Faculty

The Very Reverend Fr. Philip Stewart, STS, D.theol., D.A.

Dean

Johan Gerhard Professor of Christian Doctrine and Practice

Dr. Stewart was ordained into the Office of Ministry in 2015. He holds a Doctor Theologiae from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany where he was a lecturer and a Doctor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion from Harrison Middleton University, as well as a Master of Divinity. In addition to his ministerial training, he holds an MA in Philosophy and Religion.

A convert to the Lutheran faith as an adult, he has prior experience in another denominational tradition. He is a board certified chaplain (BCC) and a Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor. He serves in a variety of chaplaincy and parish support roles, and is a member of the Society of the Holy Trinity.

Dr. Stewart has published several articles in both theology and philosophy, popular and scholarly monographs, and routinely translates theological and philosophical work from German to English for publication. He regularly presents at theological conferences.

Phil and his wife Karin were married in 2011 while living in Germany.

The Reverend Mark D. Isaacs, D.Min, Th.D., Ph.D., D.D.

Henry Lafayette Ziegenfuss Professor of English Bible and Church History

The Rev. Dr. Isaacs is an active Lutheran clergyman, a preacher-teacher, historian, Bible scholar, theologian, apologist, and comparative religions scholar. Before attending Seminary, Pastor Mark worked as a research economist, business editor, and economics writer. The author of three books, he has published more than 350 articles on a wide range of cultural, political, economic, and religious issues.

Pastor Mark was born in Minneapolis, and baptized in Hazel Run, Minnesota. He has lived most of his life on the East Coast in Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Upstate New York. He received a B.A. in Economics from Westfield State College (1980); a Master of Divinity degree [M.Div.] (1992); and a Master of Sacred Theology degree [S.T.M] (2005) from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He earned his Ph.D., Summa Cum Laude, from Trinity Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana (2005). In 2007 Pastor Mark received his second earned doctorate, a Doctor of Ministry [D.Min.] degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pastor Mark was ordained on June 21, 1992.

Since June 1996, he has had the privilege of serving as pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Wurtemburg located off of highway 9-G in Rhinebeck, New York. St. Paul’s (Wurtemburg) was founded in 1760.

The Very Reverend Daniel Metzger, M.Div., Ph.D.

Professor Ordinarus

Reverend Metzger was ordained and entered the sacred office of Holy Ministry in 1980. After two years as a parish pastor in southern Minnesota, he was called by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) to teach English Literature and Religious Studies at Bethany Lutheran Minnesota. He served in that capacity for 25 years.

He returned to parish ministry in 2006 as Associate Pastor at Messiah Lutheran Church in Joliet, Illinois. He then received a call from Old Zion Lutheran Church in Philadelphia Pennsylvania where he remains today.

In addition to his seminary degree, he earned a MA in English Literature fro Mankato State University and a Ph. D. in Religious Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Pastor Metzger married his wife, Nancy (nee Shuman), in 1976. They have been blessed with 3 sons and (so far) seven grandchildren.

 

The Reverend Mike Anderson, LT, CHC, USN

Docent for Practical Theology

A native of Charlevoix, Michigan, Chaplain Mike Anderson is a graduate of Harvard University (BA 1990), Emory University Candler School of Theology (MDiv 2008), and Yale Divinity School (STM 2010). Chaplain Anderson is ordained and endorsed by the Evangelical Lutheran Conference and Ministerium (ELCM).

Chaplain Anderson is currently the 2d Marine Logistics Group, 8th Engineer Support Battalion Chaplain. His prior duty stations include USS ANTIETAM (CG 54) Command Chaplain (February 2013 through April 2015) and US Naval Hospital, Yokosuka, Japan, Command Chaplain (January 2010 through January 2013). Chaplain Anderson previously served as Associate Pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Wurtemburg, Rhinebeck, NY (2008-2009), as a reservist Chaplain Candidate Program Officer (2004-2009) and as a reservist Information Technology Specialist (IT2) with Military Sealift Command Central Detachment 108 in Tampa, Florida (2002-2004). Chaplain Anderson was also a certified project manager (PMP), operations director, and consultant during a 14-year corporate information technology career prior to seminary enrollment.

The Reverend Tyler Dunlap, M.Div.

Pastor Tyler Dunlap has been a part of the ELCM since 2002. He earned Bachelor of Science from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio in 1995 with an emphasis on Education. After Wittenberg Pastor Dunlap attended Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio and then Weinbrener Seminary in Findlay, Ohio and finally Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio where he earned his Master of Divinity.

During College and Seminary Pastor Dunlap worked as a Youth Pastor in Springfield, Ohio and then the Greater Toledo Ohio areas in three Lutheran Churches and one Presbyterian Church. After Seminary Pastor Dunlap began his work as a Teaching Pastor focusing on Small Groups and Spiritual Development opportunities for the congregation. While working as a Teaching Pastor, Pastor Dunlap also worked as an Adjunct Professor at Ashland Theological Seminary in Experiential Learning and Spiritual Development where he lead week long trips backpacking in the wilderness and focusing on Solitude and other Spiritual Disciplines. After the week in the woods Pastor Dunlap would lead distance learning where each class member was to research and facilitate an Experiential opportunity for their congregations as a part of the Doctor of Ministry Program at Ashland Theological Seminary.

After his time as a Teaching Pastor and Adjunct Professor Pastor Dunlap worked as a Chaplain for two large Health Systems in the Toledo area. Today Pastor Dunlap works for Promedica Health System as a Chaplain and also works for three funeral homes in the Greater Toledo Area providing pastoral services for those in need.

Pastor Dunlap has also written a curriculum for Troubled Families and works with an organization called Family Solutions which helps families navigate through difficult times as a family and allows them to work through their issues over a long weekend in the Houston, Texas area along with a Family Dynamics Counselor. Over the course of this ministry dozens of families have gained the skills to change their families from the inside out with the tools of counseling, forgiveness, and consistent rules for all to follow.

Pastor Dunlap currently lives in Perrysburg, Ohio,

Pastor Peder Lerserth, M.Div

Pastor Lerseth, graduated from King’s College, Edmonton, Alberta in 1993 with a B.A. in Psychology and from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota in 1998 with a Masters of Divinity degree. Pastor Lerseth completed post-graduate studies in education from Point Nazarene University in 2008. Pastor Lerseth has rebuilt a church in the Seattle area, created a network of social services to the community, and published a book, “Get Acquainted with God over Coffee.” Pastor Lerseth serves on several social service and educational boards of directorship, is a chaplain for Swedish Hospital and chaplain of the U.S. Air Force Civil Air Patrol.