General Theological Seminary
Encyclopedia
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church (commonly referred to as General or GTS) is a seminary
of the Episcopal Church
in the United States and is located in the Chelsea
neighborhood of Manhattan
in New York
.
Founded in 1817, General is the oldest seminary of the Episcopal Church and a leading center of theological education in the Anglican Communion
. The seminary was chartered by an act of the Episcopal Church's General Convention
and its name was chosen to reflect its founders vision that it be a seminary to serve the whole Church. Throughout its history, GTS has occupied a mediating position between the broad church
tradition and Anglo-Catholicism
and its faculty generally reflect the moderate-to-liberal consensus on moral and theological issues espoused by the Episcopal Church.
, the governing body of the Episcopal Church, met in New York City and passed two resolutions: first, to found a general Episcopal seminary to be supported by the whole church, and second, that it be located in New York City.
The location in New York City allowed for support from the parishioners of Trinity Church including vestry
member Jacob Sherred, who in 1821 left an endowment of $70,000 to the new seminary. Clement Clarke Moore
, famous for penning A Visit from St. Nicholas
, owned the estate "Chelsea," which included most of what would become the Manhattan neighborhood by that name. Also a member of Trinity Church, he donated 66 tracts of land–what was his apple orchard–to become the site of the new seminary. It was not, however, until 1827 that the seminary occupied that land.
Other figures influential in the founding of the seminary include Theodore Dehon
, William White
, and John Henry Hobart
. Bishop Hobart served as General Seminary's first dean, after which the Bishop of New York
served in this capacity until the 1850s.
—said to be the richest clergyman in the world due to his extensive real estate holdings—was appointed dean. Under his tenure, the seminary saw tremendous growth, both in student body and facilities. Dean Hoffman's "grand design" was for the seminary's Chelsea campus to be built on an Oxford
model, with neo-Gothic
buildings facing onto a central quadrangle or Close. Likely Dean Hoffman's most influential addition to the seminary's campus was the Chapel of the Good Shepherd which was begun in 1886, completed two years later, and became known as the "Jewel of Chelsea Square." Its set of 15 tubular bells is the oldest extant in the country and is played daily by members of the seminary's Guild of Chimers to call the community to worship. Architect Charles C. Haight
designed and supervised construction of most of the buildings on Chelsea Square while Haight's father, the Rev. Benjamin I. Haight, was the first priest at nearby St. Peter's Episcopal Church
.
Due to growing housing needs for married students, GTS acquired 422 West 20th Street, a residential building opposite the seminary's 20th Street gate in March 1957.
, former visiting professor at GTS and retired Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, the Tutu Center operates primarily as a hotel and conference center.
In 2007 the seminary engaged in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, along with general operating costs, by converting many of its buildings to geothermal heating and cooling
.
Also in 2007, the seminary, in need of funds, sold Sherrill Hall, a 1960s building along 9th Ave to the Brodsky Organization for the construction of a residential condominium
building. The Chelsea Enclave was completed in 2010 and contains 53 residential units as well as retail space, an underground parking garage, and the seminary's new Keller Library. General Seminary's main entrance is now located on 21st Street between 9th and 10th Avenues.
Still facing financial difficulties, General Seminary is currently engaged in its Plan to Choose Life, a strategic initiative which necessitates the sale of several properties: 422 West 20th Street, the Chelsea 2,3,4 building, and the West Building. Assets from the sales are expected to eliminate the seminary's debt, rebuild its depleted endowment, and restore it to financial solvency.
program which prepares men and women for ordination
, primarily in the Episcopal Church. The M.Div. requires a foundation curriculum in Old Testament
, New Testament
, church history
, systematic theology
, ethics
, ascetical theology
, liturgics
, homiletics
, and pastoral theology
. Elective courses allow students to more deeply explore areas of particular interest and, if studying full-time, the Master of Divinity is generally completed in three years.
