Seminaries

This ELCA seminary section’s goal is to prepare leaders for the ELCA who will offer care-for-creation leadership in ELCA congregations and other institutions and in their communities and the larger world.
We seek to:

Provide eco-resources and ideas for the full life and mission of seminaries.
Sponsor an LRC Seminary Networking group.
Offer news, highlights, and stories of seminary events and developments.
Link with other like-minded groups.

Please join us as partners to help to make this happen! And, keep checking back below as we are currently adding to this list.

Studying Resources:

Green Teams

How to create a “Green Team” with your congregation: 1. Formation. A green team may come into existence in a ...
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Creation Care Congregation: Education Ideas

Education: “Know your traditions and your world” Earthbound: Adult education for this six-part video series produced by the ELCA to ...
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Public Witness/Policy Advocacy Ideas

Public Witness/Policy Advocacy: “Church exists to serve the world” Hands-on project. Learn what environmental projects are happening in your area ...
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Ecological Christianity through Luther’s Small Catechism

We marked the 500th anniversary of the Reformation with the occasion of Martin Luther writing his 95 Theses. For those ...
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Ecological Christianity Through The Ten Commandments

The 1st Commandment: You shall have no other gods. What is this? We are to fear, love, and trust God ...
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Ecological Christianity Through The Creed

The 1st Article, on Creation I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. What is this? I ...
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Ecological Christianity Through The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven. What is this? With these words God wants to attract us, so that we come to ...
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Ecological Christianity Through The Sacrament of Baptism

I. What is Baptism? Baptism is not simply plain water. Instead, it is water used according to God's command and ...
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Ecological Christianity Through The Sacrament of the Altar

What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under ...
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Litany for our Personal Covenant with Creation

L: For the marvelous grace of your Creation, we pour out our thanks to You, our God. C: We praise ...
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Coming Home To Earth

by Mark Brocker As a young Norwegian Lutheran teenager in rural Wisconsin, Brocker lay awake one night worrying whether he ...
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The Nature of Things: Rediscovering the Spiritual in God’s Creation

Edited by Graham Buxton and Norman Habel Forward by David Rhoads With contributions by David Rhoads, Paul Santmire, Celia-Diane-Drummond, Heather ...
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Within Limits: Remember the Sabbath

Jim Martin-Schramm Luther College Chapel October 7, 2011 Exodus 23:10-12 (or 31:12-17) Within Limits: Remember the Sabbath Our reading this ...
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Articles by Panu Pihkala, University of Helsinki

“Rediscovery of Early Twentieth-Century Ecotheology”, Open Theology. An open access article about the early history of eco-theology, 1900-1954, leading up to Lutheran ...
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The Stewardship of Creation: A Theological Reflection

by David Rhoads Steward is a biblical term that refers to a manager who is responsible for the goods and property ...
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“On Earth As In Heaven: Biblical Ecology for an Eco-Reformation,” Dr. Barbara R. Rossing

Dr. Barbara R. Rossing's April 26, 2018 lecture from Garrett Seminary, "On Earth as In Heaven: Biblical Ecology for an Eco-Reformation.” ...
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God in Forests: Who is Jesus for Chipmunks?

A Service In and For the Forests - Feel free to share this worship service or get ideas - we ...
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Creation reorientation: Liturgy to Reconcile People and Planet

(Click here to download this document.) Created by Bridget Jones in 2018 as part of her Masters of Divinity program ...
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What does church have to do with it?

As many faith-based organizations are struggling with their place in relation to people's daily lives, so does the Evangelical Lutheran ...
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Congregational Covenant and Organizing Kit: An Overview

The purpose of this kit is to enable you to have a basic program and organization to function as a ...
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Johan Bergh: Luther as Environmentalist

Download, read, and share widely this brief reflection from active disciple, Dr. Johan Bergh. In his piece, published in the ...
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Let All Creation Praise! – companion site

Our ecumenical companion site, www.LetAllCreationPraise.org , is maintained by long-time supporter and fellow Lutheran restoring creation, Nick Utphall. This site ...
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Planning and Carrying Out Green Events

Guidelines for Ecologically Responsible Events Prepared by Pilgrims Caring for Creation Pilgrim Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN in response to ...
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Tools for Talking and Acting on Climate with Faith-based Language

Blessed Tomorrow's Moving Forward Guide ecoAmerica helps leaders from the local government, the public health sector, and faith-based cohorts figure ...
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Bibliography of Ecology and Faith

Biblical Bauckham, Richard. The Bible and Ecology: Rediscovering the Community of Creation (Waco: Baylor University Press, 2010). Bauckham, Richard. Living with Other Creatures: ...
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Lutheran Theology of Creation: Foundations for a New Reformation

Reflections on a Lutheran Theology of Creation: Foundations for a New Reformation By David Rhoads Published in the Seminary Ridge ...
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American Lutherans Engage Ecological Theology

American Lutherans Engage Ecological Theology: The First Chapter, 1962-2012, And Its Legacy1 by Paul Santmire Ecological theology is a relatively ...
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