Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS) a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has been designated as Reconciling in Christ (RIC). LTSS is located in Columbia, SC and is the theological school within Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Their welcome statement states: “We, the academic community of Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, confess that we are given to each other by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are called to be an ever more welcoming community as we are ever more conformed to the image of the Triune God, a diversity in unity. The Gospel compels us to go beyond civility or tolerance to love our neighbors as ourselves. We seek to be a safe and gracious community which confesses that all persons are created in the image of God. We recognize that people experience a diversity of sexualities and gender identities, and we welcome all persons into full participation in the life of our community. As an academic community, we expect and invite continued dialogue which, in mutual love, welcomes disparate voices while rejecting any disparagement of others. We wish by this statement to assert our commitment to learn and practice a radical hospitality toward all persons and their families, sharing each other’s joys and burdens, successes and failures, hopes and heartbreaks, in recognition that our shared faith is embraced by God’s promise in which all are being reconciled to God and each other in Christ by the Holy Spirit.”

“It is with great joy that ReconcilingWorks welcome LTSS to the Reconciling in Christ community. Your bold stance in seeing, naming, and caring for LGBTQIA+ people is one that will not only change lives, but save them,” Executive Director Aubrey Thonvold said. “Amen for your partnership and AMEN for your prophetic witness!”

The Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Program of ReconcilingWorks recognizes congregations, synods, colleges, seminaries and other Lutheran communities that make a public welcome of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities and now stands at 764 settings across North America, including six of the seven ELCA seminaries. Along with Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, RIC seminaries include Wartburg Theological Seminary, Trinity Seminary, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, the Lutheran School of Theology Chicago, and United Lutheran Seminary (formerly the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and Gettysburg Seminary).

Read more about Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary’s statement: https://www.lr.edu/ltss/news-post-ltss/~post/reconciling-in-christ-ric-inclusivity-statement-20171006

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