Annually a small group of bishops visits each of the ELCA’s eight seminaries. The purpose is to keep the seminaries and the church in touch, and also to visit with seniors about placement.
Gettysburg Seminary (officially Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg or LTSG) was founded in 1826. Their Wikipedia article says they are the oldest continuing seminary in the U.S.
During the battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863, the seminary was a focal point of action. The battle line of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia was formed along Seminary Ridge. This battle had the most casualties of the Civil War.
The seminary building (1832) was a lookout on July 1, 1863. Soon it became a hospital for soldiers from both sides. Confederate soldiers ransacked the house of seminary president Samuel Schmucker, an outspoken abolitionist. A cannonball remains embedded in the side of president’s home to this day.
The seminary currently has 268 postgraduate students and 18 academic staff. I’m excited to vist with the current president, Michael Cooper White and faculty tomorrow.
Our agenda includes a look around campus and a visit to the Seminary Ridge Museum on campus, dinner with president, two sessions with seniors & spouses, a class (Integrative Seminar 3) and chapel.
I’ll post more reflections during and after the visit.
