The Profile of LTS

A. Locale—Hong Kong is home to nearly 7 million people from many ethnic and cultural backgrounds. It is not only the fourth largest financial center of the world but also possesses one of the most effective public transportation systems in the world. Therefore one can easily use either Chinese or English to move around everywhere in Hong Kong. LTS is situated on a beautiful green mountain in this vibrant international metropolis that provides a perfect setting for thoughtful study and ministerial formation. Our neighbor
on this Mountain of the Way and the Spirit (Tao Fung Shan) is the Tao Fung Shan Christian Centre and Institute for Sino-Christian Studies, with which we cooperate in using the resources of this dynamic place to put contextualization of the Gospel into practice.

B. Community Life—People from many countries enrich our community life, which is also characterized by daily worship and an atmosphere that honors and encourages spiritual growth as well as academic achievement.

C. Faculty—Members of the Faculty of LTS are not only academically well equipped but also have a rich experience in church service and spiritual maturity. In order to continuously improve theological education, keep pace with developments in theology, and promote the exchange of theological thinking in various areas, LTS invites theological and church leaders both in and outside of Hong Kong to serve as Affiliate
Faculty members, guest lecturers or visiting professors or to provide series of special lectures.

D. Teaching Language—The majority of our Faculty members are Chinese, but we also have several international Faculty members, and classes are held in either Chinese or English, or sometimes both languages. One can using English to earn a degree in LTS.

E. Library—Connected to seven other libraries in Hong Kong through the Ecumenical Information Network, we have 60,000 volumes, good computer resources, and a peaceful atmosphere for study, reflection and meditation. The LTS library is one of the best theological libraries in Asia.

F. Ecumenical and Confessional—LTS is confessional in the sense that it was founded by and is mainly supported by Lutheran Churches locally and overseas. However, we take “confessional” as a sign of our identity and as a basis for us to join the ecumenical community. The great majority of our students come from denominations other than Lutheran.

G. Local and International—Even though the majority of our students are from Hong Kong, about 20% of our student population comes from some 16 different countries. About 1/3 of our faculty comes from overseas.

H. Tuition and Financial Aid—With the support of a number of individuals and agencies, LTS is able to provide a limited amount of financial aid to students in need. It is our goal that no student should be prevented by financial constraints from preparing himself or herself to be a faithful servant of God’s Word.

I. Exchange Programs—LTS is in cooperation with a number of theological institutions around the world to provide exchange opportunities to and from Denmark, Germany, Finland, India, Norway, South Africa, Brazil, the United States, Canada, and other countries.
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J. Locally and Globally Engaged— LTS Alumni/ae—Most of our alumni serve faithfully in parishes as ministers or lay leaders in more than 20 countries. They try their very best to strengthen their fellow Christians and to reach the unchurched. However, their engagement in ministry is also much wider than that. Quite a number of them serve in various denominations as Presidents and Bishops in Hong Kong, Thailand, Bangladesh and Sabah. Some serve as missionaries to proclaim the Gospel and to help the needy all over the World. Many serve as Department heads of Christian Organizations in Hong Kong, Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Taiwan, the United States and India. Some serve as Presidents, Vice-presidents, Deans and Professors of seminaries in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, India and other countries.

K. Publications—The annual publication, “Theology and Life,”our principal academic journal, is supplemented by occasional books and monographs on special topics and by the bi-monthly LTS News in Chinese and quarterly LTS News in English.

L. Accreditation—Degrees offered by LTS are accredited by the Association for Theological Education in South East Asia (ATESEA).

M. Web-site—Through our bi-lingual Internet Web-site, www.lts.edu, we provide access to news and information on our programs and events. As Internet use expands among students and faculty, we are exploring ways to provide more on-line services and learning opportunities.