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Lutheran Theological Seminary, Lykova 3, Novosibirsk (2026)

22/11/2025

On November 15-16 the Religious Ecclesiastical Educational Institution of Higher Education Theological Seminary of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church held its Conference with the theme “Reformation: Voice of the Gospel.” It was traditionally associated with the Reformation Day celebration, though this year due to technical reasons it was postponed for two weeks. Lutheran doctrine understands the Church as creatura Verbi (creation of the Word). Authentic “voice of the Gospel” sounds in the Church. Therefore, it was not surprising that the bulk of the presentations had to do with the biblical topics.

Dr. Sergey Isaev, presenter from the sister Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (which took a new name of the Russian Lutheran Church at her last Synod), analyzed the origins of the differences between the main traditions within Lutheranism, namely, the German and the Scandinavian traditions. Dr. Isaev repeatedly taught at the Seminary in Novosibirsk as a guest instructor for more than 20 years.

Rev. Pavel Khramov discussed the Genesis lectures of Martin Luther highlighting his exegetical method. Rev. Andrey Lipnitsky discussed Christological interpretation and liturgical usage of Psalm 58 as one of the Imprecatory psalms. Dr. Pavel Butakov explored the ways to treat the Gospel parables in accordance with the notion of the one literal sense of Scripture, characteristic of the Lutheran exegetical tradition. Finally, the Seminary Rector Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov uncovered Philip Melanchton’s attitude toward the Holy Ministry and the ordination based on his exegetical and polemical writings, disputation theses and the letters. As is usual, the Panel discussion took place following the Sunday Divine service. Both the Conference presenters and all the participants could engage in a fruitful discussion of the relevant topics having to do with the contemporary Lutheran theology.

20/04/2025

Fr. Alexey Streltsov made a teaching trip to the Holy Trinity parish in Chita where he conducted a seminar around the Easter time. On Holy Saturday Fr. Alexey taught the faithful in Chita about the Gospel Passion and Resurrection narratives highlighting divine irony and paradoxes in the accounts of the Holy Evangelists. This particular topic was of significant interest to the group especially considering the special timing of such lectures. On Easter Sunday Fr. Alexey conducted the service and preached assisted by the local Pastor Fr. Igor and the subdeacons Victor and Igor. While in Chita, Fr. Alexey also met with the Seminary student (by way of distance education) Igor Artemiev and conducted a study session with him. One of the more challenging but also exciting issues to resolve now is scheduling time for the next visit to Chita given such requests of clergy and laity of the Holy Trinity’s parish.

14/02/2025

The Theological Seminary of SELC conducted yet another theological seminar, this time in Astana, Kazakhstan. Bishop Rostislav Novgorodov of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted the event. For three full days over 15 pastors, deacons, and church workers of ELC RK listened to the lectures by the Seminary Rector Dr. Alexey Streltsov and the deacon Dmitry Tuzov, the Seminary graduate.

Fr. Alexey presented on the Gospel of John highlighting Christological significance of Johannine symbolism of “water” and “light.” These lectures continued the previous course, which was also on the Gospel of John. Fr. Alexey also preached on the Mt 11:12 text at the liturgy during the seminar, which made it possible to have an extra session discussing this passage with the students in the context of the Gospel of Matthew. Many times, readers and even teachers of the Bible get around difficult passages to avoid potential controversy, but as we know, “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

For Fr. deacon Dmitry Tuzov this was his first trip to Kazakhstan. Fr. Dmitry brought a refreshing change of pace and perspective, which included, among other things, interactive format of his courses coupled with the usage of modern technology. He talked about a number of topics: emotional burnouts and how to prevent and treat them in case of clergy and the church workers, issues of “professional deformation,” treatment of epidemic by Luther in his treatise and the lessons we can learn from Luther in that regard. Deacon Dmitry emphasized the need for care for one’s own body and inner emotional life, something that the clergy often neglect, which may lead to disastrous consequences. Content and approach of Fr. Deacon Dmitry caused some lively discussion, because he uncovered some issues that are rarely discussed in the context of the Russian speaking Lutheran churches.

