Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, is pleased to announce that that Rev. John P. Reinke will serve as director of the Seminary’s Deaf Institute of Theology (DIT). Reinke currently serves as a missionary at-large to the deaf in the South Wisconsin District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (since 2000) and will continue to serve in this capacity.

Previously, Reinke served as a missionary at-large to the deaf in the Nebraska District (1989-2000); a missionary to the deaf in Ghana, West Africa (1997-1998); and continues to travel to Ghana and India to teach the DIT curriculum to the deaf leaders. He received the B.A. degree from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minn. (1985), and the M.Div. degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (1989). He and his wife, Dacia, have two sons, Joshua and Joseph.

“God has blessed the deaf people of the LCMS with the gift of the Deaf Institute of Theology,” commented Reinke. “I look forward to working with Concordia Seminary to train and teach deaf leaders and lay people how share the story of Jesus Christ with the millions of deaf people around the world.”

Concordia Seminary’s Deaf Institute of Theology (DIT) provides an alternative route to ordination for deaf and hard-of-hearing members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The curriculum provides the necessary broad foundation for missionary pastoral students. Deaf and hard-of-hearing deaconess candidates also may participate in some of the courses in this program. The deaconess curriculum is under development. DeafPAH is a program within the DIT designed for lay people who want to learn more about their faith and how to share it.

For more information, contact the Communications Department, Concordia Seminary, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105; (314) 505-7374; communications@csl.edu.