About
Since 1956 the International Congress for Luther Research has met regularly in different countries and continents.
In 2017 the congress was held in Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Germany, and before that, in 2012, it was hosted in Helsinki, Finland. The last time Luther scholars met in the United States was in Minneapolis, MN, in 1992.
In between the congresses, an international Continuation Committee is at work. This committee deals with the subject matters to be discussed at the next Congress and decides upon questions concerning the overall theme, the keynote lectures and the invitation of lecturers, and the seminars and the invitation of seminar leaders.
Currently, the Continuation Committee is chaired by Prof. Dr. Volker Leppin (Germany). The other members are: Prof. Dr. Mary Jane Haemig (USA), Prof. Dr. Armin Kohnle (Germany), Prof. Dr. Robert Kolb (USA), Prof. Dr. Mark Mattes (USA), Prof. Dr. Marius T. Mjaaland (Norway), Prof. Dr. Antti Raunio (Finland), Prof. Dr. Ricardo Rieth (Brazil), Prof. Dr. Christopher Spehr (Germany) and Prof. Dr. Anna Vind (Denmark).
For each Congress, a Local Committee is formed to welcome and host the participants. Practical matters such as registration for the event, lodging, receptions, excursions, as well as registration for the seminars and arrangements for the short presentations, and other related services, are taken care of by the Local Committee.
Members of the Local Committee for the 14th Congress at California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California, include Rev. Dr. Brooks Schramm (Goleta, CA; Christ Lutheran Church), Rev. Dr. Jarmo Tarkki (Solvang, CA; Finnish Lutheran Church, West of Mississippi and Mexico), Ms. Anita Finirock (Solvang, CA; Finnish Lutheran Church, West of Mississippi and Mexico), Rev. Steve Herder (Thousand Oaks, CA; Ascension Lutheran Churvh), Prof. Dr. Christopher Ocker (Berkeley, CA; San Francisco Theological Seminary/University of Redlands), and Rev. Melissa Maxwell-Doherty (ex officio; California Lutheran University), with “national partners” Prof. Dr. Erik H. Herrmann (Saint Louis, MO; Concordia Seminary), Prof. Dr. Derek Nelson (Crawfordsville, IN; Wabash College) and Prof. Dr. Deanna A. Thompson (Northfield, MN; St. Olaf College), in partnership with the staff and faculty at California Lutheran University (Thousand Oaks, CA) and Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (Berkeley, CA).
The Local Committee is Co-Chaired by Prof. Dr. Kirsi Stjerna (Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Lutheran University, and Graduate Theological Union, CA) and President Dr. Guy Erwin (United Lutheran Seminary, PA).
We welcome you most warmly!
With any questions you many have, please contact: kstjerna@plts.edu and gerwin@uls.edu.
First time at the Congress? What to expect?
Everyone is welcome to register. You can do that via this website [see: Registration], for a fee. The registration is for the duration of the Congress, from Sunday night till Friday night, and it includes your registration for a Seminar [see: Seminars], keynote presentations and discussions [see: Program Schedule], and Receptions. It does not include other meals or housing or the Wednesday Excursion [see: Excursion]. Will there be coffee/tea during breaks? Of course. All these events take place on the campus of California Lutheran University, all within walking distance. (Maps will be provided.) [Please notice, the Registration for the 2022 Congress is closed.]
Seminars: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings and afternoons are spent working in Seminars. It is very important to register for the seminar when registering for the Congress [see: Seminars]. After the registration closes (09/15/21), we will have the definite list of the Seminars that have sufficient registration. Your Seminar leader will contact you with instructions on how to prepare and what to expect. The Seminar leaders will afterwards write reports from the research shared by the participants, to be published with the keynote presentations in the Luther Jahrbuch.
Short Presentations: You are welcome to submit a short proposal for a Short Presentation for Wednesday morning [see: Short Presentations]. [Please notice the extended deadline, March 2022!]
Receptions: Different sponsors will host the participants and their avecs for the evening receptions (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday). Sometimes the receptions can serve as a dinner, sometimes they are a lighter fair, and always with beverages and good company and much fun. The Friday Banquet is a full meal, with a separate ticket [see: Registration].
Morning Prayer will be offered on each morning at the CLU chapel. (More details TBA.)
Housing: If you stay on campus, you are able to walk to all the events. The housing is simple but inexpensive and convenient. If you stay in the area hotels, you will need a car or arrange shared rides or use cab, Lyft, etc. Nothing is too far but hotels are not within walking distance (within 15-minute ride you can find a nice hotel).
CLU Campus: CLU campus is beautiful and green, surrounded by mountains, with coffee shops, dining hall(s), chapel, library, bookstore, walking paths, and a pool (with guest passes available), etc. Thousand Oaks has restaurants, shopping, malls, gyms, theatre, and everything you need. See our website for more information about the campus and the area.
Lastly, whether you are an old or a new friend of Luther, you are most welcome!
Due to the unprecedented circumstances with the Covid-19 pandemic, these plans are made with the understanding that if modifications need to take place, they will be communicated via this website and via email to all registered participants.