Chicago Theological Seminary
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Theological Seminary is a seminary
of the United Church of Christ
. It prepares women and men for leadership in the church and society through Master of Divinity
(M.Div.), Master of Arts
in Religious Studies (M.A.), Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.), Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs. It enrolls approximately 190 students from over 20 denominations and religious traditions, with around 40% of the student body affiliated with the United Church of Christ.
It is fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
and by the North Central Association. It is one of the 11 seminaries in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools.
In addition to being a seminary of the United Church of Christ
, it is also certified by the United Methodist Church
and is in partnership with the Metropolitan Community Church
es. Chicago Theological Seminary is an official Open and affirming
seminary.
neighborhood of Chicago
. It is directly adjacent to the campus of the University of Chicago
. The Seminary Co-op Bookstore
, a voluminous and well-known academic bookstore, is housed in the seminary's basement.
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...
of the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
. It prepares women and men for leadership in the church and society through Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
(M.Div.), Master of Arts
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Religious Studies (M.A.), Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.), Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs. It enrolls approximately 190 students from over 20 denominations and religious traditions, with around 40% of the student body affiliated with the United Church of Christ.
It is fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has more than 250 member institutions...
and by the North Central Association. It is one of the 11 seminaries in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools.
In addition to being a seminary of the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
, it is also certified by the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
and is in partnership with the Metropolitan Community Church
Metropolitan Community Church
The Metropolitan Community Church or The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches is an international Protestant Christian denomination...
es. Chicago Theological Seminary is an official Open and affirming
Open and affirming
Open and Affirming is an official designation of congregations and other settings within the United Church of Christ denomination affirming the full inclusion of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender persons in that setting's life and ministry.The Open and Affirming program is administered...
seminary.
Campus
The seminary is located at 5757 S. University Avenue, in the Hyde ParkHyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
neighborhood of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. It is directly adjacent to the campus of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. The Seminary Co-op Bookstore
Seminary Co-op
Seminary Cooperative Bookstores, Inc., founded in 1961, is a cooperative bookstore with three branches in the Chicago area. Its flagship, known colloquially as the Seminary Co-op or simply the Sem Co-op, is located in the basement of the Chicago Theological Seminary, next to the campus of the...
, a voluminous and well-known academic bookstore, is housed in the seminary's basement.
History
Chicago Theological Seminary is the oldest institution of higher education founded in the City of Chicago, having been established in 1855.LGBTQ community
Among schools of theological education, CTS is especially friendly to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender concerns and is listed as an officially "Open and Affirming" institution of the United Church of Christ by the UCC Coalition for GLBT Concerns http://www.ucccoalition.org. The seminary has many openly GLBT students, staff and faculty, several of whom have published books and articles in the area of religion and sexual orientation. The institution offers an annual Gilberto Castaneda scholarship award for outstanding GLBT students. It is home to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Religious Archives Network. http://www.lgbtran.org/ Students are invited to participate in the social activities of the Heyward Boswell Society. In 2006, CTS launched the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) Religious Studies Center (Queer Center), a grant-funded research program.Notable faculty
- The Rev. Dr. Theodore W. Jennings, Jr.—Professor of Biblical and Constructive Theology
- Dr. Robert MooreRobert L. MooreRobert L. Moore, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized Jungian psychoanalyst and consultant in private practice in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is: the Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology, Psychoanalysis and Spirituality in the Chicago Theological Seminary; a Training Analyst at the C.G...
—Distinguished Service Professor of Psychology, Psychoanalysis and Spirituality - Dr. Ken StoneKen Stone (biblical scholar)Ken Stone is an author, Professor of Bible, Culture and Hermeneutics at Chicago Theological Seminary and a member of the United Church of Christ. He chairs the Reading, Theory and the Bible Section of the Society of Biblical Literature...
—Professor of Bible, Culture and Hermeneutics - The Rev. John H. ThomasJohn H. ThomasThe Rev. John H. Thomas was the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ , a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the Reformed tradition. Elected in 1999, he served as one of five officers of the UCC who comprise the Collegium of Officers, which oversees national...
—Visiting Professor in Church Ministries - Yoshio FukuyamaYoshio FukuyamaYoshio Fukuyama is a theologian who holds a doctorate in sociology from the University of Chicago and has been a faculty member of the Chicago Theological Seminary. He is credited with beginning the scholarly discussion on how to define and measure religious commitment...