Can St. Olaf be Both Lutheran and Inclusive?

St. Olaf College’s mission is to “challenge students to excel in the liberal arts, examine faith and values, and explore meaningful vocation in an inclusive, globally engaged community,” with all of it being “nourished by Lutheran tradition.” What does it mean to be a Lutheran-affiliated institution where the majority of students, faculty, and staff are not Lutheran? As the college becomes more diverse, how can the institution’s rootedness in Lutheran tradition serve our mission to be an “inclusive, globally engaged community”? Through a variety of readings, videos, and discussion, this seminar for faculty and staff will explore these questions and more about the ways in which St. Olaf’s Lutheran identity informs who we are today and where we’re heading in the future.