Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, began its 176th academic year on Friday, Sept. 5 at 10:00 a.m. with a worship service in the Chapel of St. Timothy and St. Titus. Dr. Dale A. Meyer, president of Concordia Seminary, served as preacher.

This year, The Seminary has 85 new students in residential and distance programs: 55 residential M.Div. students; three alternate route students; five deaconess students; nine EIIT (Ethnic Institute of Theology) students; nine SMP (Specific Ministry Pastor Program) students; and four CHS (Center for Hispanic Studies) students.

Concordia Seminary’s Advanced Studies Division has welcomed 46 new students since last year’s Opening Service: 14 M.A. (Master of Arts) students; five Ph.D. students; 10 D.Min. students; and 17 S.T.M. (Master of Sacred Theology) students.

The nine new SMP students received vicarage assignments during the Opening Service as well.

In addition, five new faculty and staff members were installed during the service: Mrs. Vicki Biggs as Senior Vice President for Seminary Advancement; Dr. Alan Borcherding as Director of Research, Assessment, and Academic Programming; Rev. Daniel Eggold as Admissions Counselor; Dr. Joel Elowsky as Associate Professor of Historical Theology and Director of the Center for the Study of Early Christian Texts; and Dr. Mark Rockenbach as Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of Personal Growth and Leadership Development.

Current faculty members were also installed in new positions: Dr. Andrew Bartelt as Director of the Specific Ministry Program; Dr. Wallace Becker as Assistant Director of the Specific Ministry Program; Dr. Gerhard Bode as Dean of Advanced Studies; and Dr. Joel Okamoto as The Waldemar and Mary Griesbach Chair in Systematic Theology.

After the Opening Service, students gathered to commemorate Concordia Seminary’s 175th birthday with a special photo: the students lined up to form the numbers “175” in the quad.

For more information, please contact communications@csl.edu or call 314-505-7377.