Skip to Main Content

Candidacy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is the churchwide process of preparation and formation leading to approval for the public ministries of the church: 

  • Word and Service

  • Word and Sacrament

Candidacy invites an active partnership between the candidate, congregation, synod, seminary and the ELCA. An in-depth discussion of the process is provided at www.luthersem.edu/candidacy. For more information, contact Candidacy in the Contextual Learning Office at 651-641-3492 or candidacy@luthersem.edu

Affiliation 

All candidates who are preparing for ordination in the ELCA who obtain a Master of Divinity degree from a non-ELCA seminary are expected to affiliate with an ELCA seminary, complete a supervised internship and participate in Lutheran learning and formation through the affiliate seminary. 

  • Affiliated student status is granted to candidates who have received a positive entrance decision from their candidacy committee, who are admitted to the seminary and submit the appropriate fee* and complete a Candidate Plan with the seminary and their synod. 

  • For students who affiliate with an ELCA seminary by paying the affiliate fee within six months of being granted entrance, the fee will be $1600.  For students who affiliate after the six-month period, the fee will be $2000 across all ELCA seminaries.

  • The seminary, in consultation with the synod candidacy committee, sets the expectations for the Lutheran learning and formation. 

  • Information regarding affiliation is available at www.luthersem.edu/context/candidacy/affiliated-candidates/

ELCA Requested Internship for Non-Degree Students

Those who only need to meet the candidacy requirement of fulfilling an internship for either Word & Sacrament or Word & Service outside of a degree program or post-graduation will require the following:

A non-degree application through the Admissions office.

A meeting with the candidacy and contextual learning offices to confirm the candidate plan.

A $1600 Internship Facilitation Fee will be charged upon admission as a non-degree student.

ELCA Candidacy and Ordination for Word and Sacrament Ministries

Candidates in the ELCA who are preparing for ordination are required to be a part of the candidacy process with their synod. A positive entrance decision is expected before admission to the seminary. However, if other admissions requirements are met, a provisional offer of admission may be extended pending the receipt of a positive entrance decision. ELCA candidates are required to obtain a positive entrance decision by the end of their first semester of study. Candidates without a positive entrance decision on file in the Contextual Learning – Candidacy Office will have a hold placed on their registration for subsequent terms until the entrance decision is received. 

TEEM - Theological Education for Emerging Ministries 

TEEM is a program administered by Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California in partnership with Luther Seminary. Entrance to the program begins with the candidate’s synod bishop, candidacy committee and the ELCA. Candidates preparing for ministry through TEEM are required to complete their theological education and candidacy requirements simultaneously.

Persons interested in more information may contact the TEEM office at teem@plts.edu or may visit www.luthersem.edu/admissions/degrees/programs_certificates

ELCA Candidacy and Ordination for Word and Service Ministers

Deacons and Deaconesses carry out a public ministry of Word and Service. With demonstrated competence and expertise in a particular discipline, all Word and Service candidates are preparing to serve both within and outside of congregational settings. 

  • With deliberate course selection, any M.A. program may serve to fulfill the educational requirements of candidacy for Word and Service Candidates. 

  • The Contextual Learning Office will oversee the supervised field work for Deacons. More information can be found at www.luthersem.edu/contextual_learning. 

  • Candidates who attend non-ELCA seminaries may affiliate with Luther Seminary for the completion of their Word and Service requirements. 

  • Deaconess candidates, additionally, can complete the candidacy process of the Deaconess Community of the ELCA deaconesscommunity.org as well as the synod candidacy process. 

Candidacy for Students from Other Traditions 

Students from many Christian denominations prepare for their vocations at Luther Seminary. 

Each denomination has its own requirements for ordination, certification, licensing or other ways of ordering ministry. Luther Seminary can assist students and their denominations in identifying courses which will fulfill denominational requirements. 

  • The primary reference is always the denominational contact who coordinates the appropriate candidacy process. 

  • The staff of Contextual Learning – Candidacy Office candidacy@luthersem.edu or the Student Affairs Office are available for general assistance regarding coursework and fulfillment of requirements.

  • The Contextual Learning Office can help with requirements and placements for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), FE0523, and Internship contextuallearning@luthersem.edu or 651-641-3266. 

Loss of Judicatory Support 

If a student seeking ordination in the ELCA has not received official support from their candidacy committee in the first semester of study a hold will be placed on their registration for subsequent terms until the support documentation is received. If judicatory support is subsequently terminated, a committee consisting of the Academic Dean, the Dean of Students, the Associate Director of Candidacy, and the Director of Enrollment Services will review the circumstances of the loss or denial of judicatory support. A student’s status may be terminated at the end of the semester in which the loss or denial of support occurs. A student whose judicatory support is withdrawn in the final year of study in the M.Div. ordination track program may be allowed to complete requirements for the degree, with permission from the committee. 

Change of Judicatory Support 

If a student changes denominations while enrolled in the M.Div. ordination track program or chooses to pursue the degree without judicatory support, the student must submit an updated authorization for release for the new judicatory body as well as documentation regarding the requested change. If continuing in an ordination process, request that your candidacy committee or judicatory body send a communication to candidacy@luthersem.edu indicating support for the degree change. If no longer pursuing an ordination process, describe in detail an update of your discernment process and how the new degree program will equip you for your ministry vocation. The student’s file will be reviewed by a committee consisting of the Academic Dean, the Dean of Students, the Associate Director of Candidacy, and the Director of Enrollment Services, which has the right to request additional information from the student and/or judicatory. This committee may uphold the initial admissions decision or rescind admission based on this change.

Current Student Seeking New Ordination Pathway

If a current student seeks a new ordination pathway while enrolled in an MA program and seeks to move to the MDiv ordination track program, the student must submit an updated authorization for release for their judicatory body as well as documentation regarding the requested change. If pursuing an ordination process, request that your candidacy committee or judicatory body send a communication to candidacy@luthersem.edu indicating support for the degree change.  The change will be confirmed after a conversation with the Associate Director of Candidacy or if any additional materials are needed.