Our Commitment to Forming Valued Leaders
"Where learning leads to mission" describes Wartburg Seminary's longstanding commitment to the mission of the Gospel
and the Church. Wartburg was founded as a frontier mission seminary almost a century and a half ago, serving 19th century
mission needs. Now the Seminary recommits itself to serve in the 21st century At God's Mission Frontiers.
1854 - Wartburg Theological Seminary founded in Dubuque, Iowa.
1861 - Sigmund Fritschel returned from successful European tour to erase all seminary debts andAugusta Von Schwartz returned with him to serve as house mother for several generations of students.
1889 - Wartburg accepted Dubuque's invitation to return to where it was founded.
1916 - The new, efficient, aesthetically pleasing Wartburg dedicated debt-free, designed after theGerman Wartburg castle where Luther translated the New Testament into German.
1932 - St. Paul Luther Seminary (Phelan Park) moved to the Wartburg campus.
1956 - Trinity Theological Seminary in Blair, Nebraska moved to Dubuque and officially merged withWartburg at the formation of the American Lutheran Church in 1960.
1970 - Advent of the ordination of women.
1972 - Denver House of Studies established to provide opportunity for study in urban context.
1974 - Board commits to 10% of student body from global church, Hispanic Ministry Program, begun in Austin, Texas,which became the Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest at the inception of the Evangelical Lutheran Church inAmerica.
1982 - Dedication of renovated Fritschel Hall and expanded Reu Library through The Seminary Appeal.
1987 - Center for Theology and the Land/Rural Ministry Program created to strengthen along-standing commitment to the ministry of the rural church.
1988 - Two faculty and the library of Christ Seminary-Seminex officially merged with Wartburg anddeployed to Lutheran Seminary Program in Southwest.
1989 - Denver Court duplex housing for students with families dedicated.
1990 - Long Range Plan places high priority on globalization and mission.
1994 - New curriculum introduced which responds to priorities for depth of faith, missionoutreach and practical congregational leadership. Center for Youth Ministries established.
1995 - New Pulpit Rock apartment housing dedicated.
1997 - Master of Arts in Theology, Development and Evangelism degree established.
1999 - Concentration in Youth, Culture and Mission established.
2000 - Center for Global Theologies established to focus and serve Wartburg's commitmentsto the global church and theology.
2001 - Student residences renovated, Tower addition constructed and geothermal exchange system installed.Planning process initiated that leads to vision, strategic directions and goals Forming Valued Leaders.
