It is affiliated with California Lutheran University and is a member school of the Graduate Theological Union.

[3][2] PLTS provides theological education for the training of clergy and lay leaders through ordination, non-ordination, and research level degrees and certificates.

The seminary serves all of the ELCA and has specific ties to Regions 1 and 2 and the eleven synods of the western U.S. PLTS was founded to meet the missional needs of the Lutheran Church in the western United States.

Together they have worked to develop the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries program.

On April 24, 2009, the Board of Directors of PLTS voted unanimously to seek a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) designation from Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA), the first seminary in the ELCA to do so.