Mission-Driven
Learning Resources

Rooted and Open is NECU’s statement about the vocation shared by the diverse institutions in the ELCA higher education community. It describes the Lutheran theological roots that anchor and continue to inform their educational mission. The rich and living Lutheran intellectual and educational tradition of these institutions also compels them to be open to a wide variety of insights from people with a wide variety of backgrounds. They welcome all people of good will into their communities of learning and service. Like the tradition that grounds them, the colleges and universities of the NECU are always in the process of being reformed. Their foundational commitments promise to make them flexible, open to change, ready to partner, institutionally curious and intellectually alive. They share a calling that is both rooted and open.

The statement was endorsed by the Board of Directors, Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities on January 4, 2018.

Faculty and others at NECU institutions are encouraged to read and discuss the statement. Hardcopies of Rooted and Open are available at no cost to NECU institutions. The Spring 2019 issue of Intersections includes a copy of the original statement, and the issue’s articles are devoted to commentary on Rooted and Open.

Intersections is NECU‘s electronic journal. Each issue reflects on the intersection of faith, learning, and teaching within Lutheran higher education. Intersections has its home in the Presidential Center for Faith and Learning at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois. Intersections extends and enhances discussions fostered by the annual Vocation of Lutheran Higher Education Conference, exploring the vocation of Lutheran colleges and universities. The journal aims to raise the level of awareness among faculty, staff, and administrators about the Lutheran heritage and church-relatedness of their institutions, especially as these intersect with contemporary challenges and opportunities.

Current and back issues of Intersections are available at Augustana Digital Commons. NECU institutions may order hardcopies of a current issue by contacting the editor.

So That All May Flourish provides a substantive and accessible introduction to the vocation, educational priorities, and theological foundations of Lutheran Higher Education (LHE) and the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU). Intended as a "primer," the book seeks to cultivate knowledge of LHE and NECU that is both appreciative, critical, and constructive. The book includes 16 chapters across three important organizing sections: Core Commitments, Distinctive Strengths, and Contemporary Callings.

Each chapter is written by scholars from various NECU institutions and highlights a distinctive educational priority, explores its theological groundings, and offers examples of how it is embodied in a variety of distinctive ways on different NECU campuses. The result is a rich tour of Lutheran higher education as a site for important formative work. The book also includes a short preface, forward, and epilogue.

Written by a veritable who's who of Lutheran higher education, this volume is a must read for everyone concerned about the work being done on Lutheran campuses.

The book is available from Fortress Press.

“So That All May Belong: Lutheran Roots for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice” was published in Intersections Vol. 2025: No. 61.

This foundational resource articulates how commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are deeply rooted in the Lutheran tradition and the shared calling of NECU institutions. Grounded in theology, vocation, and the love of neighbor, the document offers clear definitions, theological connections, and practical calls to action that help campuses foster belonging, accountability, and collective flourishing. Ideal for presidents, trustees, faculty, staff, and campus leaders seeking a common framework for DEIJ work that is mission-aligned and distinctly Lutheran.

What is the vocation of Lutheran higher education, especially now that it is not only or primarily education for and by Lutherans? Over the past several decades, this question has led to a new concerted effort to retrieve and redefine what it means to be a college of the church.

The book, The Vocation of Lutheran Higher Education, addresses this question. Edited by Jason A. Mahn, editor of NECU’s journal, Intersections, the book includes significant essays drawn from and celebrating the 25th anniversary of Intersections, as well as essays written for the volume by authors from outside NECU, such as Eboo Patel, the founder of Interfaith Youth Core.

The book is available from the Augsburg Fortress division of 1517 Media.

The ELCA Resource Center contains additional NECU-related resources.