Lutheran Identity

It means that the beliefs of this specific branch of Lutheranism shape the teaching and practice of faith at Concordia—we are closely tied to the Church. Chapel messages and worship and academic teaching of religion and issues of faith as they come into discussion are in alignment with the beliefs of the LCMS. Some of the historic Lutheran emphases like salvation from sin coming by Christ alone, by grace alone, by faith alone, as revealed in Scripture alone, are evident.

All are not required to share these beliefs, but they are presented as the understanding of Biblical teaching at Concordia. There are clear teachings on some social issues where people are divided (for example, pro-life, traditional marriage, creation). We welcome and care for all students as we share our understanding of the Truth of God’s Word. Learn more about the LCMS at lcms.org.

Each weekday at 9:30 a.m. Concordia halts classes and business operations for a half hour to allow all students, faculty, and staff to gather for Daily Chapel. The service, which is also streamed for our online students, usually includes a hymn, a Scripture reading, and a message delivered by one of our preachers.

While worship is not required, we do highly encourage students to participate. Sometimes athletic teams or clubs will make a habit of attending Daily Chapel together to build community and prioritize team members’ faith growth.

In addition to Daily Chapel, Concordia offers weekly Bible study opportunities, a Wednesday night Candlelight Evening Prayer Service, and a variety of other evening services and opportunities for spiritual growth and praise.

Of nearly 2,000 traditional undergraduate students enrolled at CUW, 42% are Lutheran and another 46% are members of some other Christian denomination. Three different denominations are represented among CUW’s Lutheran population: 555 are members of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), 168 are members of The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), and 106 are members of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

CUW’s graduate-level student population is comprised of 51% Christians with 20% of all graduate students identifying as Lutheran specifically.

CUW has a variety of degree programs that prepare individuals to become a called worker with The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod or within another church/denominational setting. The four most popular routes are: 1) Bachelor of Arts in Applied Theology, 2) Lutheran education (Lutheran Teacher Diploma or Classical Education), 3) Director of Church Ministries, and 4) parish music. Within each category CUW offers a variety of certificate options or programs at the bachelor's or master's levels.

Out of the seven Concordia University System schools nationwide, CUW trains the most church work candidates for the LCMS. The CUW campus also offers the largest pre-seminary program, the largest LTD program, and the sole Director of Church Ministries program.

Learn more about our church work options here: www.cuw.edu/church-workers.

Concordia University Wisconsin, along with its campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is a member of the Concordia University System, which is a network of seven universities across the nation that each share an affiliation with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. While Concordia shares the same Lutheran fidelity and missional approach as our fellow Concordia institutions, we are independently run, meaning we are autonomous in our operations, alumni base, leadership, governance structure, and many other aspects.

In addition to our Mequon and Ann Arbor campus, there are Concordias in California, Minnesota, Texas, Chicagoland, and Nebraska.

The word “Concordia” is a Latin word that means literally “with one heart” or “with the same heart” and relates to the oneness of faith we share.

All undergraduates take three religion classes. One covers Bible content (called The Bible), one is basic Christian doctrine (called Christian Faith), and one is an elective that builds on the two basic courses. The classes are taught from an academic perspective in that students would know these teachings while allowing for a student’s personal faith to be shaped as they are personally led. Even students who do not have a strong faith background often enjoy the winsome way these classes are taught and have a good basic understanding of Christian faith as a result.