Academy of the New Church Theological School
Encyclopedia
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church Theological School is a seminary
specializing in New Church theology
and located in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
.
The Theological School is a part of Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, which was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on November 3, 1877 as the Academy of the New Church. The charter of the Academy was altered on January 1, 1879 to authorize it to confer degrees and diplomas.
Originally located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, the Academy was relocated at the turn of the 20th century to what was then the countryside near Philadelphia
, in Montgomery County. Funding from PPG Industries
founder John Pitcairn
enabled the construction of the new campus.
The Theological School's stated mission is "to support the Lord's presence among people by preparing men for the priesthood of the New Church. The primary focus of this school is on training men to serve as pastors in the General Church of the New Jerusalem. This school will also help provide for the continuing development of priests, and for graduate-level instruction of lay people in New Church doctrine."
The Theological School has been accredited by the Middle States Association since 1952. This accreditation was reaffirmed most recently in 2003.
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
specializing in New Church theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and located in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
The Theological School is a part of Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, which was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on November 3, 1877 as the Academy of the New Church. The charter of the Academy was altered on January 1, 1879 to authorize it to confer degrees and diplomas.
Originally located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, the Academy was relocated at the turn of the 20th century to what was then the countryside near Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, in Montgomery County. Funding from PPG Industries
PPG Industries
PPG Industries is a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 60 countries around the globe. Sales in 2010 were $13.4 billion...
founder John Pitcairn
John Pitcairn, Jr.
John Pitcairn, Jr. was a Scottish-born American industrialist. With just an elementary school education, Pitcairn rose through the ranks of the Pennsylvania railroad industry, and played a significant role in the creation of the modern oil and natural gas industries...
enabled the construction of the new campus.
The Theological School's stated mission is "to support the Lord's presence among people by preparing men for the priesthood of the New Church. The primary focus of this school is on training men to serve as pastors in the General Church of the New Jerusalem. This school will also help provide for the continuing development of priests, and for graduate-level instruction of lay people in New Church doctrine."
The Theological School has been accredited by the Middle States Association since 1952. This accreditation was reaffirmed most recently in 2003.