Pastor Eric Riesen (NALC)

The Rev. Dr. Eric M. Riesen will begin as President of the North American Lutheran Seminary on February 1. Riesen is a graduate of Indiana University, Fort Wayne (B.S.), Fuller Theological Seminary (M.A.), Luther Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (D.Min.), where his work focused on the dialogue between theology and science. His dissertation, “When Worldviews Collide: The Christian Faith and the New Genetics,” explores moral and theological questions raised by new genetic technologies. In 2016, the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau published his book, The Christian Faith: A Catechism for the Curious, and he has also written for the online edition of First Things.

Riesen is the chair of the NALC Life-to-Life Discipleship Initiative, and also serves on the Commission on Theology and Doctrine, as well as the ACNA/NALC Ecumenical Consultation. He has served on the Candidacy Committee and as the first dean of the Mid-Northeast Mission District. Riesen has been a parish pastor for 34 years, serving four congregations. He served as senior pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Brentwood, Pennsylvania, for 22 years, and most recently as senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Ashland, Ohio.