In mid-September, a team of six visitors representing various constituencies within The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), under the auspices of the Concordia University System (CUS), conducted its first formal ecclesiastical visit of Concordia University, St. Paul. The visitation team affirmed CSP’s mission, Christ-centered Lutheran identity, and church work programs without concern.
As part of a process endorsed by the 2023 LCMS Convention, the CUS visitation team spent three days on the Concordia St. Paul campus reviewing documents, engaging with faculty, staff, administration, and students, and observing campus life.
A highlight of the report is the visitation committee’s finding that “[CSP is] committed and intentional about remaining a Lutheran university that serves and engages the urban community and culture in which the university resides. Intentional opportunities are given to students whereby faith in Christ might be active in loving service to the community, the less fortunate, and those in need.”
“The formal visitation report reflects the deep commitment of our board, faculty, staff, and administration to ensure that CSP is a place where Christ is honored, all are welcome, and Lutheran convictions inform intellectual inquiry and academic pursuits,” says the Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich, president of Concordia University, St. Paul. “We are grateful to the members of the visitation team and thankful for the full affirmation the university received during its first formal ecclesiastical visit.”
The full report and determination letter can be found on the Concordia University System website. As part of the annual visitation cycle prescribed by the LCMS bylaws, the CUS will conduct informal ecclesiastical visits in 2026 and 2027, followed by the next formal visit in late 2028.