Meyer called to lead Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, has extended a call to Dr. Dale A. Meyer, interim president, professor of practical theology and occupant of the Gregg H. Benidt Memorial Chair of Homiletics and Literature, to serve as its 10th president. The call was extended on May 11, after a series of interviews with the final nominees.
Dr. Meyer addressed several hundred who had assembled in the Seminary’s Werner Auditorium to hear the announcement.
“I want to thank and express my deep appreciation and respect for all those who were nominated for the position,” Meyer said, adding, “Concordia Semi-nary is about to conclude its 166th year, but this is about the future. We have at the Seminary a burning passion, personally and corporately, to seek God and to be known by him. This inspires us to pursue the work we do together in this community and to do it with a love and a delight in people.”
Meyer has served as interim president of Con-cordia Seminary since November 2004. He received the bachelor of arts degree from Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1969. He also received the master of divinity degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis (1973), the doctor of philosophy degree from Washington University, St. Louis (1986), and an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana. (1993).
After serving as pastor of congregations in Illinois from 1974 to 1988, Meyer became speaker of the Lutheran Hour radio program, a position he held from 1989-2001. He served on the St. Louis seminary faculty from 1981-1984 and again in 2001.
He also has served the church-at-large in various administrative positions, including service as third vice president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod from 1995 to 1998. He has hosted the television program “On Main Street” since 1994. He and his wife, Diane, have two daughters.
According to the Bylaws of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, each candidate was asked “to pledge, if called, to render a decision within 15 days upon receipt of the call.”
On April 26, the final slate of candidates to be considered for the call was reduced to three. In addition to Meyer, they included the Rev. Dr. Andrew H. Bartelt, St. Louis, Missouri, and the Rev. Dr. Jacob A. O. Preus III, Irvine, California.
