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| Webber and Gene Bunkowske |
Institute of Lutheran Theology Board of Directors Eugene Bunkowske, Chair Emeritus Professor, Concordia University – St. Paul, MN Retired Missionary Phil Wold, Vice-Chair Retired Physician, Mankato, MN Fred Schickedanz, Treasurer Real Estate Developer, Calgary, Alberta Debra Hesse, Secretary Agribusiness Owner and Manager, Moses Lake, WA G. Barry Anderson Senior Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court Fred Baltz Pastor, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Galena, IL John Bent Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Whitefish, MT Hans J. Hillerbrand Emeritus Professor of Religion, Duke University James T. Lehmann Pastor, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Thomasboro, IL Mark Mattes Professor of Philosophy and Theology, Grandview University Janine Rew-Werling Pastor, Hosanna Lutheran Church, Watertown, SD Pastor Rolf David Preus | |||||
     Pastor Rolf David Preus (Rolf) Senior Member Username: Rolf Post Number: 8665 Registered: 5-2001 |
I had never heard of the Institute of Lutheran Theology until I ran across it on another website (GJ - Ichabod?) earlier today. It apparently serves folks who have left the ELCA but are not ready to abandon the practice of having women pastors. I posted this to illustrate something. At the top of the list of the BOD is a man by the name of Eugene Bunkowske. He became known as some kind of a "missions" expert in Missouri, but after coming to the faculty of CTS it was discovered that he knew no theology. He quickly became the darling of the "replace theology with sociology" crowd in the LCMS. At the bottom of the list of the BOD of this organization is a pastorette, unless, of course, there are men with the name of Janine. Bunkowske represents the replacement of theology with sociology. Now I have been out of touch, having left the LCMS in 1997 and having returned less than a year ago. My question is whether Concordia in St. Paul is completely dominated by this crowd. I graduated from CSP. It wasn't very good in 1975, though there were a couple of good theologians on the faculty. How about now? Pastor Rolf David Preus | ||||
| David Jay Webber (Djw) Advanced Member Username: Djw Post Number: 810 Registered: 12-2004 |
The Institute of Lutheran Theology is a seminary that delivers education through the Internet. Courses are taught in real time through interactive lectures in a virtual online "classroom." During each class session, the professor and all the students can see and hear each other, make comments, ask questions, etc. So, their format is not just a matter of students watching recorded lectures and reading books. ILT is "in the pipeline" for accreditation, which they hope will be completed within a couple years. Degree programs include M.Div., S.T.M., and D.Min. And if I understand correctly, a possible future accredited Ph.D. program, to be offered in cooperation with a European university, is also in the works. ILT is independent, and is not controlled or operated by any particular church body. Women are admitted to its M.Div. program. ILT's M.Div. degree is recognized by Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ and by the North American Lutheran Church, both of which ordain women. But ILT faculty members are not limited to people from those groups, or to people who believe in women's ordination. Professors are affiliated with LCMC, NALC, ELCA, and LCMS. The S.T.M. program is particularly well suited to pastors of any synod who want to pursue advanced education on a part-time basis without the expense and trouble that would come from needing to travel in person to St. Louis, Ft. Wayne, or Mequon for their conventional S.T.M. course offerings. An S.T.M. student can pick and choose which courses he takes through ILT. So, if a particular instructor, or a particular subject, are not appealing, that course can be skipped.
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| Pastor Rolf David Preus (Rolf) Senior Member Username: Rolf Post Number: 8669 Registered: 5-2001 |
So Eugene Bunkowske chairs a board of an institution that prepares women to be pastoretttes. Pastor Rolf David Preus | ||||
| David Jay Webber (Djw) Advanced Member Username: Djw Post Number: 812 Registered: 12-2004 |
Yes, the ILT educates women as well as men in its M.Div. degree program. But the ITL is not a church body or an agency of a church body, so it does not ordain women to be pastors. It does not ordain anyone. | ||||
| Pastor Rolf David Preus (Rolf) Senior Member Username: Rolf Post Number: 8670 Registered: 5-2001 |
I realize that. But it supports the ordination of women by granting the M. Div. degree to women. And Eugene Bunkowske, who should be supporting the biblical prohibition of women pastors, serves on their governing board. Pastor Rolf David Preus | ||||
| Barb Nelson (Barbnelson) Member Username: Barbnelson Post Number: 74 Registered: 9-2012 |
Rev. Webber, was your ILT graduation in the context of a religious ceremony?http://www.ilt.org/#!ILTs-Sending-Out/c24ag/55ef52030cf20cc524a3b631 | ||||
| David Jay Webber (Djw) Advanced Member Username: Djw Post Number: 813 Registered: 12-2004 |
"Rev. Webber, was your ILT graduation in the context of a religious ceremony?" Not really. It involved me, the Dean of Students who made a few remarks, and the Chairman of the Board who presented the diploma. It took place in a corner of the lobby area of a hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. Very simple and very short. And then we went out to dinner. | ||||
| Doug Andersen (Lutherman) Intermediate Member Username: Lutherman Post Number: 383 Registered: 6-2006 |
How many graduates has ILT had? | ||||
| David Jay Webber (Djw) Advanced Member Username: Djw Post Number: 814 Registered: 12-2004 |
They have been functioning only for a few years, so not too many yet. I don't know an exact figure. |
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