Australian Lutheran College

Last updated

Australian Lutheran College
Motto
Motto in English
Pray and Work
Established1968
PrincipalPastor James Winderlich
Location
Affiliations Lutheran Church of Australia
Website www.alc.edu.au

Australian Lutheran College (ALC), formerly Luther Seminary and Lutheran Teachers College, is a higher education institution serving the Lutheran Church of Australia and a registered teaching institution of University of Divinity. [1] and the Adelaide College of Divinity. [2] [3]

Contents

The college is located in North Adelaide, South Australia on the corner of Ward and Jeffcott streets. The campus includes a number of single and shared accommodation blocks, a library, a refectory as well as educational facilities.

Although still primarily a theological college, it is also open to students studying at Adelaide University, the University of South Australia, Flinders University, or TAFE, a paradigm reflected in the name change of 2004. Unique among South Australian residential colleges, Australian Lutheran College is equipped to accommodate married students, even with families.

As of 10 August 2014, the principal of the college has been Pastor James Winderlich; in July 2023 he announced his intention to leave the college and return to preaching. [4]

History

Pre-seminary days

Prior to its use as a seminary, the site was used for three different schools or colleges - the North Adelaide Grammar School from 1854 to 1882; Whinham College from 1882 to 1898, during which time a boarding house (now Hebart Hall) and a gymnasium-lecture hall (now the main part of Löhe Memorial Library) were built; and Angas College, owned by John Howard Angas, son of South Australian "patriarch" George Fife Angas and operated as an interdenominational missionary training school until the army took possession of the site for a repatriation hospital in 1916.

Immanuel College and Seminary

In 1922 the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in Australia purchased the property for only £13,500 on the condition that it was used for Protestant Evangelical religious education. The college and seminary was opened on 25 February 1923 and remained on the site until during World War II when it was given ten days' notice by the Air Force that the college had to move; upon which it transferred to North Walkerville. The principal was Pastor J. P. Löhe, after whom the library would later be named.

Immanuel Seminary

The seminary was able to remain on the North Adelaide site and did so, expansively renovating the old college site to extend the seminary itself at the end of the war. Hebart Hall was used as a residence for lecturers and tertiary boarders and the gymnasium-lecture hall ("Angas Hall") for the chapel until its conversion to the library in 1960.

Luther Seminary

With the amalgamation of the UELCA and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Australia (ELCA) in 1966 came the amalgamation of the ELCA's seminary (Concordia, where the secondary school is still situated) and the UELCA's North Adelaide seminary. In 1967 extensive building programs began, including additions to the library, the erection of a new boarding house (Graebner Hall) and demolition of the old grammar school to make way for a refectory and extra accommodation (Hamann Hall). The new seminary opened debt-free due to a church appeal which raised $1 million.

The increasing number of married students brought the expansion of the campus to include buildings on Jeffcott Street, Archer Street and Ward Court.

Luther Campus

Lutheran Teachers College and the Lay Training Centre were moved to the campus in 1989 and with this the name changed to Luther Campus to reflect the change of role of the site. Attempts were made to find suitable sites for relocation for the institution but these were abandoned in 1990 and the church authorised more works, including the erection of 17 townhouses on Archer Street, a new Student Centre between Graebner Hall and the townhouses. In 1994 the School of Theology (for lay students) joined the campus also.

Back to Luther Seminary

In 1998 the three occupants of Luther Campus came under the authority of one institution, three programs in one school, and the name was changed back to Luther Seminary.

Australian Lutheran College

The 2003 General Synod of the church decided to change the name of the institution to Australian Lutheran College from 1 January 2004, to reflect the nature of the college as an education facility, not just a seminary. [5]

Academic schools

School of Pastoral Theology

The SPT is the school dedicated to training pastors for work in the Lutheran Church of Australia. Students who are accepted into this school study for Bachelor of Theology and Bachelor of Ministry degrees - a five-year double degree. Subjects are taken in a number of different fields, such as history, theology, biblical studies (including Greek and Hebrew studies) and pastoral theology. Aside from the vicarage period, the teaching is all done on campus.

As this is the only LCA seminary, students come from all over Australia and New Zealand and most live in nearby ALC accommodation. The school attracts a constant stream of international students, primarily from Asia and the Pacific region.