A number of seminar participants expressed their appreciation and gratitude for the SELC presenters. They said that “the teaching was very comforting for the soul” and that “it was great joy to listen to the clear exposition of the Word of God.” Hopefully, the students will be able to continue to digest and apply whatever they learned during this week of instruction.

14/11/2024

On November 9-10 SELC Theological Seminary conducted its annual Reformation Conference. This year its proceedings took place later than usual, because the weekend before that marked the seminar and session of St Catherine’s Academy – the Seminary’s women’s program. This time, however, participants were able to discuss Lutheran theology on Dr Martin Luther’s birthday, which seemed entirely appropriate.

As usual, SELC Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin opened the Conference. He pointed out that the Gospel reading used at matins, namely the saying of Jesus that the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few, is very much relevant at present time. As so the Seminary strengthens the Body of Christ theologically and thus facilitates conditions for ongoing mission work of the Church.

Seminary Faculty members made presentations, which centered around justification and faith. Fr. Andrey Lipnitsky presented on “Articulus stantis et cadentis ecclesiae and its presentation in the Catechism.”

Fr. Dr. Alexey Streltsov tackled the topic of “Erasmus and the Freedom of the Will: Key Difference between Humanism and Reformation.”

Fr. Pavel Khramov discussed “Reformation and Confirmation.” Being a very practical and somewhat controversial question, this topic provoked lively discussion.

Finally, Dr. Pavel Butakov addressed the topic “Believing in God and believing God” pointing out significant changes in how the concept of “believer” has undergone significant transformation in the last couple hundreds of years.

On the second day of the Conference Fr. Alexey Streltsov shared photos from his recent trip around historical Reformation sites including Augsburg, Wittenberg, Halle, and Quedlinburg. And then there was a traditional panel discussion with some time provided for questions and answers.

Besides local participants, guests came from Ural and Moscow. Dozens of people from different parts of Russia were able to follow the Conference online. Next theological Conference at the Seminary premises is scheduled in May 2025.

26/03/2024

On March 24, 2024, Russia held its official day of mourning due to the atrocious terrorist act in the Krokus City Hall at the outskirts of Moscow, which took place on March 22. The doers as well as the instigators of such works belong to the diabolical world (cf. Jn 8:44). Our English-speaking brothers in the faith wrote the following message of encouragement to the Siberian Lutherans: “We were shocked and sad to see the news reports on the brutal terrorist attack at the music concert in Moscow. Violence is found the world over. Thanks be to God our Lord Jesus, the uncomplaining Lamb of God who was wounded for our sins and the sins of the world. The saving message of our Lord Jesus brings comfort, hope, and eternal life to a world living in fear and hopelessness. Such is the beautiful message of Holy Week and Easter.” It is indeed the beginning of the Holy Week. Jesus said to his disciples: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). It is not the time to lose heart. The victory indeed belongs to the Lamb. The following words in the rite of ordination as it is practiced in the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church, drive it home: “This is good and holy ministry, by which the Kingdom of Christ is created, and the kingdom of the Satan is destroyed. Be consoled by this in every cross and testing sent to you, whether it is poverty, contempt, humiliation, or persecution; just as apostle Paul, always boast in your calling and never be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. For the Lord Christ says: “Take heart; I have overcome the world,” and in another time: “Rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven.” These words once again gloriously sounded on this Palm Sunday as the Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin ordained the Seminary graduate Yury Kulikov to the Holy Ministry to serve as a deacon in SELC. Yury entered the Seminary in 2016 and graduated in 2022. Having previously been a member and preacher in the neo-evangelical (Baptist) environment, he combines thorough knowledge of the Bible content, practical skills of interaction with all kinds of people as well as solid confessional Lutheran understanding acquired at the Seminary in Novosibirsk. With Fr. Deacon Yury’s involvement in the mission in the Ural region the Lutheran work in that part of the world will get a new impetus.

