Student Resources

Candidacy in the ELCA

Explore Candidacy

Wartburg Theological Seminary

Throughout candidacy, you can expect a commitment from your home congregation, your synod, your seminary, and the ELCA to both nurture and challenge your call and gifts for ministry while keeping in mind the missional needs of the ELCA.

ELCA Candidacy

Your ELCA Candidacy Journey

A guided, synod-led process that nurtures your call to ministry, prepares you for ordination, and connects your seminary formation with the life of the ELCA.

What is Candidacy:

  • Synod-led process that unfolds in tandem with a student's academic formation​
  • The process that leads to ordination as a minister of Word and Service (deacon) or minister of Word and Sacrament (pastor) in the ELCA​
  • Rooted in a student's home synod and overseen by a Candidacy Committee​
  • Consists of three primary milestones: Entrance, Endorsement,  Faculty and synodical approval
Guiding Your Call

Partners in Candidacy

Candidacy includes many partners, including your seminary faculty and staff, synod staff, contextual education partners, and your own colleagues and mentors.

Students lead their candidacy process with strong communication, collaboration, and awareness of the next step in the process.

If you are called to leadership in the church but do not feel called to be rostered, you are very welcome to apply for a degree or certificate program through Wartburg Seminary.

ELCA Candidacy

Steps for ELCA Candidacy

Curious about how the Seminary & Candidacy Journeys Work Together?

How the candidacy process often takes shape for Wartburg students:

Discernment

Application to Candidacy

Application to Seminary

Entrance

Initial Seminary Studies

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)

Endoresement

Continued Seminary Studies

Internship/Concurrent Studies

Final Seminary Studies/Approval

First Call Paperwork, Consultations, Interviews

Program Completion

First Call Process

Ordination

Contextual Call as Deacon or Pastor

Explore Journey