The Vocation Of Lutheran Higher Education

So That All May Flourish provides a substantive and accessible introduction to the vocation, educational priorities, and theological foundations of Lutheran Higher Education (LHE) and the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU). Intended as a "primer," the book seeks to cultivate knowledge of LHE and NECU that is both appreciative, critical, and constructive. The book includes 16 chapters across three important organizing sections: Core Commitments, Distinctive Strengths, and Contemporary Callings. Each chapter is written by scholars from various NECU institutions and highlights a distinctive educational priority, explores its theological groundings, and offers examples of how it is embodied in a variety of distinctive ways on different NECU campuses. The result is a rich tour of Lutheran higher education as a site for important formative work. The book also includes a short preface, forward, and epilogue. Written by a veritable who's who of Lutheran higher education, this volume is a must read for everyone concerned about the work being done on Lutheran campuses.

Many now agree that, at best, ECLA colleges and universities principally educate students so they can discern the material, social, and spiritual needs of others and then respond with committed service and out of a sense of gratitude. In short, the vocation of Lutheran higher education is to educate for vocation. This book traces the history of Lutheran higher education, depicts its chief marks, offers critical perspectives on its aim to educate for vocation, and traces trajectories into the decades to come.

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.

Why are we here? How does what we do at Lutheran colleges and universities differ from other Christian institutions of higher learning or public universities? The Lutheran model of higher education affirms the importance of diversity and the need to dialogue with multiple points of view within a context of academic freedom and Christian presence. This means that all people are important and contribute to the character of a community of inquiry, including people of other faith traditions and a variety of disciplines. The great challenge for the future of Lutheran higher education is to keep the questions of faith and learning alive on our campuses. This book is intended to assist that process. it is not intended to determine its outcome.

Dr. Christenson examines several critical questions regarding high education. What is our basic vision and how is it connected to our Lutheran heritage? What are our essential values? How do we educate for human wholeness? How do we intentionally shape the culture of our institutions? What are some of our most serious temptations?

In an increasingly homogeneous higher education landscape, does organizational identity still matter? Specifically, church-related higher education has experienced seismic shifts since the mid-1960s. Framed by emerging research on organizations and theories of isomorphism, this book traces the forty-year narratives of three colleges of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America--Concordia College, Gettysburg College, and Lenoir-Rhyne University. Are these schools seeking to preserve their religious identities, and if so, what organizational strategies are supporting these efforts? In-depth personal interviews, rigorous document analysis, and thoughtful observation give voice to the three stories detailed in College Identity Sagas. For those interested in distinctive colleges, religiously affiliated higher education, and organization and institutional theories, this book is a vital resource.

An engaging report on the Lilly Endowment-supported program on Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission, led by the Council of Independent Colleges since 2005, showing the impact of the program upon the conception and practice of the American college and university presidency.