Denver Seminary
Encyclopedia
Denver Seminary is an accredited, graduate-level institution in Littleton, Colorado
. It offers a wide range of degrees not typically associated with other accredited seminaries. It is also known for its emphasis on training and mentoring as integral to seminary education. Denver Seminary adheres to the National Association of Evangelicals Statement of Faith
.
This statement was first used by Grounds to stake out Denver Seminary's theological position in the midst of conflict between moderately conservative and ultra-conservative factions of the Conservative Baptist Association that eventually led the ultra-conservative faction to withdraw from the CBA and found the Conservative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). Grounds, formerly the academic dean of fundamentalist Baptist seminary in New York state affiliated with the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
, eventually becoming a key spokesperson for the evangelical
movement that attributes its roots to the writings of Carl F. H. Henry
. Under his leadership, Denver Seminary became firmly rooted in this theological camp.
Today, Denver Seminary is a non-denominational, evangelical seminary that still holds to this statement by chancellor Vernon Grounds.
The Seminary was founded by members of the newly founded Conservative Baptist Association. This is a group of churches that separated from the Northern Baptist Convention over theological differences stemming from the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy
conflict earlier in the twentieth century. The school was originally known as the Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary and, in 1982, changed its name to Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary. The school changed its name again in 1998 to Denver Seminary to reflect its growing appeal to a wide-spectrum of evangelical students, most of whom were no longer from the Conservative Baptists Association. Yet, the Seminary maintains its Baptist
roots by requiring all full-time faculty to sign a doctrinal statement that is baptistic in nature. Students, staff, and adjunct faculty, however, are only required to sign the statement of faith used by the National Association of Evangelicals
.
After Thomas' death in 1956, Vernon Grounds became the second president and remained so until 1979; he was named the seminary's chancellor in 1993. In 2002, Senior Professor of Church History Bruce Shelley authored a biography on Grounds titled Transformed by Love: The Vernon Grounds Story. This book gives a comprehensive overview of Denver Seminary's history as it developed from a small denominational school to a major evangelical seminary under Grounds' leadership.
Denver Seminary was previously located in Englewood, Colorado
on the site of the former Kent School for Girls. It moved to a newly built campus in Littleton, Colorado
in July 2005. Extensive renovations were made to the campus in 2011 that include several renovated classrooms to increase capacity and an addition to the library to serve as a student center.
1. Carey S. Thomas, 1951-56
2. Vernon C. Grounds, 1956-1979
3. Haddon Robinson
, 1979-1993
4. Edward L. Hayes, 1993-1996
5. Clyde McDowell, 1996-1999
6. G. Craig Williford, 2000-2008
7. Mark Young, 2009-present
, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP).
The school has a library
that contains over 166,000 books and bound periodicals.
Denver Seminary Magazine, published quarterly since 1981, addresses current topics in the church and ministry and is distributed primarily to Denver Seminary alumni and other financial supporters.
Littleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
. It offers a wide range of degrees not typically associated with other accredited seminaries. It is also known for its emphasis on training and mentoring as integral to seminary education. Denver Seminary adheres to the National Association of Evangelicals Statement of Faith
National Association of Evangelicals
The National Association of Evangelicals is a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals. Its goal is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelicals in the United States. Today it works in four main areas: Church & Faith Partners, Government Relations,...
.
Theological Stance
The evangelical theological stance of Denver Seminary is captured by the words of chancellor Vernon Grounds:
Here is no unanchored liberalism, freedom to think without commitment. Here is no encrusted dogmatism, commitment without freedom to think. Here is a vibrant evangelicalism, commitment with freedom to think within the limits laid down in Scripture.
This statement was first used by Grounds to stake out Denver Seminary's theological position in the midst of conflict between moderately conservative and ultra-conservative factions of the Conservative Baptist Association that eventually led the ultra-conservative faction to withdraw from the CBA and found the Conservative Baptist Fellowship (CBF). Grounds, formerly the academic dean of fundamentalist Baptist seminary in New York state affiliated with the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches is one of several Baptist groups in North America retaining the name "Regular Baptist"....
, eventually becoming a key spokesperson for the evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
movement that attributes its roots to the writings of Carl F. H. Henry
Carl F. H. Henry
Carl Ferdinand Howard Henry was an American evangelical Christian theologian who served as the first editor-in-chief of the magazine Christianity Today, established to serve as a scholarly voice for evangelical Christianity and a challenge to the liberal Christian Century.-Early Years and...
. Under his leadership, Denver Seminary became firmly rooted in this theological camp.
Today, Denver Seminary is a non-denominational, evangelical seminary that still holds to this statement by chancellor Vernon Grounds.
