Wartburg Theological Seminary is deeply valued by the church, its graduates, and the many congregations and Christian communities they serve.
Our History
Wartburg Theological Seminary
Wartburg leaders are known for their strong faith, theological depth, practical wisdom, and love for people. Our approach to formation for leadership is distinctive, and has played an essential role in shaping the life of the church for more than 170 years.
Wartburg’s story in Dubuque, Iowa, began on November 10, 1853, in a rented building on Garfield Avenue.
What started as the relocation of a teacher training institution from Saginaw, Michigan, founded under the leadership of Inspektor George Grossman, became Wartburg Theological Seminary the following year, in 1854, with the introduction of a theological curriculum.
The seminary’s second home soon followed at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1276 White Street in Dubuque.
In 1857, a group of dedicated students built a new home for Wartburg in St. Sebald, Iowa.
As the seminary grew, a larger facility was needed, and in 1874, Wartburg moved to Mendota, Illinois, to accommodate expanding classes and programs.
In 1889, Wartburg returned to Dubuque, settling in the Emerson Mansion.
Just 25 years later, the cornerstone of the now-beloved Wartburg Castle was laid in 1914, on Martin Luther’s birthday, November 10th, exactly 61 years after the seminary’s first Dubuque location.
In 1970, Carol Olson became the first woman to study for a Master of Divinity degree at Wartburg.
Today, enrollment between women and men in the Master of Divinity program is equal.
Wartburg’s Hispanic Ministry Program was founded in 1974 in Austin, Texas, and later became part of the Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest, co-led by Wartburg and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago until 2022.
In 1979, Professor Norma Cook Everist became the first woman appointed to the faculty.
In 2015, President Louise Johnson was appointed as the seminary’s first female president.
In Fall 2023, we re-opened a renovated Fritschel Hall with offices, smart classrooms and library facilities that support our commitment to our student body, which includes both residential and distance learners being formed together in one community.
Wartburg continues to grow and adapt to the needs of the church and the world.
Today, the seminary serves both residential and distance learners through its Distributed Learning and Collaborative Learning programs, expanding access and opportunity for those called to ministry wherever they are.