25/03/2024

Dr. Alexey Streltsov conducted a seminar on the Gospel of John in St. Peter and Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church of Almaty, Kazakhstan. The focus of this particular seminar was the Prologue, which included detailed Trinitarian and Christological exposition of the Fourth Gospel as well as the practical consideration of the way Christian theology applies to the daily Christian life (with special emphasis on Baptism). This exposition of the Gospel of John will be continued in May of this year. As usual, the Commentary on the Gospel of John in the Concordia Commentary series authored by Dr. William Weinrich, rendered a major influence in this instruction. Fr. Alexey is a disciple of Dr. Weinrich (who was his STM thesis advisor in the area of Patristic Christology at CTS), and so this ongoing instruction continues to give a tribute to the classical Biblical, Patristic, and classical Lutheran theology as it is propagated in the post-Soviet world.

16/02/2024

Seminary Rector Fr. Alexey Streltsov and deacon Dmitry Tuzov (seminary graduate) undertook a trip to the Ural region. Fr. Deacon Dmitry lived in the Ural himself before he enrolled at the Seminary, and so one of the purposes for him on this trip was to visit his father who recently was confirmed as a Lutheran. Local Yekaterinburg priest Fr. Sergey Glushkov participated in the trip accompanied by another Seminary graduate Yury Kulikov. The company of four traveled for many hours on the icy mountain roads following the snowstorm – fortunately the needed mountain pass was not closed at the time! The typical feature of the church and mission work in Siberia and Urals is covering great distances to get to the remote parishioners and those interested in hearing the Word of God. Such trips take the minimum of 2 to 3 days, but with public transportation it would have been even more. Main destination this time was the town of Beloretsk in Bashkortostan Republic. Fr. Sergey conducted a service with the Holy Communion while Fr. Alexey gave a short seminar on the Gospel of John concentrating on the story of Lazarus in John 11.

As a special guest presenter at the event, Fr. Dmitry spoke about his involvement in the social and mercy work of the church. He specializes in the care for the sick people (especially those who recently suffered a stroke) teaching them and their relatives to take proper care of their bodies. His special skill consists in teaching people to organize proper home environment for their sick relatives. They are also expected to acquire special skills of learning economy of the body movements apart from relying on muscle force alone. While providing a special care to the bodies in distress, Fr. Dmitry is always ready to give a special spiritual counseling and help to those needing it, especially the patients with the Lutheran background. Practical nature of this conversation was received very well by those who came to the seminar.

One of the underlying themes of the event was to get people to acquire wholistic view of human existence before God here and in the life to come. While our human bodies will ultimately die and decay in this life, the life that our Lord Jesus provides in His Gospel and Sacraments will enable us to hear the voice “Lazarus, come forth!” and come out of the grave in the footsteps of “the firstborn of the dead.”

On 𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘪𝘩𝘪 Sunday Fr. Alexey preached at Stt Peter and Paul parish in Yekaterinburg, while Fr. Dmitry gave more extensive version of his seminar. Besides official lectures and presentations, such trips include multiple informal interactions with people that are as important as anything else.

