SA国际传媒

SA国际传媒, St. Louis, is pleased to announce that four of its faculty members received their doctorate degrees during the 2005-2006 academic year. They are Gerhard Bode, David Schmitt, William Utech and David Wollenburg.

Gerhard Bode, instructor in historical theology, received the doctor of philosophy degree from SA国际传媒, St. Louis. His dissertation, 鈥淐onrad Dietrich (1575-1639) and the Instruction of Luther鈥檚 Small Catechism,鈥� concerns the history of Lutheran catechetical instruction in the period of Lutheran orthodoxy. It looks at how one Lutheran pastor and professor, Conrad Dieterich, used Luther鈥檚 Small Catechism to instruct the young people of his day鈥攁bout 100 years after the beginning of the Reformation.

David Schmitt, associate professor of practical theology, received the doctor of philosophy degree from Washington University, St. Louis. His dissertation, 鈥淩estoration Spiritualities: The Public Voice of Private Conscience,鈥� examines the literature of the late 17th century (including Milton鈥檚 Paradise Regained) in order to examine how such works use 鈥渃onscience鈥� to communicate religious thought.

William Utech, associate professor of practical theology received the doctor of ministry degree from Covenant Seminary, St. Louis. His dissertation, 鈥淎ssessing Seminary Effectiveness,鈥� employs a mixed-methods approach to research in order to assess how effectively SA国际传媒 is fulfilling its stated institutional mission.

David Wollenburg, associate professor of practical theology, received the doctor of ministry degree from George Fox Evangelical Seminary, Portland, Ore. His dissertation, 鈥淩e-Envisioning Theological Formation for Mission, In-Context, Using Distance Education,鈥� responds to three common objections to distance education: that it is an inferior approach to theological education, that a significant theological community cannot be formed in this kind of program and that faculty is not able to know the students well enough to certify them.

鈥淲e congratulate these colleagues not only on their professional development as theologians, scholars and churchmen, but also on the important contributions that this research provides,鈥� commented Dr. Andrew Bartelt, vice president for academic affairs at SA国际传媒. 鈥淥ur faculty will continue to engage and contribute to theological scholarship, research and publication as we serve church and world through theological education and leadership that brings the very best of our Lutheran heritage to bear on issues of theology and mission for today鈥檚 and tomorrow鈥檚 church.鈥�

Of SA国际传媒鈥檚 45 faculty members, 86 percent have advanced degrees and they average more than 11 years of pastoral ministry experience prior to service at the Seminary.

For more information, contact Academic Affairs, 801 Seminary Place, St. Louis, MO 63105, (314) 505-7012, or visit the Seminary鈥檚 Web site at .