School of Educational Theology

The SET oversees the training of teachers for service in Lutheran schools. As the nature of this school is one complementary to university studies much of its work is done off campus.

School of Theological Studies

The STS is the school which provides theological training for lay people - those not studying for ordained ministry. It has a range of on campus subjects and also provides online learning for long distance students.

Campus life

Boarding

The ALC provides accommodation for up to 96 tertiary boarders (and single students studying at ALC), the majority coming from the surrounding areas such as the Barossa Valley, Mid North, Riverland, Eyre Peninsula, Murray Mallee and Mount Gambier/South East.

Services provided by the ALC for the boarding community include meals, cleaning, linen service, tennis and basketball court and squash court and a basic gym.

Chapel

Chapel Alc chapel.jpg
Chapel

Chapel is held mid-morning every weekday during term. [1] It is largely student run and a sermon is heard most weeks, either from a lecturer or a senior student. The chapel is located in Hebart Hall.

Löhe Memorial Library

The library holds over 90,000 resources including a 1551 imprint of the Luther Bible. [1] The library was named after Johannes Paul Löhe, the principal of Immanuel Seminary, Adelaide from 1923 to 1944. The library contains historical artefacts and a large collection of journals and theologically-based books and material and is mainly housed in Whinham Hall, which was built in 1882.

ALC Residents Association

Originally called the Luther Seminary Students Association, then changed to the ALC Students Association and with the advent of VSU in Australian universities, has changed to the ALC Residents Association - to make it clearer that the membership extends to those who live on campus, boarders and the ALC students who live in the on campus units.

The ALCRA are responsible for forming a community atmosphere amongst both boarders and students. They organise events during the year, internal sporting competitions and community barbecues.

Horrie Packer Trophy Alc horrie.jpg
Horrie Packer Trophy

Horrie Packer Memorial Mixed Netball Match

One of the notable events during the year, originally a mixed-doubles tennis match between the Lutheran Teachers College students and the ALC pastoral ministry students it became a mixed netball match. Now it is a match between the ALC students and the boarders.

In 1978, Horrie Packer, sporting entrepreneur masterminded an event that was to touch the lives of thousands. What began as a tennis doubles grudge-match and the following year expanded into the highly competitive netball arena, is not only a competition between Luther Sem and LTC, but is a struggle to be the best. This trophy stands as a tribute to those who have gone into the battle and survived.

Tangara magazine

Tangara is the college's annual magazine which encompasses all aspects of the community, boarding, teaching and pastoral and theological students. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod</span> Christian denomination in the United States

The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS), also known as the Missouri Synod, is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 1.8 million members, it is the second-largest Lutheran body in the United States. The LCMS was organized in 1847 at a meeting in Chicago, Illinois, as the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, a name which partially reflected the geographic locations of the founding congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augsburg University</span> Lutheran university in Minneapolis, U.S.

Augsburg University is a private university in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It was founded in 1869 as a Norwegian-American Lutheran seminary known as Augsburg Seminarium. Today, the university enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate and 800 graduate students. Augsburg is known for its emphasis on service learning; volunteering in the community is both an instructional strategy and a required part of a student's coursework.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Presbyterian Seminary</span> Seminary in Virginia, US

Union Presbyterian Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Richmond, Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina, offering graduate theological education in multiple modalities: in-person, hybrid, and online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wartburg Theological Seminary</span> Lutheran seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, United States

Wartburg Theological Seminary is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in Dubuque, Iowa. It offers three graduate-level degrees, a Theological Education for Emerging Ministries certificate, and a diploma in Anglican Studies, all of which are accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and the Higher Learning Commission. Students can also choose to add two concentrations: Youth, Culture, and Mission; and Hispanic Ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Lutheran Church</span> Defunct Christian denomination in the United States

The American Lutheran Church (ALC) was a Christian Protestant denomination in the United States and Canada that existed from 1960 to 1987. Its headquarters were in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Upon its formation in 1960, The ALC designated Augsburg Publishing House, also located in Minneapolis, as the church publisher. The Lutheran Standard was the official magazine of The ALC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary</span> Private Lutheran seminary in Mequon, Wisconsin, United States

Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS) is a post-secondary school that trains men to become pastors for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). It is located in Mequon, Wisconsin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Luther College</span> Private liberal arts college in New Ulm, Minnesota, United States

Martin Luther College (MLC) is a private Lutheran college in New Ulm, Minnesota. It is operated by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). Martin Luther College was established in 1995, when Northwestern College (NWC) of Watertown, Wisconsin, combined with Dr. Martin Luther College (DMLC) of New Ulm on the latter's campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luther Seminary</span> Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.

