The Eastern Cluster of Lutheran Seminaries (ECLS) is comprised of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (LTSG), the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), and the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary (LTSS) located in Columbia, South Carolina. Each of these seminaries enjoys historic roots reaching well back into the nineteenth century. These seminaries have lived through three major Lutheran church body mergers-in 1918, 1962, and finally in 1988 with the formation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Throughout the changes, all three have remained committed to providing excellent theological education for thousands of leaders who have served in the Church and community throughout our national and international mission efforts.

In 1994, the clustering of the ELCA's eight seminaries was formalized as a church-wide strategy aimed at extending the effectiveness of the seminary "system" in addressing eleven "Imperatives" for theological education. These align with the mission of the ELCA and its vision for theological education:

Mission of the ELCA:
To proclaim God's saving Gospel of salvation, to carry out the Great Commission, and to serve in response to God's love to meet human needs. It is pledged to worship God, nurture its members in the Word of God and manifest the unity given to the people of God.

ELCA Vision for Theological Education in the 21st Century (adopted 1995):
To attract, prepare, and support a wide variety of leaders, grounded in Scripture and the Lutheran confessional tradition and equipped for the Church's mission in a rapidly changing environment, made possible through the redeployment of resources in an interdependent network of theological education providers.

The Cluster has become an effective and functioning entity that develops and implements programs that positively impact the constituencies of all three seminaries. The success to date is demonstrated through administrative collaboration, numerous joint programs planned and implemented, a structured governing body, careful cultivation of constituency involvement and support, and the development of a strategic planning process based on the Cluster's Mission Statement:

Centered in the Word of God made flesh in Jesus Christ, the Eastern Cluster of Lutheran Seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America exists to support the fullness of the theological endeavor: as faith seeking understanding; understanding seeking expression; and expression fulfilling mission. The Cluster, being an interdependent body formed to meet the challenging needs of clergy and lay leaders and all the baptized for their ministry in daily life, provides theological leadership by offering degree and non-degree programs.

The Cluster is committed to the best stewardship of the talents, resources, and the rich theological heritage entrusted to its leadership, by offering the particular gifts to the Church and relying upon the wisdom and power given to the Church by the Holy Spirit to guide the endeavors.