Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Encyclopedia
Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) is one of the eleven seminaries
of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
. It is located in Berkeley, California
, and is a member of the Graduate Theological Union
. The only Episcopal seminary located in the Far West, CDSP has, since 1911, been designated the official seminary of the Episcopal Church's Eighth Province
, the Province west of the Rocky Mountains
.
CDSP is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
and offers a variety of degree and certificate programs aimed at training clergy and lay leaders for ministries in the Anglican Communion
.
by the second Episcopal Bishop of California, the Rt. Rev. William Ford Nichols, after the gift of 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of land, funds for construction of the first building, and an endowment from George and Augusta Gibbs. Several of the seminary buildings were destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
, and the seminary relocated to San Francisco in 1911 to a new building on the grounds of Grace Cathedral.
In 1914, CDSP was declared to be the official seminary of what is now known as Province VIII of the Episcopal Church, which comprises seventeen dioceses of the western United States and Taiwan. A move to Berkeley in 1930 facilitated cooperation with other seminaries in the East Bay, as well as with the University of California
. CDSP was one of the founders of the Graduate Theological Union
(GTU), established in 1962, and is now one of nine member schools and eight affiliated centers in this ecumenical consortium. Like most of the other GTU members, CDSP reflects a liberal approach to theology and is largely supportive of the national stands of the ECUSA.
Students may enroll in the M.Div. and M.A. programs concurrently. A separate admission process for each program is necessary, as is the completion of all requirements for each degree. Concurrent M.Div./M.A. programs can be completed in no less than four years.
, as well as the Church at large. CALL’s instructors come from across the United States, and all courses are reviewed faculty at CDSP.
CALL offers the following programs:
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 Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. It is located in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, and is a member of the Graduate Theological Union
Graduate Theological Union
The Graduate Theological Union ' is a consortium of nine independent theological schools, and eleven centers and affiliates. Eight of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded in 1962. It maintains the Graduate Theological Union Library, one of the most...
. The only Episcopal seminary located in the Far West, CDSP has, since 1911, been designated the official seminary of the Episcopal Church's Eighth Province
Province 8 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Province 8 is one of nine ecclesiastical provinces making up the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It is composed of sixteen dioceses in the nine states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington...
, the Province west of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
.
CDSP is 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 offers a variety of degree and certificate programs aimed at training clergy and lay leaders for ministries in the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
.
History
Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) was founded in 1893 in San Mateo, CaliforniaSan Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
by the second Episcopal Bishop of California, the Rt. Rev. William Ford Nichols, after the gift of 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) of land, funds for construction of the first building, and an endowment from George and Augusta Gibbs. Several of the seminary buildings were destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
, and the seminary relocated to San Francisco in 1911 to a new building on the grounds of Grace Cathedral.
In 1914, CDSP was declared to be the official seminary of what is now known as Province VIII of the Episcopal Church, which comprises seventeen dioceses of the western United States and Taiwan. A move to Berkeley in 1930 facilitated cooperation with other seminaries in the East Bay, as well as with the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. CDSP was one of the founders of the Graduate Theological Union
Graduate Theological Union
The Graduate Theological Union ' is a consortium of nine independent theological schools, and eleven centers and affiliates. Eight of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded in 1962. It maintains the Graduate Theological Union Library, one of the most...
(GTU), established in 1962, and is now one of nine member schools and eight affiliated centers in this ecumenical consortium. Like most of the other GTU members, CDSP reflects a liberal approach to theology and is largely supportive of the national stands of the ECUSA.
Degree programs
CDSP offers students a variety of degree programs and courses of study. In order to keep up with changes and advances in the Church and in theological education, faculty members continually review curricula and make changes as appropriate. These degree programs include:- Doctor of MinistryDoctor of MinistryThe Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the...
(D.Min.) - Master of DivinityMaster of DivinityIn 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 Theological StudiesMaster of Theological StudiesA Master of Theological Studies is a general academic degree that gives students an introduction to advanced theological studies. The M.T.S usually requires two years of program study to complete. The Latin equivalent for M.T.S...
(M.T.S.) - Master of ArtsMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(M.A.)
Students may enroll in the M.Div. and M.A. programs concurrently. A separate admission process for each program is necessary, as is the completion of all requirements for each degree. Concurrent M.Div./M.A. programs can be completed in no less than four years.
Certificate programs
Certificates of one, two, or three years of study may be given to non-degree students who have successfully completed the appropriate full academic years. These certificate programs include:- Certificate of Anglican Studies (C.A.S)
- Certificate of Theological Studies (C.T.S)
- Hybrid Certificate of Anglican Studies (HyCAS)
Center for Anglican Learning & Leadership (CALL) programs
The Center for Anglican Learning & Leadership (CALL) offers courses and conferences around various theological, spiritual, and pastoral issues affecting the Episcopal ChurchEpiscopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
, as well as the Church at large. CALL’s instructors come from across the United States, and all courses are reviewed faculty at CDSP.
CALL offers the following programs:
- Online Courses – These courses address a wide range of subjects including history, theology, spirituality, leadership, pastoral care, liturgy & worship, scripture, and Anglican studies. Courses are suitable for both lay people and clergy. In 2007, CALL's online courses were featured in an article on Episcopal Life Online.
- Summer Session – One- or two-week intensive courses in biblical study, theology of ministry and discipleship, preaching, worship, congregational leadership and mission. Courses are suitable for both lay people and clergy.
- Anglican Immersion - A part of the Summer Session, the Anglican Immersion is two-week residential experience in which students immerse themselves in Anglican liturgy, theology, history, and ethos on the CDSP campus. While it is a required part of the HyCAS program, this Immersion is open to students in other degree programs as well as continuing education students.
- Epiphany West – An annual conference suitable for both lay people and clergy that offers classes, lectures, workshops, and discussions. On February 8, 2008 Epiphany West was featured in the Episcopal News Service and published on Episcopal Life Online.