Lutheran LCMS Scientists

[FaithT]

As a former Catholic, I was thinking about the high number of Catholic clergy who are/were scientists. Are there many LCMS clergy who are/were scientists as well? Can anyone provide a list?

 

[tampasteve]

There are not a ton, the relatively small number of LCMS clergy means the ones that are or were scientists are very small. There are LCMS members and theologians that are also scientists, but again, not that many based on the relatively small number of members.*

*relatively compared to Catholics or Anglicans, etc.

 

[FaithT]

There are not a ton, the relatively small number of LCMS clergy means the ones that are or were scientists are very small. There are LCMS members and theologians that are also scientists, but again, not that many based on the relatively small number of members.*

*relatively compared to Catholics or Anglicans, etc.

Why is that?

 

[FaithT]

Why is that?

oh,because of the smaller numbers of clergy and members compared to Catholics?

 

[tampasteve]

oh,because of the smaller numbers of clergy and members compared to Catholics?

Exactly

 

[Resha Caner]

Do you think it implies something if a church has a low or high number of clerical scientists? I would expect the mix of professions among Lutherans is similar to the public at large.

I will say there is a certain amount of credibility gained by having expertise in multiple and strategic professions. For myself it's been useful to have degrees in both engineering and history. But given the focus of Lutheran pastors (which it seems to me is somewhat unique among church clergy), there's no expectation for them to gain expertise in science.

With that said, I know 2. My brother-in-law is a pastor, and he has advanced degrees in mathematics and computer science. Also, the pastor of the nearby university is a former engineer. It is becoming more common, due to declining membership, for pastor to be a second career. The LCMS Seminary actually has a special program for it.

But that doesn't mean you'll get pastors experienced in science. One of my former pastors had a first career running franchise ice cream parlors. It made for awesome church potlucks, but other than that ...

[edit] Given the clerical tradition of the RCC, EOC, etc., which is more monastic in nature, I can see why their priests would have more extensive scientific training.