2011 Convocation of Teaching Theologians

Sources of Authority in the Church: Lutheran Traditions in North American Contexts

The annual Convocation of Teaching Theologians, hosted by the ELCA’s Congregational and Synodical Mission unit and the Association of Teaching Theologians—ELCA/ELCIC, will be held August 5-7, 2011 at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota.

The purpose of this gathering, as with previous convocations, is to provide a venue for theologians from ELCA and ELCIC seminaries, colleges, universities and non-Lutheran schools to come together with bishops and other church leaders to examine and discuss a theological topic of significance to the church. The focus of this year’s gathering is: Sources of Authority in the Church: Lutheran Traditions in North American Contexts.

The conference will be conducted as a series of discussions sparked by five plenary presentations. The first session will introduce the topic by way of a case study on the decision to ordain women to the pastoral ministry in the North American Lutheran Churches. The following three sessions will focus on sources of authority in the New Testament and earliest church, sources of authority at the congregational level, and sources of authority in the Lutheran tradition. The fifth session will invite participants through a facilitated discussion to wrestle with the ways North American Lutherans should (or should not) rethink our understanding of Scripture as the “authoritative source and norm” of our teaching and life today in light of these other sources of authority.

Plenary speakers will include:

Case study on Women’s Ordination: Maria Erling (Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg) and Susan McArver (Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, SC)
Sources of Authority in the Earliest Church: David Fredrickson (Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN) and Philip Quanbeck II (Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN)
Sources of Authority at the Congregational Level: Bishop David Brauer-Rieke (Oregon Synod) and Emlyn Ott (Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, OH)
Sources of Authority in the Lutheran Tradition: Kathryn Kleinhans (Wartburg College, Waverly, IA) and Sarah Hinlicky Wilson (LWF Ecumenical Institute, Strasbourg)
Rethinking Authority in the Church Today: Darrell Jodock (Gustavus Adolphus College
There will be ample time for discussion, fellowship and worship during our three days together.

A grant from the Congregational and Synodical Mission unit makes it possible to subsidize the attendance of approximately 65 persons; these persons have received letters asking them to Register Here.