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The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), founded in 1864, merged with the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in 2017 to form United Lutheran Seminary. The Philadelphia campus is located in Mt. Airy, a historical neighborhood within walking distance of diverse restaurants, unique shops and cultural attractions, such as Cliveden of the National Trust, a historic site that preserves and interprets over 200 years of American history, the Woodmere Art Museum, Allens Lane Arts Center and and nearby Chestnut Hill. There are miles of hiking trails along the Wissahickon Creek, a short walk away from campus. Center City Philadelphia, home to numerous theaters, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Philadelphia Museum or Art, African American Museum in Philadelphia, Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center, and the Liberty Bell are easily accessible via public transportation (SEPTA).
ULS Chapel Welcome Statement:
“Our worship life is foundational to all that we are and do. Our beautiful chapels are sacred spaces providing safe spaces where each of us will find a welcome, regardless of who we are; and where all of us together will offer radical hospitality to one another and the world. Further, in keeping with Lutheran practice, we value ecumenical partnerships and relationships with Christians of many denominations and traditions."
Renovated in 2004, the Schaeffer-Ashmead Memorial Chapel on the Philadelphia campus provides flexible space for worship. In keeping with the ecumenical mission of ULS, liturgical materials from a host of Protestant denominations are available.
The chapel has a pipe organ and is equipped for polymodal services that are streamed to both campus chapels.
The Brossman Center is the Philadelphia campus hub, where you'll find administrative, staff and faculty offices, classrooms, the mailroom, the Urban Theological Institute and a unique collection of artwork displayed throughout the building.
Common areas, including the Lull Student Lounge and Benbow Hall meeting rooms, are used for student, staff and community gatherings. Classrooms equipped with Zoom technology for distributed learning are located throughout. Brossman is connected to Krauth Memorial Library and is also home to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod offices and the Lutheran Archives Center of Philadelphia.
The Charles Porterfield Krauth Memorial Library, a branch of the United Lutheran Seminary Library, traces its roots to the founding of the Philadelphia seminary, with the earliest books acquired by Carl Rudolph Dimme, pastor of St. Michael's, Germantown. Core faculty, including Dr. Krauth and Charles Frederick Schaeffer, increased the collection. Krauth Memorial Library was constructed in 1908 and expanded in the 1970s and 2016. Today, the Krauth Branch houses over 200,000 items: including books, periodicals, audiovisual materials, and an extensive collection of rare books, focusing on the reformation, Lutheran scholasticism, and Lutheran liturgical resources.
This beautiful building contains innovative architectural elements. Given the challenges of indoor lighting at the time of its construction, the original stacks were designed to take in as much natural light as possible: large skylights in the arched ceiling open the stacks to sunlight. The floors of both the main level and the balcony are made of glass to permit light to reach the lower level. Cast-iron structural stacks provide attractive shelving and an efficient use of space. A colorful, abstract stained-glass window donated in honor of Dr. John Doberstein, a former faculty member, adds color and vitality. Krauth Memorial Library also has meditation and study spaces, including a labyrinth in its upper rotunda for walking meditation, a meditation room with icons and religious art, and the Lillian Scoggins Music Room.
Archives for Region 7 of the ELCA are not a part of the library but can be found in the Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia on the Philadelphia campus.
Wiedemann Center provides residential student living on the Philadelphia campus. The basement provides space for student gatherings and events. Campus security and a mailroom are also located in Wiedemann. Rooms and apartments are also available on a nightly basis for commuter students and seminary guests.
