Bioethical dilemmas present complex challenges for pastors and other church leaders, requiring a response grounded in Scripture. To help equip them to navigate these critical issues, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis [1] (CSL) and Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon [2], Wis. (CUW) are offering a six-week virtual continuing education course, “Life and Death: A Confessional Framework for Pastoral Bioethics.” This course will cover essential bioethical topics, such as gender dysphoria, abortion, physician-assisted suicide and more, all viewed through a biblical lens.
The course will be taught via Zoom from 4-5:15 p.m. (CT) Tuesdays, April 29 through June 3, 2025. Each session will include 45 minutes of presentation by the primary speaker, 15 minutes of response from the secondary speaker and 15 minutes of open discussion.
Meet the presenters
- Dr. Kevin Voss, professor emeritus of Philosophy and former director of the Concordia Center for Bioethics at Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, Wis. With decades of experience in bioethics and pastoral care ministry, Voss blends his unique expertise in reproductive counseling and end-of-life care with a passion for addressing bioethical issues from a Lutheran theological perspective.
- Dr. Robert Weise [3], professor emeritus of Practical Theology and the former Lutheran Foundation of St. Louis Chair in Pastoral Ministry and the Life Sciences from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Weise served on the faculty for over two decades and made significant contributions to the fields of bioethics, human sexuality and genetics, both through his academic work and as a frequent speaker and author.
“We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Kevin Voss and Dr. Robert Weise will collaborate to teach this bioethics course. Both men have been discussing these topics long before they became mainstream or trending. The content they will present is unique and cannot be found anywhere else, especially not in the way they will teach it,” said Erika Petsch, director of Continuing Education at Concordia Seminary.
Course Overview
Over six sessions, this series will address critical bioethical topics, equipping pastors and church leaders with the knowledge and confidence to respond to life-and-death issues in a compassionate, biblically grounded manner. Drawing on decades of expertise, Voss and Weise will guide attendees in navigating diverse worldviews through the lens of Lutheran doctrine. Course units include:
- Gender Dysphoria: “Human Sexual Identity: Mask Uncovered—Adam and Eve Are AWOL” by Dr. Robert Weise
- Abortion: “Abortion: Ripping Off the Bandage!” by Dr. Kevin Voss
- Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) Part I: “Where God’s Word Meets ART: Children – Begotten or Made?” by Dr. Robert Weise
- End-of-Life Problems: “Caring for Loved Ones at Life’s End” by Dr. Kevin Voss
- Physician-Assisted Suicide: “If Not Legal in Your State, It Likely Will Be!” by Dr. Kevin Voss
- Genetic ART Part II: “Children by Design: Setting Limits?” by Dr. Robert Weise
Registration and details
This virtual series is open to anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of bioethical issues from a biblical perspective. This course equips church leaders with practical tools for providing compassionate guidance to individuals and families. Register by April 25, 2025, via the CUW website [4]. The registration fee is $99, which includes one Continuing Education Unit (CEU).
For more information, contact the Continuing Education department at Concordia Seminary at ce@csl.edu or 314-505-7286.
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) [5]. To learn more, visit csl.edu [1].