Lutheran Theological Seminary

The Lutheran Theological Seminary (LTS) was established in 1965. It came into being by the amalgamation of two prior seminaries, the Lutheran College and Seminary and Luther Seminary. When founded, it became an affiliated college of the University of Saskatchewan and moved to the University campus in 1969. At the time it was established, it was the official seminary of the Lutheran Church of America and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada. In 1986 these two churches were amalgamated into the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. At that time LTS came under the control of the four Western synods of that Church. From 1973 to 1984 the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod co-operated with LTS, providing a professor for the faculty and ordaining graduates. This was the only seminary in North America in which all three of the major Lutheran churches did co-operate. During those years there were hopeful negotiations aimed at merging the three Lutheran churches. When these negotiations broke down, the Missouri Synod withdrew from LTS.

In 1977, LTS became fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. At that time it was one of two seminaries in western Canada that had full accreditation. From its beginning, LTS co-operated with the other seminaries in Saskatoon; an arrangement was made with Central Pentecostal College, whereby the students who qualified could earn the MDiv degree from LTS. The co-operation with St. Andrew's College and Emmanuel St. Chad developed into the Saskatoon Theological Union. This union shares classes, has a common computerized catalogue of all three libraries, and publishes a common catalogue.

William Hordern