Rev. James Echols named first black president of Lutheran School of Theology

Jet, August 18, 1997

Rev. Dr. James Echols recently was appointed president of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago (LSTC), making trim the first Black to lead a Lutheran seminary in North America.

Echols, 45, has served as the academic dean of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia since 1991. He succeeds President William Lesher, who is retiring from his post at the school in Chicago.

"The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago is a seminary with a rich history and theological heritage that is on the cutting edge of preparing God's people to proclaim Jesus Christ," said Echols, a native of Philadelphia. "I am gratified and excited by the Board of Directors' election and look forward to leading the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago into the 21st century."

Echols holds a doctorate degree in History of Christianity from Yale University, along with other degrees from the university. He received a bachelor's degree from Temple University in Philadelphia and a degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1977.

He is published in the areas of church history, theology and Black American Lutheranism.

LSTC is one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The new president is married to the former Donna Skinner, and they have two daughters, Jennifer Hope, 12, and Courtney Lynne,8.