Fjeld to Retire as Lutheran Seminary President

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Roger W. Fjeld, 64, president of Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, has announced his intention to retire as president and professor of church history at the end of 1998.  Wartburg is one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
     Fjeld said his retirement comes at a good time for his family and for the seminary.  "My wife had a light stroke last August," he said.  "She's fairly well recovered, but it's time for me to get off the road and pay attention to family issues."
     During Fjeld's more than 14 years as seminary president, the ELCA was formed and conducted a study of theological education.  "That whole process is complete now," he said.  "It's clear what the church expects of its seminaries, and some of the uncertainties of past years are gone."
     One of those expectations is to form partnerships among seminaries. "The Covenant Cluster has now been properly formed," Fjeld said, with the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio.
     Another expectation is that the seminaries raise much of their own funding, said Fjeld.  Wartburg's capital fund drive, "Foundation for the Future," has reached more than half of its $16,650,000 goal.
     Fjeld intends to work with Foundation for the Future on a part-time basis and to teach each spring semester at Wartburg as an emeritus faculty member.  Most of each year will be spent in Colorado, "but it's nice not to have to leave the seminary all together.  Being back for three months each year feels good to us," he said.
     "Obviously Roger Fjeld was the right individual to lead Wartburg Seminary through this period of its history," said Dr. M.L. Christenson, Lincoln, Neb., chair of the seminary's board.  Christenson praised Fjeld's "commitment to the church and his keen sense of its leadership requirements," his sense of history, his organizational skills and "his ability to lead through a maze of details and to summarize with accuracy."
     A search committee will collect the names of candidates to succeed Fjeld until Aug. 15.  The board plans to elect a new president during its Nov. 5-7 meeting.
     Born in Primghar, Iowa, Fjeld graduated from the University of Iowa in Iowa City and from Wartburg Seminary.  He earned a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.
     Ordained in 1959, Fjeld was pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Sedalia, Mo., and Atonement Lutheran Church, Denver.  He served as assistant to the bishop for the Central District of the former American Lutheran Church (ALC), as coordinator of internships and pastor to the seminary community at Wartburg, and as director of the ALC's Office of Support to Ministries.
     Before his inauguration in 1984 as Wartburg's 11th president, Fjeld was assistant to the president of the ALC with particular responsibilities toward development of the ELCA which was formed in 1988.
     Fjeld married Marilyn Burrack in 1955.  They are the parents of two sons and a daughter.

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