Synod Spotlight: Rev. Dr. Shauna Hannan Next President of LSTC
It is with deep gratitude and great joy that we write to share the news that the Board of Directors has affirmed the appointment of the Rev. Dr. Shauna Hannan as the next President of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
A pastor, scholar, and builder of community, Dr. Hannan brings with her a longstanding commitment to theological education that is imaginative, collaborative, and rooted in the gospel. Her work has shaped generations of preachers across the ELCA and beyond—through the classroom, the pulpit, and her widely respected publications on preaching and public theology.
“I am honored and humbled to be called as the next president of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. LSTC’s vision for a church committed to justice, peace, and care for all people and creation is more vital now than ever. I look forward to working with LSTC’s dedicated faculty, staff, board, students, alumni and partners,” Dr. Hannan said. “Together, we will build on the seminary’s rich legacy to shape a new chapter that ensures LSTC’s long-term sustainability and deepens its capacity to steward the world God so deeply loves with determination and even a faithful dose of delight along the way.”
Dr. Hannan has served as Professor of Homiletics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and as core doctoral faculty at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She is a sought-after speaker and mentor known for her deep curiosity, pastoral heart, and forward-looking vision of church leadership.
“The Board of Directors is honored to welcome the Rev. Dr. Shauna Hannan as LSTC’s next President,” said Greg Lewis, Chair of the LSTC Board of Directors. “Dr. Hannan brings a rare combination of pastoral wisdom, academic distinction, and visionary leadership. We are confident that under her guidance, LSTC will continue to grow as a seminary that prepares bold, faithful leaders for a changing church and world.”
LSTC will benefit greatly from her capacity to lead with both rigor and care. In Dr. Hannan, who will begin her service July 1, we find a president who understands the complexity of our present moment and is energized by the opportunity to shape a seminary for the church and world we are called to serve.
Please join us in celebrating this appointment and offering your prayers as we begin this new chapter together.
With joyful anticipation,
Kristi Ferguson, Search Committee Chair
Greg Lewis, Chair of LSTC Board of Directors
About Lutheran School of Theological at Chicago
Based in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) is a leading urban Lutheran seminary training students to serve in the global community. True to our Lutheran heritage and built on a foundation of intellectual rigor, we equip students for visionary ministry.
Mission
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America forms visionary leaders to bear witness to the good news of Jesus Christ.
Vision
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, seeks to build up the Body of Christ and work for a world of peace and justice that cares for the whole creation.
