Arthur Lewis Heads Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. W. Arthur Lewis, a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), became director of the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta (LTCA) on July 1. The center is part of the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), a consortium of African American seminaries.
Lewis succeeds the Rev. Richard M. Wallace Jr., who became an associate professor of pastoral care and counseling at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., in July.
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C., and Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio, offer courses through LTCA. The center's steering committee members are from across the United States. Lewis relates directly to Southern Seminary. The ELCA has eight seminaries, including Luther, Southern and Trinity.
"In cooperation with all the seminaries, Trinity and Southern have put this mission together to strengthen African American women and men as they are formed for ministry in predominantly African American settings, and also for others -- not just African Americans -- who can study in this culturally rich heritage of African American religion," said the Rev. H. Frederick Reisz Jr., Southern Seminary president.
"It's a new day at the center in Atlanta. We have the support of all eight seminaries," said Lewis. "Early on it was just Southern and Trinity, but now all eight seminaries will be sending their African American students and other students who want to work in the inner city."
Students at ITC learn from some of the best teachers in preaching, pastoral care and counseling, said Lewis. The Lutheran center assists students who plan to become ELCA pastors as well as others interested in studying Lutheran church history and the Lutheran Confessions, he said.
"My job is to do all the things that an academic dean does on a campus," said Lewis.
Students from ELCA seminaries may take a year and a half to two years of classes in Atlanta. Lutheran seminarians studying to be ELCA pastors generally take four years of instruction; the third year is a year of internship.
"We're very excited about Pastor Lewis becoming director of the Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta," said Reisz. "He has been a pastor in Atlanta and knows how to connect these students to the various resources in Atlanta. He is also familiar with the Interdenominational Theological Center, which is the largest concentration of African American seminaries in the world."
LTCA, through ITC, provides the ELCA with access to theological education established by traditionally African American churches, including cooperation with Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, Ga., and Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, S.C.
Lewis, 68, was born in Princeton, N.J., and earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Rider College, Lawrenceville, N.J. He is a graduate of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and earned his doctorate from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Lewis served as director of church and community ministries, Lutheran Children and Family Services, Philadelphia, 1986-88; director for community development, ELCA Division for Social Ministry Organizations, 1988-90; director of the New Jersey Governor's Office of African American Affairs, 1990-94; and executive director, Lutheran Council of Tidewater, Norfolk, Va., 1995-97. The council provides chaplaincy and social services in southeast Virginia.
Although he's had a series of stimulating jobs, Lewis said "this is the one that I'm most excited about."
"According to my calculations, in the next four to five years about 20 to 25 percent of the ELCA's African American pastors will be retiring," said Lewis. "We need to have people in the pipeline to replace these women and men ... people who have been around the past 25 to 30 years."
"I'm one of those guys who's been walking around telling people for years that we need to prepare and to get people in the pipeline," he said. "They've pretty much told me, 'Now you've got your shot. Now it's on you.' So, now I've got to fulfill that."
Lewis chairs the steering committee of the ELCA Commission for Multicultural Ministries. He was pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Atonement, Atlanta, and a consultant for the Economic Manpower Corporation, the National Urban Coalition and the Lilly Foundation.
Lewis and his wife, Rose, a teacher, have two daughters and three grandchildren.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html