans in Australia, we are uniquely placed to serve not only our own churches, but also the churches of Southeast Asia as they seek faithful education of their future pastors and church workers. We are committed to in-person instruction by experienced and confessional pastors which provides the best environment to train pastors and church workers in the faithful proclamation of the Word of God and the care of souls.
Lutheran Theological Seminary – Australia
Lutheran Theological Seminary Australia (LTSA) will open its doors to students in January 2027.
LTSA will be located in the Greater Adelaide area. This will provide the necessary fieldwork opportunities for LM-A students while being accessible to international students. We anticipate having to lease facilities initially, but hope to invest in a residential campus in the future given South Australia's relative affordability.
Our Logo and Motto
Our name, motto and logo make our mission clear: Lutheran Theological Seminary - Australia is an intrinsic part of Lutheran Mission – Australia. We are fully committed to teaching the Word of God in its entirety and the Lutheran Confessions as clear expositions of the Scriptures.
Our motto, The Word of the Lord Endures Forever (in Latin – Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum, abbreviated to VDMA) is the motto of the Lutheran Reformation, a confident expression of the enduring power and authority of God’s Word. The motto is based on Isaiah 40:6-8 quoted by 1 Peter 1:24-25. It first appeared in the court of Frederick the Wise in 1522, who had it sewn onto the right sleeve of the court’s official clothing, which was worn by prince and servant alike. This powerful word of promise and symbol of faithfulness has been taken up by confessional Lutherans around the world today.
Future Students
After extensive research, we plan for Lutheran Theological Seminary - Australia to begin teaching in 2027, in partnership with Australian College of Ministries, while we work towards becoming a member college of the Australian University College of Divinity in 2028.
Students, including laypeople seeking a formal theological education, will have the option to study for one year and exit with a Diploma of Ministry, or continue on for a three-year Bachelor of Theology. A graduate diploma, including a full year vicarage or internship, will complete training and formation for pastoral and deaconess students.
Pastoral Program
We are committed to in-person instruction by experienced, confessional pastors, which provides the best environment to train pastors in the faithful proclamation of the Word of God and the care of souls. Pastoral students will gain extensive experience in congregational and other settings during their studies.
Deaconess Program
Alongside the pastoral students, LTSA will run a Deaconess Program, training women for service in the church using their gifts and talents to support pastors and congregations, especially in areas like education, administration, pastoral care and acts of mercy. Deaconess students will study the core curriculum alongside the pastoral students before engaging in specific electives and fieldwork to equip them for service.
If you sense a call to serve the Lord as a pastor or deaconess, please contact us at info@lutheranmissionaustralia.org.au to begin the conversation.
International Students
As Confessional Lutherans in Australia, we are uniquely placed to serve not only our own churches, but also the churches of Southeast Asia as they seek faithful education of their future pastors and church workers, and we are actively planning for postgraduate courses to serve those international students.
Supporting our Seminary
There is still much to do as we prepare for our first students, and we ask for your prayers for all involved and for the work of the seminary.
Please encourage potential pastoral or deaconess students to consider serving the church and undertaking studies at LTS-A.
We need your practical help too. It costs a great deal of money to establish and operate a seminary, and we hope to offer future pastoral and deaconess students scholarships to cover their tuition. We urge you to prayerfully consider making donations to the Seminary Establishment Fund, so that the mission of God’s church can extend across Australia and to all nations.
If you would like to make a donation to the seminary, please donate via the LM-A account, and put ‘Seminary Establishment’ in the reference line.
BSB: 083-543
Account Number: 251571051
Account Name: Lutheran Mission – Australia
Reference line: Seminary Establishment
Our Students
We are excited that the planning for Lutheran Theological Seminary Australia is advancing rapidly, and that students will begin in 2027.
In the meantime, however, God continues to call men to study for the Office of the Ministry. We have established a partnership with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod to train men at their seminaries in St Louis and Fort Wayne, and are working with the Lutheran Church Canada to send another student to Concordia Theological Seminary at St Catherine's.
We would like to introduce you to our three pastoral students and their families:
Support Seminary Training
Sending families to North America for post-graduate study is an expensive endeavour, but the blessing of well-trained pastors far outweighs any costs we might incur during this interim period. And yet the bills have to be paid! If you would like to contribute to the pastoral formation of these and other future pastors, please click the Donate button below to give. If you have a specific purpose for your donation, please indicate this in your bank transfer reference details (for example, you might wish to name a particular student or simply list ‘seminary training’ and it will be used where it is needed most).
Seminary News
