News
The latest news from LTS!
Saskatoon Theological Union welcomes its first Recruitment & Advancement Ambassador
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It is with joy and anticipation that the Saskatoon Theological Union (STU) welcomes Jared Seibert as our first Recruitment and Advancement Ambassador (R&AA). Jared will be a member of the STU’s Advancement team, and he will be responsible for work that focuses primarily on student recruitment and social media communications. Jared will serve as a steward and foster a positive experience for those interacting with the STU.
In his own words, Jared shares this celebration as he offers his gifts to the wider ecumenical community of the STU.
“I’m incredibly excited (and a little humbled) to be taking on the role of Recruitment and Advancement Ambassador for the Saskatoon Theological Union. This opportunity means a lot to me—not just professionally, but personally. I’ve always believed in the power of community, faith, and education to transform lives, and now I get to help others discover that too. God is up to good things here in the STU and I am excited to be part of it.
I’m looking forward to connecting with future students, sharing the heart of what the STU stands for, and helping to grow a vibrant, inclusive, and thoughtful theological community right here in Saskatoon. Here’s to new beginnings, meaningful conversations, and walking alongside others on their journey.”
Four-College Conference: “Homes of the Sacred”
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June 15-17, 2025 (online)
This year’s conference focuses on questions of sacred space, such as:
What is sacred space? How do we participate in co-creating sacred space? What theological responses and practices equip us for engaging hope in the world today?
The main speaker is The Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Y. Lartey, Charles Howard Candler Professor of Pastoral Theology and Spiritual Care at Candler School of Theology (Emory University), who will speak about how the various homes of the sacred are places of community and communal care. After his presentation, he will engage in dialogue with an additional scholar and then open the conversation to participants. A panel of STU Common Faculty members will also present on issues of sacred space from their disciplines.
This year’s conference also coincides with the biennial meeting of the International Academy of Practical Theology, offering participants a unique opportunity to engage with panels exploring Canadian and global perspectives on the theme of “imagining home.” Featured keynote addresses by Elder Maria Campbell and Joseph Naytowhow—both facilitated by members of the STU community—will deepen this exploration. The conference will conclude with a collaborative, guided session in which participants draw on the insights gained to co-create a “Christian Action Plan,” envisioning concrete ways to embody hope in their own communities and contexts.
The full schedule and registration are online: https://fourcollegeconference.eventbrite.ca
LTS Survey
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LTS is seeking your assistance as it goes about reexamining the Values section in its Strategic Plan. Your insights and feedback are always greatly appreciated.
This link will lead you to a short survey, which should take approximately 4-5 minutes to complete.
Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MG2CPZW
President Harrison is asking that surveys be submitted by April 15th, 2025, at the latest. Thank you for your input!
Consensus: Call for Papers
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There is still time to submit an article for the upcoming issue of Consensus: A Canadian Journal of Public Theology, which focuses on how Lutherans and ecumenical partners engage the Nicene Creed in the 21st-century.
Manuscripts of 3000- to 4000-words can explore such questions as:
- What role does the Nicene Creed have in lifelong spiritual formation?
- How does the Nicene Creed serve as a foundation (both an opportunity and a challenge) in ecumenical and interfaith dialogue?
- What are the implications for contemporary pneumatology with the proposed removal of the Filioque?
- Why might a community continue to use the Nicene Creed when its language and style seem antiquated?
- How do modern creeds and professions of faith relate to the Nicene Creed? If modern texts are to be adopted by churches today, what might the process be?
Submissions are due April 15 to Prof. Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero, the journal’s co-editor. Additional information is on the journal’s website: https://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/about.html
Consensus is an online peer-reviewed journal co-produced by LTS and Martin Luther University College.
Dr. Kayko Driedger Hesslein Granted Tenure and Promotion
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President Harrison is delighted to make two announcements: the first is that Dr. Kayko Driedger Hesslein, the William Hordern Professor of Theology, has been granted tenure effective January 1, 2025 in recognition of her significant contributions to the teaching and institutional life of LTS.
The second announcement is that Dr. Driedger Hesslein has been promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor, granted by President Bill Harrison and affirmed by the LTS Board of Governors.
Dr. Driedger Hesslein joined the faculty in 2020 as a full-time professor, having previously served as a sessional instructor since 2015. She is the first person of Japanese descent to be granted tenure in the field of theology in Canada, and the second woman to hold a professorship in systematic theology at an ELCIC seminary.
“I am grateful to God, the tenure committee, President Harrison, and the LTS Board for this continued affirmation of my call to teach and form leaders for the church. I look forward with joy and excitement to continuing to serve the LTS community in our shared ministry,” says Dr. Driedger Hesslein.
Dr. Driedger Hesslein’s dedication to teaching, scholarship, and service to our seminary community is deeply appreciated. Congratulations on this well-deserved achievement!