Luther Seminary is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It is the largest seminary of the ELCA. It also accepts and educates students of 41 other denominations and traditions. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the Association of Theological Schools. It also has theological accreditation through the ELCA as well as the United Methodist Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Theological Seminary</span> Episcopal seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, United States

Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), formally called the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, located at 3737 Seminary Road in Alexandria, Virginia is the largest and second oldest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon</span> Theological school affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan

Lutheran Theological Seminary Saskatoon is a degree-granting theological school affiliated with the University of Saskatchewan. The seminary was originally created to prepare candidates for Lutheran ministry in Western Canada. It is supported by the four Western synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. LTS provides training for pastors and diaconal ministers; offers Lutheran formation for leaders and laypeople; and advances the study of rural ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Lutheran Seminary</span> Private college preparatory school in Saginaw, Michigan, United States

Michigan Lutheran Seminary (MLS) is a coeducational, private preparatory school for boarding and day students in grades 9 through 12. Located in Saginaw, Michigan, the school encourages students to become pastors and teachers in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, continuing their education at Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rostrevor College</span> School in Australia

Rostrevor College is an independent Catholic primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in Woodforde, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, approximately 9 kilometres (6 mi) from the Adelaide city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia</span>

The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), also known as the Philadelphia Seminary, was one of eight theological seminaries associated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran denomination in North America. It is located on Germantown Avenue in the Mount Airy neighborhood of northwestern Philadelphia. Founded in 1864, it has its roots in the Pennsylvania Ministerium established in 1748 in Philadelphia by Henry Melchior Muhlenberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georg M. Grossmann</span>

Inspector Georg Martin Grossman was a German-American Lutheran pastor, academic, missionary, and church leader who founded the Iowa Synod, Wartburg College, and Wartburg Theological Seminary.

Lutheran Brethren Seminary (LBS) is an institute of theological higher education of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA), located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. It shares its campus with the denominational headquarters of the CLBA and the denomination’s high school, Hillcrest Lutheran Academy. The seminary’s primary mission is to train and equip pastors, missionaries, and Christian lay workers for ministry in the Church of the Lutheran Brethren and other church bodies.

The Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Other States, commonly known as the Joint Synod of Ohio or the Ohio Synod, was a German-language Lutheran denomination whose congregations were originally located primarily in the U.S. state of Ohio, later expanding to most parts of the United States. The synod was formed on September 14, 1818, and adopted the name Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Other States by about 1850. It used that name or slight variants until it merged with the Iowa Synod and the Buffalo Synod in 1930 to form the first American Lutheran Church (ALC), 1930–1960.

North Adelaide Grammar School, later Whinham College was a private school operated in North Adelaide, South Australia by John Whinham and his family.

The American Lutheran Church (ALC) was formed in 1930 from the merger of the three conservative Lutheran synods of German-American origin: The Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Iowa and Other States, established in 1854; the Lutheran Synod of Buffalo, established in 1845; and the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Ohio and Other States, established in 1818 from the Ministerium of Pennsylvania. The headquarters of the ALC were in Columbus, Ohio, which had been the headquarters of the Joint Synod of Ohio, the largest of the three synods.

Tormore School was a private boarding and day school for girls in North Adelaide, South Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immanuel Lutheran College (North Carolina)</span> Former Black college in Greensboro, North Carolina

Immanuel Lutheran College was an educational institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America whose main purpose was to train Black men to be pastors and both men and women to be teachers. It was founded in Concord, North Carolina, in 1903 and relocated to Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1905. The college was closed in 1961 when the Synodical Conference decided that the training of Blacks should be integrated into the educational institutions of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS), the largest member of the conference. The former campus was purchased by North Carolina A&T State University.

References

34°54′33″S138°35′34″E / 34.909141°S 138.592774°E / -34.909141; 138.592774