Great News! Broke ELCA Selling Flagship Campus After 120 Years

Staff Writer

Luther Seminary, the flagship institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has announced the sale of its 10-acre campus in St. Paul, Minnesota, which it has occupied for 120 years. The seminary, founded in 1869, plans to vacate the campus following the 2026-2027 academic year, marking a significant shift for one of the nation’s most progressive mainline seminaries.

We’ve covered Luther Seminary previously, demonstrating what sort of muck and mire they are churning out on a daily basis, and what sort of education they are receiving.

Luther Seminary’s Preaching Conference Ft. Trans Preacher Who Called Jesus a ‘Son of a B****’
Luther Seminary Preacher Compares Herself to Jeremiah, Says We Must Repent of Climate Catastrophe, Anti-Trans Laws, and Banning Books
Lutheran Seminary Holds ‘Glitter Ash Wednesday’ Chapel to Honor ‘Queer and Trans Siblings’
Lutheran Seminary Creates Year Long ‘Queer Confirmation’ Curriculum for LGBTQ+ Youth
Lutheran Seminary Hosts ‘Beyoncé Mass.’ Yes, It’s Exactly What It Sounds Like
Lutheran Seminary Preacher Changes Scripture to Call God He/Her/They

The decision comes amid declining enrollment and years of staff layoffs, loss of programs, and loss of relevancy. With only 371 students enrolled last year, including just 144 in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree program, the seminary has struggled to attract new students, despite offering free tuition scholarships to ELCA seminary students through their Jubilee scholarships.

Put another way: they can’t even give these degrees away.

In a press release, Luther Seminary stated that selling the campus will allow it to “shift to a more nimble model that will maintain its enduring commitment to educating leaders for Christian communities.”