In simultaneous meetings held on their respective campuses January 12-13, 2016, the boards of Philadelphia and Gettysburg Lutheran seminaries adopted identical resolutions calling for "the creation of a new school of theology and leadership formation."
"As a member of the Board of Trustees and an alumna of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, I support this innovative initiative," Bishop Burkat said.
"The 'New School', as it is temporarily called, will respond to the changes and challenges in the church and the world, and will build a new and adaptive model of theological education that will prepare Christian leaders for the world they will encounter and minister to today, and into the future. Just in time for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, our renewing Lutheran witness and New School of theology will open July 1, 2017."
