When the Rev. Dr. Robin Steinke, president of Luther Seminary, thinks about the future of theological education, she turns to an unexpected metaphor: water sports.
“Some people need to water ski—to skim over the surface, get a sense of themes, and be introduced to Jesus of Nazareth and God’s ways of working in the world,” she explains in a recent Pivot Podcast episode. “That’s really important because unless someone has a chance to skim over the surface in ways that respond to questions people are actually asking, they may never be invited to go deeper.”
But that’s just the beginning. “Going deeper comes once you’ve skimmed across the surface,” Robin continues. “Now it’s time to scuba dive and really explore the depths of this story of who Jesus of Nazareth is, and how God works across history and the wonderful and complex contexts to which the biblical witness testifies.”
This vivid picture of theological education operating at multiple depths captures the spirit of transformation happening at Luther Seminary and more broadly in the church today.
Moving Beyond the Fix-It Mentality
Rather than trying to solve declining enrollment through quick fixes, Robin emphasizes the importance of wondering and listening. “We’re in a place, as we have always been as followers of Jesus, where we don’t actually know what the future holds,” she says. “And so we trust in prayer and in the practices and disciplines of faith and worship that God is leading us.” This stance of holy curiosity allows space for new possibilities to emerge while honoring the deep wisdom of Christian tradition.
The shift from fixing to listening represents more than just a change in approach – it’s a fundamental reorientation of how we understand leadership. Robin points to the importance of moving from “I know” to “I wonder,” especially in moments of uncertainty. When faced with challenges, the temptation is often to implement quick solutions. Instead, Luther Seminary is modeling how to create space for deep listening to God, to communities, and to the emerging needs of the church.
Communities of Practice as Formation Spaces
One of the most significant discoveries from Luther’s recent experiments in theological education is the power of learning in context. Speaking of MDivX, Luther Seminary’s recent experiment with a two-year Master of Divinity degree program, Robin reflects, “We learned…that the learning outcomes and formation were stronger in students that were embedded in a community of practice for 24 months rather than on a seminary campus.” This insight is reshaping how the seminary thinks about formation, moving from a classroom-centered model to one that integrates learning within active ministry contexts.
Robin points to her own journey as evidence of this truth. She became a pastor after being a middle school band director and stockbroker because she was embedded in a community that recognized her calling before she did. “Much to my annoyance, they kept referring to me as pastor,” she recalls. But what she learned is that communities of practice don’t just support learning – they help people discover and live into their vocations in ways that traditional educational models alone cannot achieve.

Embracing Digital and Incarnational Ministry Together
While Luther Seminary now reaches over 8 million people through digital platforms like Faith+Lead, Working Preacher, and Enter the Bible, Robin emphasizes that this doesn’t diminish the importance of embodied community. “We worship an incarnational God who took on human flesh to be among us,” she says. “Digital spaces are beautiful. And we also need spaces for people to gather around bread and wine and word and prayer and laying on of hands and anointing with oil and washing of feet.” The future isn’t choosing between digital or physical presence, but thoughtfully integrating both.
Training Lay Leaders for the Future of Ministry
The shifts in theological education mirror the broader changes happening in churches across the country. Just as congregations are pivoting from clergy-centered to lay-empowered ministry, seminaries are expanding their understanding of who needs theological formation. As churches discover the need for both inherited and new forms of ministry, theological education is developing multiple pathways for learning and growth.
The future of theological education, like the future of the church itself, will require both preserving the depth of Christian wisdom and creating new accessible entry points for learning. It will mean maintaining high academic standards while expanding who receives theological education. Most importantly, it will mean trusting that God is leading the way forward, even when the path isn’t clear.
Robin concludes, quoting a favorite prayer: “God has called us to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, paths as yet untrodden, and through perils”– and, she always adds — “joys unknown.” The future of theological education and the church, like water itself, is fluid and life-giving, inviting us to both skim the surface and dive deep into the mysteries of faith.