There are several additional degree programs offered, including the Master of Arts
, Master of Sacred Theology
, and Doctor of Theology
. In recent years the seminary has widely expanded its programs of study for lay leaders
and commuter students
including an expansion of its programs in spiritual direction
. General also offers a one year Diploma in Anglican Studies that is often sought after by students who are seeking ordination in the Episcopal Church, but earned their M.Div. from a non-Anglican seminary. Additionally, GTS operates The Center for Christian Spirituality.
Since 1880 General has annually hosted the Paddock Lectures which were founded by benefactor George A. Jarvis and named in honor of The Rt. Rev. Benjamin Henry Paddock, Class of 1852. The lectures have featured many of the world's top theologians including Francis J. Hall
, Diogenes Allen
, and William Temple.
General Seminary has been accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
since 1938.
in New York City
, General Seminary sits in the heart of Chelsea
, a largely residential area
with a large gay
population that is known as a center of the New York art world
(with over 200 galleries in the neighborhood). Chelsea Square, the block between 9th and 10th Avenues and 20th and 21st Streets, on which the seminary sits is at the center of the Chelsea Historic District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. General is frequently noted for the beauty of the gardens on its campus, called the Close, an English term used to refer to a private piece of enclosed property and often associated with cathedrals
. General's Close is characterized by a row of neo-Gothic
buildings along 21st Street and tree-shaded lawns uncharacteristic of its urban setting.
, middlers (second year students) serve as readers, and seniors serve as thurifers
and crucifers
. Seniors also officiate Morning Prayer each weekday. The Eucharist
is celebrated daily and the faculty, in choir dress
, officiate Evensong
each weekday, while Compline
is sung most nights.
Primarily three guilds support the chapel life of the seminary. The Guild of Sacristans
maintains the Chapel of the Good Shepherd and makes necessary provisions for the smooth conduct of liturgy
. Members of the Guild of Precentors
are chosen from the seminary's Schola Cantorum
and serve as cantors
and provide vocal prompting and support to the community as it sings. The Guild of Chimers play the seminary's historic set of fifteen Durfee tubular tower chimes
each day calling the community to worship.
Current notable professors include J. Robert Wright
the St. Mark's in the Bowery Professor of Ecclesiastical History and David Hurd
the Professor of Church Music and Organist of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd.
Notable alumni include:
Many other notable figures, including a number of bishops, have graduated from General Seminary.
in New York City and its collection of neo-Gothic buildings, General has appeared in multiple television shows to portray a number of schools and universities. Only a block from the Chelsea Piers
, where Law & Order
was filmed and where Law & Order: Criminal Intent
is currently filmed, the seminary's Close has frequently appeared in those shows as a stand in for several schools whose campuses are not as accessible and most frequently as the fictitious Hudson University
.
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
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...
in the United States and is located in the Chelsea
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
neighborhood of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Founded in 1817, General is the oldest seminary of the Episcopal Church and a leading center of theological education 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...
. The seminary was chartered by an act of the Episcopal Church's General Convention
General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
The General Convention is the primary governing and legislative body of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. With the exception of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Constitution and Canons, it is the ultimate authority in the Episcopal Church. General Convention...
and its name was chosen to reflect its founders vision that it be a seminary to serve the whole Church. Throughout its history, GTS has occupied a mediating position between the broad church
Broad church
Broad church is a term referring to latitudinarian churchmanship in the Church of England, in particular, and Anglicanism, in general. From this, the term is often used to refer to secular political organisations, meaning that they encompass a broad range of opinion.-Usage:After the terms high...
tradition and Anglo-Catholicism
Anglo-Catholicism
The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism describe people, beliefs and practices within Anglicanism that affirm the Catholic, rather than Protestant, heritage and identity of the Anglican churches....
and its faculty generally reflect the moderate-to-liberal consensus on moral and theological issues espoused by the Episcopal Church.
Founding
In May 1817 General ConventionGeneral Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
The General Convention is the primary governing and legislative body of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. With the exception of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Constitution and Canons, it is the ultimate authority in the Episcopal Church. General Convention...
, the governing body of the Episcopal Church, met in New York City and passed two resolutions: first, to found a general Episcopal seminary to be supported by the whole church, and second, that it be located in New York City.
