Discussion among participants in LWF’s Theology, Gender Justice and Leadership training in Malaysia in July 2025. Photo: LWF/K. Kiilunen
LWF approves new scholarships for 46 theology students and 54 people pursuing diakonia-related studies
(LWI) - “Education serves as a catalyst for positive change, extending far beyond the classroom and transforming not only individuals, but also the churches and societies in which we live.”
That’s the conviction of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Program Executive for Capacity Building and Leadership Development Rev. Katariina Kiilunen, who is responsible for overseeing the annual scholarships which are offered to students of theology and diakonia-related studies.
At a meeting last December, the LWF Scholarship Committee approved new scholarships for 46 theology students from 34 member churches and for 54 students pursuing diakonia-related studies in 35 member churches.
LWF’s scholarship program supports good-quality education that advances responsible theology, fosters critical thinking and strengthens the churches public witness in society.
Rev. Katariina KIILUNEN, LWF Program Executive for Capacity Building and Leadership Development
Through LWF's scholarship program, Kiilunen said, the global communion “continues its long-standing commitment to supporting good-quality education that advances responsible theology, fosters critical thinking, and strengthens the churches public witness in society as advocates for justice and peace.”
Since the 1950s, more than 4,000 women and men have received training through LWF scholarships. Candidates are selected through a rigorous process that seeks to provide a balanced regional representation. Over half of all scholarships this year have been awarded to women, and the majority of successful applicants are aged 30 or under.
Over the past five years, LWF has introduced new activities and platforms linked to the scholarship program, bringing scholarship holders together across the communion and creating spaces for joint reflection and exchange of ideas. Alongside leadership development, the program places particular emphasis on building and sustaining networks among current scholars and alumni.
Strengthening these connections has also opened new opportunities for scholarship holders to contribute to the life of the global communion and to serve as resource persons in various activities and events.
Leadership training for theology scholarship holders
LWF will conduct a leadership training session for theology scholarship holders from 19–24 April in Wittenberg, Germany, offering a space to nurture transformative leadership that is grounded in responsible theology.
Participants will explore the concept and practice of church leadership in their different intercultural and intergenerational contexts, reflecting critically on the kind of church and world they help shape through their theology and practice. The program emphasizes value-based leadership and seeks to strengthen participants’ understanding of church leadership as both spiritual and organizational.
“This training is essential to support the holistic formation of emerging leaders, helping them to grow and develop the skills and discernment needed to serve their churches faithfully and creatively in these challenging times,” Kiilunen said.
Strengthening the global Lutheran communion
New scholarship holder P. J. Hanekom, a member of the Northeastern Evangelical Lutheran Church in South Africa and a PhD student in Missiology at Stellenbosch University, expressed gratitude to the LWF for investing in emerging scholars and pastors and for embodying a vision of shared responsibility for the church’s mission worldwide.
“I intend to use this scholarship diligently and faithfully—not only for academic growth, but for the strengthening of the global Lutheran communion,” he said. “I hope my research will contribute to holistic missional reflection that is theologically sound, ecumenically aware, and practically applicable, both locally and across diverse contexts within the Lutheran communion.”
