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Dr. Hiestermann joined the faculty in 2020, specializing in New Testament Studies. He was appointed as seminary rector in 2021.
After completing his BCom degree in Business Management at the University of Pretoria (1999-2001), Dr. Hiestermann started his theological studies with a B.A. degree (2004-2006), again at the University of Pretoria. Thereafter he studied at the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany (2007-2012), including some semesters at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Goethe University Frankfurt. He completed his Ph.D. in New Testament Studies at the University of Pretoria (2016).
He served as pastor of the St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Greytown, South Africa (2014-2019) (FELSISA). Since 2017 he serves as chairman of both the Theological and Examination Commissions of the FELSISA.
He and his wife, Renate, have two daughters.
Email him at hhiestermann(at)lts.ac.za.
Full-time Faculty
Rev. Mintesinot Birru Hanfato (Registrar)
Mr. Mintesinot Birru Hanfato graduated with B.Th. (1998-2002) from Mekane Yesus Seminary, and got his M.Div in 2009 from Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology. He served as a youth ministry leader, Synod youth ministry secretary, Synod Gospel and Mission department director, Bible translator, Comprehensive Project manager, Lecturer at different Bible schools and Colleges. He joined LTS coordinating distance education which was coming from Mekane Yesus Seminary and giving tutorials for distance education learners at LTS since 2015. He served as Librarian and Lecturer at LTS since 2018. In 2020, he registered with UNISA for his Ph.D. studies. In 2023, he was appointed seminary registrar.
Email him at mintesbir(at)gmail.com.
Dr. Sibongiseni Elliot Sithole
Bishop Sithole leads the Lutheran Church of Southern Africa. He is a translator of the isiZulu Bible with the Bible Society of South Africa. He holds a PhD Degree (Missiology) from Concordia Theological Seminary, 2013 (Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA).
Dr Sithole was a part-time lecturer at LTS for many years. He joined the faculty on a full-time basis in 2024. His area of expertise is the Old Testament.
Rev. Fernando Huf
Born in Curitiba, Brazil, in 1973. Graduated (Bachelor’s Degree in Theology) from Concordia Institute of Sao Paulo (Brazil) in 1997 and enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program at Concordia Seminary – Saint Louis.
Served as pastor in Recife for seven years and then in Sao Paulo for seven years. Pastor (speaker) of the Lutheran Hour of Brazil from 2012 to 2022. Called to serve as an Alliance Project missionary as Area Facilitator for Southern Africa”. He is the head of department for practical theology.
Rev. Volmir da Rocha
Rev. Volmir Knevitz da Rocha hails from Brazil and is a pastor of the Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil (IELB). Before his missionary service, he was actively involved in pastoral ministry within Brazil, where he gained experience in both congregational leadership and theological education.
In 2021, he was commissioned as an Alliance Missionary through a partnership between the IELB and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Rev. da Rocha was deployed to Uganda, where he served as Principal of the Lutheran Theological College Uganda (LTCU) for four years. In 2025, he joined the LTS faculty, focusing on Church History and Dogmatics.
Dr Dieter Reinstorf
Dr. Dieter H. Reinstorf is a former Bishop of the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa (FELSISA). Born in 1958, he grew up near Wittenberg (Piet Retief) and pursued theological studies in Pretoria and at the Lutheran Theological College in Oberursel, Germany. He earned both a Master’s and a Doctorate in New Testament from the University of Pretoria.
Dr. Reinstorf has served various congregations across South Africa, including Pretoria, Greytown, Cape Town, and Pietermaritzburg. In addition to his pastoral duties, he was a research associate in the Department of New Testament Studies at the University of Pretoria and has contributed scholarly work, especially on the parables in Luke’s Gospel. He teaches most New Testament modules at LTS.
Part-time Lecturers
Rev. Musawenkosi Nathan Mntambo
Rev. Mntambo served on the faculty of the LTS from 2001 to 2015, and recently resumed lecturing at the LTS (2018-) on a part-time basis.
He graduated from Enhlanhleni Theological Seminary with a certificate in theology in 2000, following which he went on to graduate with a S.T.M. (Master of Sacred Theology) from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, USA.
He has served as pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Arcadia, Pretoria (associated with FELSISA) since 2012.
He and his wife, Nokulunga, have two children.
Email him at mntambomn(at)gmail.com.
Dr Radikobo Ntsimane
Dr Ntsimane is a former rector of LTS (1998-2000), and former lecturer at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN). He has a PhD in Church History from UKZN.
Dr Tobias Schütze
Dr Schütze joined the LTS faculty in 2022 (fulltime until 2024). In 2025, he completed his doctoral thesis under the title “Yes and No: Lutheran Confessional Foundations of Inter-Church Recognition” [Sic et Non. Lutherische Bekenntnisgrundlagen zwischenkirchlicher Anerkennung] at the University of Münster, Germany. He teaches Lutheran Dogmatics.
Rev. Kurt Schnackenberg
Rev. Kurt Schnackenberg (FELSISA) serves as part-time lecturer of LTS. He joined our teaching staff in 2021.
He studied theology in both South Africa and Germany. He teaches Christian Worship and Hermeneutics.
Email him at klschnacki(at)gmail.com
Rev. Dr. (habil) Werner Klän
Professor and dean emeritus of the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany; Former extraordinary Visiting Professor at the University of Pretoria
Mrs. Magda Huf
Mrs. Magda D. Z. Huf was born in Brazil and graduated (Bachelor’s Degree in Theology on Education) from Concordia Institute of São Paulo (Brazil) in 2000. She also has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Applied Language Studies, with a teaching qualification, and a Postgraduate Degree in Translation. She is now doing a Master’s in Literature at the University of Pretoria. Magda’s educational background includes 7 years of service as a Religious teacher for deaf children (using sign language), 10 years as a High School teacher, and more than 20 years as a teacher of Sunday School and Confirmation Classes. She teaches Christian Education at LTS.
