LHOS In Their Own Words

https://lutherhouseofstudy.org/seminary/

Luther House of Study is an alternative, online seminary that partners with Unite Leadership Collective (ULC). ULC has, in their own words, “partnered with Kairos University and Luther House of Study (LHOS) to bring affordable and accelerated education on your path to becoming a Shepherd, Evangelist, or Executive Director in your local congregation.” This is because, according to ULC, “LHOS offers a revolutionary approach to delivering a solid Lutheran education for individuals entering into congregational ministry.” ULC’s Director, Tania Hilton recently completed her MDiv from LHOS. She was inspired to enter the program after being frustrated that women could not consecrate the eucharist at an LCMS women’s retreat. She is a parishioner of Christ Greenfield (LCMS) and was interviewed by her pastor, the Rev. Dr. Tim Ahlman, here.

The CEO of LHOS is the “Rev” Sarah Stenson. She was interviewed on ULC’s podcast by Pastor Ahlman here. She is the co-author of a recent essay entitled “Ordination of Women by Evangelical Lutherans Revisited.”

In the conclusion of the paper, Stenson and co-author Christopher Croghan, claim to enlist some interesting theologians in support of their position, including the LCMS’s own Joel Biermann (Concordia Seminary - St. Louis) and David Scaer (Concordia Theological Seminary - Fort Wayne):

While Scripture does not provide examples or guidance for what we now call ordination, what it does demonstrate is that in and of itself, i.e. relying only on Scripture, there is no sound scriptural reason not to ordain women simply because they are women. This is something theologians from across the theological spectrum have concluded, including Biermann, Scaer, Harrisville and Forde as discussed above. In fact, one would be hard pressed to claim, based on Scripture alone, that women must be prohibited from occupying the office of pastor.

You can read their paper, in their own words, here.