Colloquy – CUEnet

Colloquy

Enhance your understanding of Lutheran doctrine and practice! Colloquy is a program of theological study aimed at Lutheran teachers, administrators, and other Lutheran church workers who have not previously had the opportunity to formally study Lutheran doctrine. This program provides the education needed to be eligible for a call in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. It is our intent and our experience that this course of study will enrich your spiritual and professional life, leading you to infuse sound doctrine in the work that you do with the children and families of your school and your church.

Teacher Colloquy Program

The majority of students in the Colloquy Program are Lutheran teachers seeking to enhance their classroom ministry. For these students, the colloquy coursework consists of eight month-long online courses which may be completed in as little as eight months or as long as 40 months. Alternatively, the course schedule is designed to allow colloquy students to complete the majority of their coursework over three summers.

There are two levels of participation in the Teacher Colloquy Program: traditional and professional enrichment.

Traditional: Becoming Rostered

Most participants will be teachers employed by Missouri Synod schools and members of Missouri Synod congregations, but will not have had previous opportunity to receive formal training in Lutheran doctrine and therefore are not certified or rostered by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as ministers of religion—commissioned. The Colloquy Program is designed to address the needs of these traditional participants.

In order to apply to become certified and rostered by The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod as a minister of religion—commissioned, certain prerequisites set forth by the Synod’s Colloquy Committee for Commissioned Ministry must be met:

The applicant must currently be serving in a ministry role.
The applicant must be a communicant member in good standing of a congregation of the Synod for a minimum of one year.
The applicant must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
The applicant must demonstrate on their application and through the endorsement process, the spiritual and professional attributes that the Synod expects of its members.
The applicant must provide evidence of being a competent worker in the field of education. This requirement can be satisfied in a number of ways, most often with a combination of a degree in education together with teaching experience in an LCMS school or university. Additional details are available in the Policy Manual, Section 5.1.

Before colloquy coursework can begin, the fully completed application packet must be submitted to CUEnet.

Professional Enrichment

Participants who do not meet the prerequisites may still complete the Colloquy coursework for the purpose of professional enrichment. All will benefit from the theological insights and discussions of doctrine which comprise the program.

There is no endorsement process for those participating for the purpose of professional enrichment.

College Credit

The Concordia online Teacher Colloquy Program courses may be eligible for college credit through Concordia University, Irvine. This opportunity is restricted to currently employed teachers. There are several small fees associated with this service payable to Concordia Irvine. Please contact CUEnet for more information.

Colloquy for Other Church Work Positions

CUEnet provides theology courses for other church work programs—DCE, DCO, DPM, DCM, Family Ministry, Deaconess, and Lay Ministry—however, students in these programs must begin the process through one of the five Concordia Universities. CUEnet is more than happy to refer you to the appropriate university contact.

Tuition

The typical cost of the Concordia online Teacher Colloquy Program is:

$ 7,192 | tuition for eight courses ($899 per course; subject to change)
$ 172 | Concordia Electronic Theological Library (approx)
$ 50 | endorsement processing (as applicable)
$ 7,414 | total before scholarships

CUEnet continually seeks scholarship opportunities for the teachers who enroll in the program. Please call for the latest information regarding scholarships.

FAQ

Do I have to wait until I meet the eligibility requirements to begin Colloquy?

Yes. Applicants seeking to be certified and rostered as ministers of religion—commissioned must meet eligibility requirements before beginning coursework. Applicants seeking to take courses for personal enrichment only are not subject to eligibility requirements.

How do I apply for the scholarship?

The scholarship is automatically applied to the balance due at the beginning of each new course.

How much time is required to complete each Colloquy course?

This answer will be different for each student. Each course has a video textbook that is between 10 and 15 hours in length. In addition to this, there are readings, research, and written assignments that must be completed. Listen to what other teachers have said about successfully finding time for their own studies.

What are the technology requirements for taking online courses?

All courses are browser-based, which means that your device’s operating system (e.g., Windows or Mac) doesn’t matter. It just needs to be reliable. However a reasonably fast internet connection is essential. Each course requires streaming a video textbook, attending a monthly Zoom meeting, and reading from a variety of PDFs and ebooks. It is rare for a student to experience technical problems but, if they do, the problem is almost always temporary. If you can successfully stream YouTube and Netflix, you should be good to go.

What resources are required in addition to a reliable computer and a good internet connection?

You will be required to purchase selected collections from the Concordia Electronic Theological Library.

Who do I contact for more information?

CUEnet’s registrar, Wendi Murphy, is ready to assist you: (800) 238-3037 or wmurphy@CUEnet.edu