Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is pleased to announce the launch of “Concordia Seminary on iTunes U.” The Seminary, in partnership with Apple Computer, Inc., joins a growing number of colleges and universities pioneering the educational use of on-demand digital media.

iTunes U is a free service hosted by Apple that allows colleges and universities to easily create and distribute audio and video content via the internet. Students, faculty and staff can use iTunes U to download educational content onto their computers or transfer content onto their iPods at any time, in any location.

“The iTunes U partnership with Apple allows Concordia Seminary to provide timely, substantive theological resources for church and world,” commented Dr. Dale A. Meyer, president of Concordia Seminary. “In the same way that Luther and the reformers utilized the invention of the printing press to advance the Gospel in their time, we want to utilize the latest technological means in service to our Savior.”

Several online resources are already available from Concordia Seminary through iTunes U. Lutheran Confessions: An Overview, provides thirty segments of digital media featuring renowned Lutheran Confessions scholars Drs. Charles Arand and Robert Kolb. SemCast, an interview-style program hosted by Dr. Meyer, addresses contemporary issues that impact confront church and world.

In addition, the Seminary is planning many future applications of the technology. Clergy Questions, an audio podcast designed to address everyday questions and concerns of congregational pastors and provide resources for congregational presidents, treasurers and elders, is also being developed. Beginning in September, the Seminary’s popular Lectionary at Lunch series, audio lectures by Seminary professors treating the assigned Old Testament and Gospel readings for the coming Sunday in their original languages, will also be available through iTunes U. Additionally, the Seminary’s educational technology department is pilot-testing the use of iPods by students in its residential courses.

“I was thrilled when Apple accepted Concordia Seminary into the iTunes U program. Apple is giving us the opportunity to leverage the iTunes interface to further our mission of forming men and women into leaders for the church,” commented Rev. Anthony Cook, director of educational technology at Concordia Seminary. “The potential uses of iTunes for pastoral formation, continuing education and the delivery of congregational resources are limitless. Our hope is that by delivering course content in this convenient and engaging manner, face-to-face class time can be used to discuss and apply information instead of simply delivering it.”

“Concordia Seminary on iTunes U” is accessed from the Seminary’s Web home page, www.csl.edu, through the iTunes U link in the lower, right-hand corner, or directly at http://itunes.www.csl.edu. Both Macintosh and Microsoft Windows-based computers are able to utilize this technology.

For more information, contact Seminary Relations, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; (314) 505-7371; semrelations@csl.edu.