CHICAGO (ELCA) – The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) approved recommendations and implementing strategies to help sustain theological education across this church when it met here April 7-10. The council, which serves as the ELCA’s board of directors, also took action on a variety of matters designed to help move the church’s mission and ministries forward.

Key among the recommendations put forward by the Theological Education Advisory Council (TEAC) was the creation of an advisory committee to the Church Council. A working group was created to develop implementing strategies for the TEAC recommendations. In its report, the working group charged the new advisory committee “to sustain a robust network of theological education for the ELCA and to prioritize and to oversee the implementation of the TEAC recommendations.”

Authorized by the ELCA Church Council in 2013, TEAC was established to address in a holistic way issues on theological education, leadership development, candidacy, call and rostered leaders.

“We’re taking a look at the need for theological education as well as the way we deliver theological education across this church,” said the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, ELCA presiding bishop, in her opening report to the council. “The effort is for us to understand and recognize all the ways we deliver theological education and try to be more coordinated about it.”