History
Founded in 1950, Dr. Carey Thomas became the Seminary's first president in 1951.The Seminary was founded by members of the newly founded Conservative Baptist Association. This is a group of churches that separated from the Northern Baptist Convention over theological differences stemming from the Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy
Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy
The Fundamentalist–Modernist Controversy was a religious controversy in the 1920s and 30s within the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America that later created divisions in most American Christian denominations as well. The major American denomination was torn by conflict over the...
conflict earlier in the twentieth century. The school was originally known as the Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary and, in 1982, changed its name to Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary. The school changed its name again in 1998 to Denver Seminary to reflect its growing appeal to a wide-spectrum of evangelical students, most of whom were no longer from the Conservative Baptists Association. Yet, the Seminary maintains its Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
roots by requiring all full-time faculty to sign a doctrinal statement that is baptistic in nature. Students, staff, and adjunct faculty, however, are only required to sign the statement of faith used by the National Association of Evangelicals
National Association of Evangelicals
The National Association of Evangelicals is a fellowship of member denominations, churches, organizations, and individuals. Its goal is to honor God by connecting and representing evangelicals in the United States. Today it works in four main areas: Church & Faith Partners, Government Relations,...
.
After Thomas' death in 1956, Vernon Grounds became the second president and remained so until 1979; he was named the seminary's chancellor in 1993. In 2002, Senior Professor of Church History Bruce Shelley authored a biography on Grounds titled Transformed by Love: The Vernon Grounds Story. This book gives a comprehensive overview of Denver Seminary's history as it developed from a small denominational school to a major evangelical seminary under Grounds' leadership.
Denver Seminary was previously located in Englewood, Colorado
Englewood, Colorado
The city of Englewood is a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. As of 2007, the city is estimated to have a total population of 32,532. Englewood is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. Englewood is located in the South Platte River Valley east of the...
on the site of the former Kent School for Girls. It moved to a newly built campus in Littleton, Colorado
Littleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
in July 2005. Extensive renovations were made to the campus in 2011 that include several renovated classrooms to increase capacity and an addition to the library to serve as a student center.
Presidents
The following men have served in the presidency of Denver Seminary.1. Carey S. Thomas, 1951-56
2. Vernon C. Grounds, 1956-1979
3. Haddon Robinson
Haddon Robinson
Haddon W. Robinson is the Harold John Ockenga Distinguished Professor of Preaching, senior director of the Doctor of Ministry program, and former interim President at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. A native of New York City, he received a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, a M.A. from...
, 1979-1993
4. Edward L. Hayes, 1993-1996
5. Clyde McDowell, 1996-1999
6. G. Craig Williford, 2000-2008
7. Mark Young, 2009-present
Accreditation
Denver Seminary is accredited by Association of Theological Schools in the United States and CanadaAssociation 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...
, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
, and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP).
The school has a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
that contains over 166,000 books and bound periodicals.
Training and Mentoring
Denver Seminary's training and mentoring program, started by former president Clyde McDowell in 1998, was the first of its kind among evangelical, theological schools and led to an increase in student enrollment. The training and mentoring program places students with a team of mentors who help them design and pursue up to two learning contracts each semester, one focusing on spiritual growth and a second on professional development.Publications
Since 1998, Old Testament professor Richard Hess has edited the Denver Journal: An Online Review of Current Biblical and Theological Studies. This is primarily an electronic journal that provides Denver Seminary faculty an opportunity to publish book reviews on the latest theological scholarship.Denver Seminary Magazine, published quarterly since 1981, addresses current topics in the church and ministry and is distributed primarily to Denver Seminary alumni and other financial supporters.
Programs
Denver Seminary offers the following programs of study:- Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree (with optional concentrations in biblical studies, chaplaincy, Christian formation and soul care, intercultural ministry, leadership, Messianic Judaism, pastoral counseling, philosophy of religion, theology, or youth and family ministries)
- Master of Arts (Biblical Studies) degree
- Master of Arts (Christian Studies) degree
- Master of Arts (Philosophy of Religion) degree
- Master of Arts (Theology) degree
- Master of Arts in Christian Formation and Soul Care degree
- Master of Arts in Counseling (licensure) degree (with a concentration in community mental health or school counseling)
- Master of Arts in Counseling Ministries degree (with an optional 12-hour concentration in chaplaincy)
- Master of Arts in Leadership degree (with an optional 12-hour concentration in intercultural ministry)
- Master of Arts in Youth and Family Ministries degree (with an optional 12-hour concentration in counseling ministries)
- Graduate Certificate (with an emphasis in leadership, theology, Christian studies, or intercultural ministry)
- Certificate of Completion (with an emphasis in chaplaincy, Christian apologetics, Christian formation and soul care, or intercultural ministry)
- Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree for those who are currently in ministry and who hold the Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent (with concentrations in leadership and marriage and family counseling)