10/11/2023

Theological Seminary of SELC conducted its annual Reformation Conference on November 4-5, 2023. This year the Conference was more local in character in view of the plan to conduct a more global and ecumenical Conference in the spring of 2024. Nevertheless, there were people present both locally in Novosibirsk and those connecting via Zoom online. The general theme of the Conference was “Martin Luther and Reformation: Theory and Practice.” In his greeting the Bishop of SELC Vsevolod Lytkin commented on the Parable of the Talents that was read at the Matins before the Conference. Bishop Vsevolod emphasised that in the Gospel story all the people who really invested in the spiritual work (rather than hiding their talent in the ground) made some profit, unlike anything we may experience in the physical world of economics. No real input in the work of the ministry of Word and Sacraments will be barren. At the Conference itself the Seminary Rector Fr. Alexey Streltsov reflected on 500 anniversary of notorious letter of Dr. Martin Luther to the Bohemians on the topic of the Holy Ministry in the Church. SELC herself went through the painful process (successfully concluded) to her ecclesiastical self-governance having her bishop not residing in a foreign country, so that topic was eminently practical rather than purely theoretical for the audience. The key thing is to maintain a proper balance between extreme ecclesiastical bureaucracy that seeks to perpetuate itself for its own sake and “pentecostal” disregard for any form of church structure and form. Authentic Lutherans maintain that in the Church “all things should be done decently an in order” (1 Cor 14:40). Fr. Pavel Khramov spoke on the hymns of Dr. Martin Luther. He emphasised their doctrinal content, which still makes them relevant in the church half a millennium after they were composed. Fr. Andrey Lipnitsky made a presentation on the doctrine and influence of the “heavenly prophets” and how Dr. Martin Luther confronted their enthusiastic agenda with his Christ-centered approach. He particularly spoke on the emphases of Andreas von Karlstadt highlighting his both positive and negative opinions in view of confessional Lutheran theology. Finally, Dr. Pavel Butakov delivered presentation on the topic of “Faith and Doubt.” Dr. Butakov spoke of ambivalent discourse in the New Testament on “faith” (pistis) that presupposes both its intuitive (spontaneous) and reasonable character. He proposed that to speak of “doubt” as alternative or opposite to faith is misleading: doubt may be seen as complementary to faith while it is “rational judgment” (diakrisis) that may be seen as detrimental in the matters of faith once the faith has already been acquired. The Conference continued with a lively debate both between the Conference presenters and the other participants on Sunday, November 5. All in all, that was another highlight of the Seminary activity throughout the year. Soli Deo gloria.

09/11/2023

Fr. Rector Alexey Streltsov made a trip to the Ural region in the end of October. The last weekend of October (27-28.10) was marked by fellowship with the SELC parishioners residing in Beloretsk, Republic of Bashkortostan. Fr. Sergey Glushkov, pastor of the parish in Yekaterinburg and dean of the Western deanery of SELC conducted a service in Beloretsk. Fr. Alexey conducted a seminar on the Gospel of Luke on October 28. The highlight of the presentation was Lutheran (following the Law-Gospel distinction) exposition of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which revealed new biblical insights to the participants of the seminar. Lutheran interpretation of the parable emphasises that the Prodigal’s heart was changed AFTER the father ran to him humiliating himself (“While he was still 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳, his father saw him and felt 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, and ran and embraced him and kissed him”). The following Sunday, October 29, St. Peter and Paul parish in Yekaterinburg celebrated the Feast of the Reformation. Fr. Alexey preached on Jn 8:31-36 bringing out Christological ramifications of the Reformation movement. “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” While these words are written at the main entrance to the Harvard University, the Gospel speaks not of the freedom of the scholarly research, but rather about personal relation to the Truth Incarnate, which alone enables freedom the death, sin, and the devil in the liturgical life of the Church. After the Divine Service Fr. Alexey gave a lecture on Reformation and the book of Concord. He emphasised how the truth of Reformation event was expressed in confessional statements of subsequent Lutheran symbolical books. In particular, individual contributions of Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon, and Martin Chemnitz were noted.

13/09/2023

September in Siberia is no longer summer. It feels chilly. However, on the weekend of September 9-10 the seminar participants at St. Mary’s parish in Tomsk felt warmed up by the lively discussion that had to do with the vital topics of Christian and Lutheran theology and practice. Fr. Dr. Alexey Streltsov spoke on the Gospel of John highlighting Christian Baptism as the main message of the Gospel. In this he followed the footsteps of his mentor Dr. William Weinrich of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. Fr. Pavel Khramov delivered a set of lectures on the “Christian understanding of sufferings.” Here Fr. Pavel distinguished between “philosophical” take on the issue and the Biblical and Christological appropriation of the theme of suffering. Finally, Fr. Daniel Burlakov discussed implications of the Biblical archeology focusing on the site of Megiddo in the Holy Land. Participants of the seminar included (among others) the members of the Roman Catholic youth of Tomsk.

