Course of Study

*All work must be in the student’s field of study.

Emphasis Courses (9 credits):

• BT 503: Lutheran Exegetical Method
• BT 505: Reading Koine Greek
• BT 508: Biblical Hebrew

Biblical Theology (24 credits):

• BT 504: Lutheran Biblical Interpretation
• BT 511: Pentateuch and The Histories
• BT 530: Wisdom and The Prophets
• BT 561: The Gospels
• BT 565 Epistles and the Formation of the New Testament
• BT 566: Paul and His Legacy

One Old Testament elective:

• BT 600-659

One New Testament elective:

• BT 661-699

Historical and Systematic Theology (24 credits):

• HST 501: History of Christian Thought I: Origins to 1500
• HST 502: History of Christian Thought II: Reformation
• HST 613: History of Christian Thought III: 1700-1900
• HST 601: Creation and the Triune God
• HST 602: Christology
• HST 603: Church, Spirit, and the Two Kingdoms
• HST 655: The Lutheran Confessions

One elective chosen from the following:

• HST 505: History of the Lutheran Church
• HST 614: Twentieth Century Theology
• HST 643: The Theology of Martin Luther

Philosophical Theology and Theological Ethics (12 credits):

• PTE 501: Faith, Knowledge, and Reason
• PTE 510: Ethics in Lutheran Perspective

And two electives chosen from the following:

• PTE 511: Bioethics
• PTE 520: Theology and World Religions
• PTE 571: Religious Interpretation of Films
• PTE 602: Critical Reasoning for the Theologian
• PTE 603: Philosophy of Religion
• PTE 612: Christian Sexual Ethics
• PTE 681: Theology and Science

Pastoral Theology (21 credits):

• PT 501: Pastoral Care I
• PT 502: Pastoral Counseling
• PT 503: Pastoral Theology
• PT 504: Parish Administration
• PT 505: Christian Education for the Parish
• PT 511: Theology and the Practice of Worship
• PT 521: Homiletics I
• PT 522: Homiletics II
• PT 523: Homiletics III

Internship 

• PT 691: Internship

And one Pastoral Theology elective:

• PT 560-699

Total: 90 Credits

After completing this program, students will be able to:

• Articulate and evaluate issues of biblical interpretation, doctrine, and church history in order to distinguish God’s law and gospel in proclamation, teaching, and pastoral care.
• Understand issues in philosophy and ethics from a theological perspective grounded in the centrality of Jesus Christ.
• Appropriate a theology relevant to the pastoral office.
• Explain the church’s struggle through its history to articulate its biblical message.
• Adjudicate among conflicting theological claims with a spirit of openness and mutual respect, based upon criteria of rationality internal to the theological tradition.
• Gain pastoral ministry experience as outlined in the contextual education handbook and evaluate their own strengths and weaknesses, determining areas for future growth.

Denominational Endorsement and Certification for Ordination: Endorsing students who are preparing for ministry and certifying them as qualified for ordination are the responsibility of the student’s denomination. The Institute of Lutheran Theology cooperates with the denomination in this process.

• Completion of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, or in special cases, an equivalent preparatory experience.
• Completion of the online application for the Master of Divinity degree.
• Three letters of recommendation from individuals such as pastor, employer professor or other professional relationship.
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions. Applicants are required to have their official transcripts sent directly to the Office of Admissions from all of the institutions attended. Transcripts must demonstrate a minimum GPA of 2.50 on a 4.00 point scale or equivalent (applicants with a GPA of less than 2.50 may be admitted on Academic Probation.)
• Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score from the Test ofEnglish as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) that is not more than two years old. Normally, minimum acceptable scores for the TOEFL are 26 on the speaking section and 24 on the writing section. Minimum acceptable scores on the IELTS are 8 on the speaking section and 6.5 on the writing section. Please request that your score be sent toILT. ILT’s DI Code for the TOEFL is 5745. More information concerning TOEFL can be accessed at the Education TestingServices website. Information regarding the IELTS can be found at their IELTS website.
• Completion of the Theology and Ministry Questionnaire.
• Pass the Bible Proficiency Exam with a score of at least 60%.
• Non-Refundable Application Fee
• Copy of official photo ID.
• Completion of one semester of New Testament Greek (or Competency Examination/Completion of BT 500.)
• An admissions interview with the Director of Enrollment Services.

Practicum: Students preparing to serve in congregation ministry are required to participate in a practicum during the first 30 credits of their program. This practicum will consist of working with a pastor in a local congregation for 5-10 hours a week. Practicum students will meet with the practicum coordinator twice a month (or at least once a month) throughout each semester until they have earned 30 credits or more.

Internship: Students must be in a congregation or other ministry setting with opportunities to do practicums as assigned in Pastoral Theology classes. Students, congregations, mentor pastors and ILT operate under ILT’s Non-internship Learning-Service Agreement.

​Students must also complete an internship. Students affiliate with a congregation as an intern, with an Internship Supervisor and Internship Committee, as described in the Contextual Education Handbook. Internship for the Master of Ministry Program consists of four modules, chosen by the student to fit his or her ministry goals.

Each module requires about 50 hours of work, including preparation, carrying out the work, reflection and evaluation. The internship modules are:

• Homiletics
• Teaching
• Worship
• Pastoral Care
• Music Ministry
• Outreach
• Diaconal Service