The location in New York City allowed for support from the parishioners of Trinity Church including vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
member Jacob Sherred, who in 1821 left an endowment of $70,000 to the new seminary. Clement Clarke Moore
Clement Clarke Moore
Clement Clarke Moore was an American professor of Oriental and Greek literature at Columbia College, now Columbia University. He donated land from his family estate for the foundation of the General Theological Seminary, where he was a professor of Biblical learning and compiled a two-volume...
, famous for penning A Visit from St. Nicholas
A Visit from St. Nicholas
"A Visit from St. Nicholas", also known as "The Night Before Christmas" and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously in 1823 and generally attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, although the claim has also been made that it was written by Henry...
, owned the estate "Chelsea," which included most of what would become the Manhattan neighborhood by that name. Also a member of Trinity Church, he donated 66 tracts of land–what was his apple orchard–to become the site of the new seminary. It was not, however, until 1827 that the seminary occupied that land.
Other figures influential in the founding of the seminary include Theodore Dehon
Theodore Dehon
The Right Reverend Theodore Dehon was the second Bishop of South Carolina.-Biography:Theodore Dehon was born in Boston and graduated from Harvard University in 1795. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Edward Bass, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, on December 24, 1797 and the next month began his call...
, William White
William White
-Politics:*William White , MP for Clitheroe in 1660*William White , North Carolina Secretary of State, 1798–1811*William White , elected member of the 1st Council of the Northwest Territories, 1883–1885...
, and John Henry Hobart
John Henry Hobart
John Henry Hobart was the third Episcopal bishop of New York .He vigorously promoted the extension of the Episcopal Church in Central and Western New York...
. Bishop Hobart served as General Seminary's first dean, after which the Bishop of New York
Episcopal Diocese of New York
The Episcopal Diocese of New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island in New York City, and the New York state counties of Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and...
served in this capacity until the 1850s.
Expansion
In 1878, Eugene Augustus HoffmanEugene Augustus Hoffman
Eugene Augustus Hoffman was a United States clergyman.-Biography:Hoffman was educated at Rutgers and Harvard colleges and the General Theological Seminary. He held successive rectorships at Elizabeth, New Jersey, Burlington, New Jersey, Brooklyn, New York, and Philadelphia, and in 1879 was...
—said to be the richest clergyman in the world due to his extensive real estate holdings—was appointed dean. Under his tenure, the seminary saw tremendous growth, both in student body and facilities. Dean Hoffman's "grand design" was for the seminary's Chelsea campus to be built on an Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
model, with neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
buildings facing onto a central quadrangle or Close. Likely Dean Hoffman's most influential addition to the seminary's campus was the Chapel of the Good Shepherd which was begun in 1886, completed two years later, and became known as the "Jewel of Chelsea Square." Its set of 15 tubular bells is the oldest extant in the country and is played daily by members of the seminary's Guild of Chimers to call the community to worship. Architect Charles C. Haight
Charles C. Haight
Charles Coolidge Haight was an American architect who practiced in New York City. A number of his buildings survive including at Yale University and Trinity College . He also designed most of the campus of the Episcopal General Theological Seminary in Chelsea Square, New York...
designed and supervised construction of most of the buildings on Chelsea Square while Haight's father, the Rev. Benjamin I. Haight, was the first priest at nearby St. Peter's Episcopal Church
St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Manhattan)
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, an historic church at 346 West 20th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, began as an outgrowth from the nearby General Theological Seminary, which had been founded in 1827...
.
Due to growing housing needs for married students, GTS acquired 422 West 20th Street, a residential building opposite the seminary's 20th Street gate in March 1957.
Recent History
A renovation and expansion of the seminary's buildings facing 10th Avenue was completed in 2007, when the Desmond Tutu Center opened. Named for Desmond TutuDesmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
, former visiting professor at GTS and retired Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, the Tutu Center operates primarily as a hotel and conference center.
In 2007 the seminary engaged in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, along with general operating costs, by converting many of its buildings to geothermal heating and cooling
Geothermal heating
Geothermal heating is the direct use of geothermal energy for heating applications. Humans have taken advantage of geothermal heat this way since the Paleolithic era. Approximately seventy countries made direct use of a total of 270 PJ of geothermal heating in 2004...
.
Also in 2007, the seminary, in need of funds, sold Sherrill Hall, a 1960s building along 9th Ave to the Brodsky Organization for the construction of a residential condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
building. The Chelsea Enclave was completed in 2010 and contains 53 residential units as well as retail space, an underground parking garage, and the seminary's new Keller Library. General Seminary's main entrance is now located on 21st Street between 9th and 10th Avenues.
Still facing financial difficulties, General Seminary is currently engaged in its Plan to Choose Life, a strategic initiative which necessitates the sale of several properties: 422 West 20th Street, the Chelsea 2,3,4 building, and the West Building. Assets from the sales are expected to eliminate the seminary's debt, rebuild its depleted endowment, and restore it to financial solvency.
Academics
The mission of General Seminary is to "educate and form leaders for the church in a changing world." General does this chiefly through its Master of DivinityMaster of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
program which prepares men and women for ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
, primarily in the Episcopal Church. The M.Div. requires a foundation curriculum in Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, church history
History of Christianity
The history of Christianity concerns the Christian religion, its followers and the Church with its various denominations, from the first century to the present. Christianity was founded in the 1st century by the followers of Jesus of Nazareth who they believed to be the Christ or chosen one of God...
, systematic theology
Systematic theology
In the context of Christianity, systematic theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs...
, ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
, ascetical theology
Ascetical Theology
Ascetical theology is the organized study or presentation of spiritual teachings found in Christian Scripture and the Church Fathers that help the faithful to more perfectly follow Christ and attain to Christian perfection. The word ascetic is from the Greek word ἄσκησις askesis, meaning practice....
, liturgics
Liturgics
Liturgics is the academic discipline dedicated to the study of liturgy. Liturgics scholars typically specialize in a single approach drawn from another scholarly field. The most common sub-disciplines are: history or church history, theology, and anthropology...
, homiletics
Homiletics
Homiletics , in theology the application of the general principles of rhetoric to the specific department of public preaching. The one who practices or studies homiletics is called a homilist....
, and pastoral theology
Pastoral theology
Pastoral theology is the branch of practical theology concerned with the application of the study of religion in the context of regular church ministry. This approach to theology seeks to give practical expression to theology...
. Elective courses allow students to more deeply explore areas of particular interest and, if studying full-time, the Master of Divinity is generally completed in three years.
There are several additional degree programs offered, including the Master of Arts
Master 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...
, Master of Sacred Theology
Master of Sacred Theology
The Master of Sacred Theology is a second-level graduate degree for those who wish to pursue a year of more advanced coursework focusing on a particular discipline....
, and Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
. In recent years the seminary has widely expanded its programs of study for lay leaders
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
and commuter students
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
including an expansion of its programs in spiritual direction
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
. General also offers a one year Diploma in Anglican Studies that is often sought after by students who are seeking ordination in the Episcopal Church, but earned their M.Div. from a non-Anglican seminary. Additionally, GTS operates The Center for Christian Spirituality.
Since 1880 General has annually hosted the Paddock Lectures which were founded by benefactor George A. Jarvis and named in honor of The Rt. Rev. Benjamin Henry Paddock, Class of 1852. The lectures have featured many of the world's top theologians including Francis J. Hall
Francis Joseph Hall
Francis Joseph Hall was an American Protestant Episcopal theologian, born in Ashtabula, Ohio. He graduated from Racine College in 1882 and studied at the General Theological Seminary and the Western Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois theological seminaries...
, Diogenes Allen
Diogenes Allen
The Diogenes Allen is Professor Emeritus and former Stuart Professor of Philosophy at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is ordained by the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and currently serves as Priest Associate at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Princeton, New Jersey...
, and William Temple.
General Seminary has been 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...
since 1938.
Campus
Located on the west side of ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, General Seminary sits in the heart of Chelsea
Chelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
, a largely residential area
Residential area
A residential area is a land use in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas.Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single family housing, multi-family residential, or mobile homes. Zoning for residential use may permit...
with a large gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
population that is known as a center of the New York art world
Art world
The art world is composed of all the people involved in the production, commission, preservation, promotion, criticism, and sale of art. Howard S. Becker describes it as "the network of people whose cooperative activity, organized via their joint knowledge of conventional means of doing things,...