29/05/2023

Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church rejoices celebrating the Holy Feast of Pentecost as we mark the gift of the Spirit provided for the Church by Jesus for the purpose of preaching of the Word of God and administering the Holy Sacraments. In Siberia alone there are dozens and hundreds of languages being spoken, which includes the languages of the native people of the land. In the Church, however, we overcome the obstacle raised since the Tower of Babel. In the Church we speak one and the same language, God’s language, irrespective of particular human tongues we use to communicate that language. We learn that language as we are catechized and brought into communion with God in the Holy Baptism.

Fr. Alexey Streltsov, rector of the Theological Seminary of SELC in Novosibirsk, said in a sermon on John 16:5-15 he delivered in the Stt. Peter and Paul parish in Ekaterinburg in the Ural region of Russia: “The paradox is that Jesus goes so that he can stay with His beloved disciples. How many were there among original disciples? There were 12 Apostles. There were 70. There were more followers. But their number was limited by physical restraints: they could see Jesus and hear him only when they physically followed him and were in the same physical location where he was. People in Asia Minor, Greece, Italy, and Egypt were not able to encounter him at the time. All the more people in such distant areas as today’s Ural or Siberia – in any case they were outside of the “civilized world” at the time. Yet all people have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Everybody is without any hope apart from Jesus and is going to hell, period. All people are in need of forgiveness no matter where they come from.”

Fr. Alexey further said explicating the words of the Gospel pericope for the Sunday of Pentecost: “The Spirit convicts the world concerning its unbelief. Many people think that if they apply themselves hard enough, theirs will be success in all areas of life. This work-righteousness, when we think that we are good enough as we are, when we rely on our reason, our inner strength, our internal resources, results in unbelief. Blessed are we when we confess our sins and rely on Jesus’s sacrifice.

The Spirit convicts the world concerning righteousness. Jesus fulfilled all righteousness (cf. Mt 3:15) by being “obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8). Now He is going to the Father, and so He will no longer be found in the visible form here on earth. With our eyes we see some simple, even trivial things. Common things of this life. We see water, we see bread, we see wine. We don’t see Jesus in that same way the original disciples saw him. Yet His presence with us is all the more glorious. And so the unbelieving world is convicted concerning righteousness, because it doesn’t want to set its foot in the church and deprives itself of the unique chance to hear the Gospel.

The Helper convicts the world concerning judgement. Satan is called “the ruler of this world.” He claims people born in sin as his possession, as his prize, his trophy. By our nature we tend to be judgemental. We judge people around us. Even more gross is that we are tempted to have critical attitude to what relates to God himself. We see something in the Law of God that confronts us as we are and our way of life; it may be related to particular commandments or special admonitions, and rather than forcefully drowning our old Adam through the daily contrition, we want to twist the Biblical message to make it conform to our ways. Don’t be fooled: God is the Judge, and we are subject to his judgement, and not vice versa. “The ruler of this world is judged,” but we who believe “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (Jn. 20:30), “do not come into judgement, but [have] passed from death to life” (Jn. 5:24).

The hostile and unbelieving world will not get any encouragement from the Spirit. For us as the children of God it is really different. The Spirit does everything Jesus promised.

The Spirit of truth guides us into all the truth, declares to us the things that are to come. He continuously glorifies Christ and Him crucified. He takes what belongs to Christ, and gives it to us. What a privilege, what a blessing!”

Lutheran Theological Seminary

22/11/2025

20/04/2025

14/02/2025

14/11/2024

26/03/2024

25/03/2024

16/02/2024

10/11/2023

09/11/2023

13/09/2023

29/05/2023

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Monday	08:00 - 21:00
Tuesday	08:00 - 21:00
Wednesday	08:00 - 21:00
Thursday	08:00 - 17:00
Friday	08:00 - 21:00
Sunday	08:00 - 21:00