International Lutheran Council’s 2026 World Seminaries Conference Held in Pretoria, South Africa, with Focus on Theological Anthropology

The International Lutheran Council’s (ILC) 2026 World Seminaries Conference took place in Pretoria, South Africa, from June 22 to June 25. The conference’s theme, “Being Human, Being Christian: Theological Anthropology in Church and Seminary,” brought together theologians and educators from across the globe. Thirty-two theological schools in 30 nations participated, with over 60 attendees in total. The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane hosted the event, and leaders from the ILC’s three member church bodies in South Africa—Confessional Lutheran Synod in South Africa (CLCSA), Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa (FELSISA), and Lutheran Synod in South Africa (LCSA)—were among the participants.

The conference opened with a keynote address by ILC General Secretary Klaus Detlev Schulz, who delivered a lecture titled “Between Atoms and Illusion: Theological Anthropology Framed by False Epistemologies.” Other presentations on the first day included Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann’s discussion on “Views on Personhood,” Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Boafo’s exploration of “The Incarnated Christ as a Basis for Gospel Communication,” and Rev. Dr. Guntis Kalme’s lecture on “The Nicene Pro Nobis: A Lutheran Anthropology for the Digital Age.”

On the second day, participants engaged with a range of topics, including Rev. Konstantin Subbotin’s address on “Homo Deus: Anthropotheism as a New Religion of the Modern Age,” Rev. Prof. Clécio Leocir Schadech’s talk on “Proclaiming the Death of the Lord in the Age of Transhumanism,” and Prof. Dr. Armin Wenz’s analysis of “The Challenge of Transhumanism for Lutheran Dogmatics and Ethics.” The afternoon session featured Rev. Dr. Samuel Furhmann’s presentation on “Towards a Lutheran Theological Response to Secular Egalitarianism” and Rev. Dr. Daniel Johansson’s discussion on “Unsuccessful Sanctification as an Argument Against the Biblical View of Sexuality and a Lutheran Response.”

The third day of the conference included parallel sessions, with Rev. Dr. Christoph Weber addressing “Lutheran Anthropology and Sin in Societal Structures” and Rev. Nicholas Kumbo Louis speaking on “Male and Female Relationships in the Church.” Additional sessions covered accreditation and pedagogy, led by Dr. Cynthia Lumley of Westfield House. Participants also held regional meetings, later presenting their findings to the wider assembly.

The conference concluded with the announcement of the new ILC Seminaries Committee, which will serve for the next three years. The committee’s members were introduced, marking a significant step in the ongoing development of theological education within the ILC.

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