Adjunct lecturers
Rev. Tobias Ahlers
Rev. Ahlers has begun lecturing at the LTS in a part-time capacity since early 2018. His area of special interest is Lutheran systematics.
He received his B.A. in Ancient Languages from the University of Pretoria (2004), and then his B.A. Honours as well (2005). He pursued his theological studies at the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany, and at Westfield House, Cambridge, UK, where he graduated in 2009.
He has served as pastor of the English Lutheran Fellowship in Randburg since 2011, and also at St. John’s Lutheran Congregation in Kempton Park since 2013. Since 2021 he is serving in the St. John’s Lutheran Parish, Shelly Beach (FELSISA).
He is married to Walda. They have two children.
Email him at pastortobyahlers(at)gmail.com.
Dr. Christoph Weber
PhD Degree, Concordia Seminary, 2022 (St. Louis, MI, USA)
Dr. Weber teaches the Lutheran Confessions.
Rev. Dr. Karl E. Böhmer
Dr. Böhmer served on the LTS faculty fulltime from 2015-2019, specializing in church history and mission. He received his B.A. in Ancient Languages from the University of Pretoria (1997), Theologische Zwischenprüfung from the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany (1998), and his M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, USA (2002). He completed his Ph.D. at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, USA (2015).
He is a member of the Church History Society of Southern Africa and of the South African Translator’s Institute.
Dr. Hiestermann joined the faculty in 2020, specializing in New Testament Studies. He was appointed as seminary rector in 2021.
After completing his BCom degree in Business Management at the University of Pretoria (1999-2001), Dr. Hiestermann started his theological studies with a B.A. degree (2004-2006), again at the University of Pretoria. Thereafter he studied at the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany (2007-2012), including some semesters at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Goethe University Frankfurt. He completed his Ph.D. in New Testament Studies at the University of Pretoria (2016).
He served as pastor of the St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, Greytown, South Africa (2014-2019) (FELSISA). Since 2017 he serves as chairman of both the Theological and Examination Commissions of the FELSISA.
He and his wife, Renate, have two daughters.
Email him at hhiestermann(at)lts.ac.za.
Rev. Mintesinot Birru Hanfato (Registrar)
Born in Curitiba, Brazil, in 1973. Graduated (Bachelor’s Degree in Theology) from Concordia Institute of Sao Paulo (Brazil) in 1997 and enrolled in the Doctor of Ministry program at Concordia Seminary – Saint Louis.
Served as pastor in Recife for seven years and then in Sao Paulo for seven years. Pastor (speaker) of the Lutheran Hour of Brazil from 2012 to 2022. Called to serve as an Alliance Project missionary as Area Facilitator for Southern Africa”. He is the head of department for practical theology.
Rev. Volmir Knevitz da Rocha hails from Brazil and is a pastor of the Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil (IELB). Before his missionary service, he was actively involved in pastoral ministry within Brazil, where he gained experience in both congregational leadership and theological education.
In 2021, he was commissioned as an Alliance Missionary through a partnership between the IELB and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Rev. da Rocha was deployed to Uganda, where he served as Principal of the Lutheran Theological College Uganda (LTCU) for four years. In 2025, he joined the LTS faculty, focusing on Church History and Dogmatics.
Dr. Dieter H. Reinstorf is a former Bishop of the Free Evangelical Lutheran Synod in South Africa (FELSISA). Born in 1958, he grew up near Wittenberg (Piet Retief) and pursued theological studies in Pretoria and at the Lutheran Theological College in Oberursel, Germany. He earned both a Master’s and a Doctorate in New Testament from the University of Pretoria.
Dr. Reinstorf has served various congregations across South Africa, including Pretoria, Greytown, Cape Town, and Pietermaritzburg. In addition to his pastoral duties, he was a research associate in the Department of New Testament Studies at the University of Pretoria and has contributed scholarly work, especially on the parables in Luke’s Gospel. He teaches most New Testament modules at LTS.
Rev. Musawenkosi Nathan Mntambo
Rev. Musawenkosi Nathan Mntambo
Dr Ntsimane is a former rector of LTS (1998-2000), and former lecturer at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN). He has a PhD in Church History from UKZN.
Dr Tobias Schütze
Mrs. Magda D. Z. Huf was born in Brazil and graduated (Bachelor’s Degree in Theology on Education) from Concordia Institute of São Paulo (Brazil) in 2000. She also has a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Applied Language Studies, with a teaching qualification, and a Postgraduate Degree in Translation. She is now doing a Master’s in Literature at the University of Pretoria. Magda’s educational background includes 7 years of service as a Religious teacher for deaf children (using sign language), 10 years as a High School teacher, and more than 20 years as a teacher of Sunday School and Confirmation Classes. She teaches Christian Education at LTS.
Rev. Tobias Ahlers
Rev. Tobias Ahlers
Dr. Böhmer served on the LTS faculty fulltime from 2015-2019, specializing in church history and mission. He received his B.A. in Ancient Languages from the University of Pretoria (1997), Theologische Zwischenprüfung from the Lutherische Theologische Hochschule in Oberursel, Germany (1998), and his M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, USA (2002). He completed his Ph.D. at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN, USA (2015).
He is a member of the Church History Society of Southern Africa and of the South African Translator’s Institute.
Rev. Dr. John T. Pless
Mrs. Rosemarie Rynners
Mr. Gustav Paul
Mr. Gustav Paul
Mrs. Emily Masehla
Mrs. Martha Mahlangu