North American Lutheran Seminary
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| Type | Seminary network |
|---|---|
| Established | 2014 |
| Affiliation | North American Lutheran Church |
| President | The Rev. Dr. Jukka Kääriäinen |
| Location | , Pennsylvania , United States |
| Campus | Small town |
| Website | thenals |
 | |
The North American Lutheran Seminary (NALS) is the seminary network of the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). It was authorized by the NALC in 2013 following the work of a theological education task force, and was officially formed in 2014 with an elected Board of Regents to provide oversight.[2][3] The NALS describes its model as a network centered at a seminary center in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, with partner seminaries serving as regional campuses.[1]
When the NALC was organized (2010), candidates for ministry were encouraged to attend seminaries of their choice; by 2012 the NALC established a task force on theological education to consider a dedicated seminary structure for NALC pastoral formation.[3] In August 2013, the NALC approved a proposal to establish the North American Lutheran Seminary as a network model (rather than a new freestanding campus) with a seminary center and additional “houses of studies.”[2][3] The seminary center was placed at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.[3][1]
The Rev. Dr. Amy C. Schifrin STS was appointed as the first president; she served until her retirement in 2020.[3] The Rev. Dr. Eric M. Riesen was appointed president in January 2020.[3] In June 2025, the Rev. Dr. Jukka Kääriäinen began serving as president of NALS.[4][5]
Organization
The NALS operates as a “hub-and-spokes” network. The seminary center (the “hub”) is located at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, with partner seminaries serving as regional campuses (“spokes”).[1][6] As of 2026, the NALS publicly identifies four network schools:
- Trinity Anglican Seminary (Ambridge, Pennsylvania) – seminary center and administrative hub[1]
- Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary, Charlotte campus (Charlotte, North Carolina)[1]
The NALS is governed by a Board of Regents and is responsible to the NALC’s Executive Council and bishop, with oversight described in NALS standards documents for theological education and pastoral formation.[7]
Academic programs and formation
NALS students pursue degree programs through the network’s partner seminaries, while completing NALS-specific requirements (including required courses and shared formation experiences) coordinated through the seminary center.[1][7] The NALS standards documents describe required residential “June Intensive” sessions for NALC candidates for ordination (two one-week sessions), intended to support common formation across the network.[7][8] The network’s partner schools include institutions accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS).