A new, thought-provoking podcast hosted by Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) President Gene Pfeifer, PhD, was released on April 7, 2025. The eight-episode series was recorded near the conclusion of a yearlong study examining the role and function of the liberal arts at BLC and features discussion with both current and emeriti Bethany faculty and presently-serving administrators.

This podcast series is part of a larger study of the liberal arts at BLC that was developed in response to questions posed by alumni, constituents, and members of the church body that owns and operates the College – the Evangelical Lutheran Synod – after program adjustments in November 2023 resulted in some majors and minors being discontinued due to low enrollment in those programs and budgetary constraints.

Beginning in the 2023-24 academic year, and continuing throughout the current school year, Bethany administration and faculty have been carefully reviewing the College’s commitment to its Christ-centered mission and identity as a distinctively confessional Lutheran liberal arts college. The course of action has included both an effort to ensure a full and deep understanding of the Lutheran Confessions – recognized as the essential documents that serve as a doctrinal foundation for Christian faith – as well as a comprehensive evaluation of the principles of a liberal arts education as defined by the Bethany Lutheran College faculty. This ongoing process with the faculty is also scheduled to continue into the future.

To date, there have been several important steps involved with the broad study including required meetings and relevant assigned readings considering the subject matter. Throughout the review, the faculty, administration, and the College’s Board of Regents’ goal was to thoroughly understand what it means for Bethany to be a confessional Lutheran liberal arts college and how to remain so going forward as we seek to serve future generations through our Christ-centered mission and purpose.

The series is available on Spotify and Apple podcast platforms. We invite anyone interested in learning more about the topic to listen. Listeners will also have the ability to send questions and comments about the subject to the College administration using the form below.