Robert T. Kuhn

Eleventh President of the Missouri Synod: 2001

Born: 5 April 1937, Saint Paul, Minnesota

Robert T. Kuhn became president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod on 23 March 2001 upon the death of Pres. A. L. Barry. Kuhn had served as first vice-president of the synod since 1995.

Kuhn graduated from Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1959 and from Concordia Seminary, Saint Louis, Mo., in 1963. He received an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne.

Kuhn served as pastor of Saint John Lutheran Church, Bath, Ill., and Salem Lutheran Church, Chandlerville, Ill. from 1963 to 1970. He was pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church, Geneseo, Ill., 1970-1977. From 1977 to 1979 he was assistant director of development at Concordia Teachers College (now Concordia University), River Forest, Ill. He became pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Pleasant Plains, Ill., where he served until 1985, when he was elected president of the Central Illinois District.

In addition to his service as district president, Kuhn was a circuit counselor, 1966-1970, and a member of the Central Illinois District Board of Directors, 1972-1995. He chaired the synodical 150th Anniversary Committee from 1993 to 1998.

In July 2001 he was elected to the synodical Board of Directors and named its chairman at its organizing meeting in September 2001.

Kuhn and his wife, Judith (nee Mittenzwey), have three grown children. Judith died on March 10, 2014. He resides in Oviedo, FL.

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