Dr. Ronald Mudge, a university professor and Old Testament theologian with missionary experience in Africa, has been named as the new provost of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. He will begin his new duties May 16.

“We are thrilled that Dr. Mudge has accepted the call to serve as our next provost,” said Dr. Thomas J. Egger, president of Concordia Seminary. “His record of service in Africa and at Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon (CUW) has been exemplary, and he is a man of remarkable character: diligent, wise and brotherly. As he oversees the formation of pastors and deaconesses and the theological work of our faculty, Ron will do so with the heart of a missionary, a pastor and a servant. He is deeply committed to the values that undergird our work at Concordia Seminary: the authority and centrality of the sacred Scriptures, the truth and value of our Lutheran Confessions and the calling of Christ to share the Gospel with all the world.”

The Concordia Seminary Board of Regents called Mudge during a special meeting March 22 upon the recommendation of Egger and a Seminary search committee. Mudge accepted the call April 6. He will succeed current Provost Dr. Douglas L. Rutt, who will step down from the position June 30, having faithfully served in that role since 2018. Rutt will continue to serve on the Seminary faculty.

“Dr. Rutt has been a great blessing to Concordia Seminary and to me personally,” said Egger. “He came to us four years ago having served as a missionary, a pastor, a Seminary professor and in leadership at Lutheran Hour Ministries. He brought a fresh set of eyes, organizational competence and a warm, supportive spirit to our shared work here. God be praised for raising up a servant and brother like Douglas for the work of His church.”

In his role as provost, Mudge will serve as the Seminary’s chief academic officer, guiding faculty, managing academic administrative affairs, and providing oversight of all academic programs and curriculum.

“It will be an honor to serve our Lord as the provost of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis,” said Mudge. “Jesus has saved me by the grace of my Baptism and given me the privilege of serving Him. I look forward with joy to using the skills and experience that our God has given me, as the Concordia Seminary community faces a world full of daunting challenges and glorious opportunities. We will face these challenges and opportunities, trusting our Lord to confront a changing world with His unchanging Gospel and to use that Gospel to forgive sins, to save and to transform human hearts.”

Currently the Rouse Professor of Pre-Seminary Studies at CUW, Mudge teaches courses in biblical Hebrew and Greek, the Bible, world missions and many others. He also is the director of the pre-seminary program at CUW, a role he has held since 2010, significantly increasing pre-seminary enrollment by launching initiatives aimed at supporting the church’s future ministry leaders. Previously, Mudge served as the Rouse Associate Professor of Pre-Seminary Studies (2013-19) and an assistant professor of theology (2007-13).

Before joining the faculty at CUW, Mudge was a missionary in French-speaking Africa (1996-2006), serving as the coordinator of theological education and adjunct professor of exegetical and systematic theology at the Centre Luthérien d’Etudes Théologiques (The Lutheran Center for Theological Studies).

In 2012, Mudge earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. His dissertation wasHonorable Shame: The Rhetorical Use of Didactic Shame Discourse in Ezekiel 36:16-32. He also received a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Concordia Seminary (1996). In 1992, Mudge received a Bachelor of Arts in English and music from the University of Michigan-Flint.

His areas of expertise include Old Testament prophetic books, shame as addressed in the Bible, biblical Greek and biblical Hebrew. He currently is conducting research for a scholarly Lutheran commentary on Zephaniah.

Mudge has been a member of The Society of Biblical Literature since 2013. He has published works in various blogs and journals, has been interviewed by several newspapers and magazines, and is a sought-after presenter for conferences and lectures.

Mudge and his wife, Lisa, have six children.

About Concordia Seminary

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). To learn more, visit csl.edu.