CHICAGO â€” Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, S.C., welcomed a large contingent of Baptists to an Aug. 26 worship service in the seminary's Christ Chapel to open the academic year and to install the Rev. Virginia C. Barfield as director for Baptist studies there.

According to a news release, Southern, one of eight seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), entered into an agreement in February with the South Carolina Fellowship of Cooperative Baptists to provide seminary education opportunities for Baptist students.

"Having the opportunity to lead an innovative and cooperative effort of this kind is an extremely exciting venture," Barfield said. "I hope this program can provide a forum for Baptists of all types to study in an ecumenical setting and thereby realize that it is not what separates us but what unites us that is important."

"In this time when there is so much fragmentation in the Church and in our world, it is a sign of hope when Christians come together to achieve common goals," said the Rev. H. Frederick Reisz, president of Southern Seminary.

"Lutherans and Baptists can remain Lutheran and Baptists, even while challenging each other and cooperating in mission for the good of the wider Church," said Dr. Michael Root, Southern's vice president for academic affairs and dean. Root is an ELCA associate in ministry.

Born in Kershaw, S.C., Barfield earned a master of divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C., and a doctorate from Duke University, Durham, N.C. She served as associate pastor and minister of education for Kathwood Baptist Church, Columbia.