(with over 200 galleries in the neighborhood). Chelsea Square, the block between 9th and 10th Avenues and 20th and 21st Streets, on which the seminary sits is at the center of the Chelsea Historic District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places listings in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets
This is a list of properties and districts in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.This is intended to be a complete list of properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets...
. General is frequently noted for the beauty of the gardens on its campus, called the Close, an English term used to refer to a private piece of enclosed property and often associated with cathedrals
Cathedral Close
A cathedral close is an architectural term referring to the series of buildings that serve as appendages to a cathedral. These may include buildings housing diocesan offices, schools, free-standing chapels associated with the cathedral, and the houses of the bishop and other clergy associated with...
. General's Close is characterized by a row of neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
buildings along 21st Street and tree-shaded lawns uncharacteristic of its urban setting.
Community Life
Worship
Worship is at the center of seminary life and the community gathers several times throughout the day for worship in the centrally located Chapel of the Good Shepherd. Juniors (first year students) serve as acolytesAcolyte
In many Christian denominations, an acolyte is anyone who performs ceremonial duties such as lighting altar candles. In other Christian Churches, the term is more specifically used for one who wishes to attain clergyhood.-Etymology:...
, middlers (second year students) serve as readers, and seniors serve as thurifers
Thurible
A thurible is a metal censer suspended from chains, in which incense is burned during worship services. It is used in the Catholic Church as well as in Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, some Lutheran, Old Catholic, and in various Gnostic Churches. It is also used...
and crucifers
Crucifer
A crucifer is, in some Christian churches , a person appointed to carry the church's processional cross, a cross or crucifix with a long staff, during processions at the beginning and end of the service...
. Seniors also officiate Morning Prayer each weekday. The Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
is celebrated daily and the faculty, in choir dress
Choir dress
Choir dress is the vesture of the clerics, seminarians and religious of traditional churches worn for public prayer, either apart from the eucharist or by those attending the eucharist as the clergy part of the congregation rather than as the celebrants...
, officiate Evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
each weekday, while Compline
Compline
Compline is the final church service of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours. The English word Compline is derived from the Latin completorium, as Compline is the completion of the working day. The word was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century by St...
is sung most nights.
Primarily three guilds support the chapel life of the seminary. The Guild of Sacristans
Sacristan
A sacristan is an officer who is charged with the care of the sacristy, the church, and their contents.In ancient times many duties of the sacristan were performed by the doorkeepers , later by the treasurers and mansionarii...
maintains the Chapel of the Good Shepherd and makes necessary provisions for the smooth conduct of liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
. Members of the Guild of Precentors
Precentor
A precentor is a person who helps facilitate worship. The details vary depending on the religion, denomination, and era in question. The Latin derivation is "præcentor", from cantor, meaning "the one who sings before" ....
are chosen from the seminary's Schola Cantorum
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
and serve as cantors
Cantor (church)
A cantor is the chief singer employed in a church with responsibilities for the ecclesiastical choir; also called the precentor....
and provide vocal prompting and support to the community as it sings. The Guild of Chimers play the seminary's historic set of fifteen Durfee tubular tower chimes
Carillon
A carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
each day calling the community to worship.
People
Because it has formed many of the church's clergy, General Seminary has maintained a considerable influence on the life of the church.Current notable professors include J. Robert Wright
J. Robert Wright
J. Robert Wright is the St. Mark's in the Bowery Professor of Ecclesiastical History at General Theological Seminary in New York City...
the St. Mark's in the Bowery Professor of Ecclesiastical History and David Hurd
David Hurd
David Hurd is a composer, concert organist, choral director and educator.He is a Professor of Sacred Music and Director of Chapel Music at the General Theological Seminary, Chelsea, New York City. He is also the Music Director at the Church of the Holy Apostles, also in Chelsea.Dr. Hurd attended...
the Professor of Church Music and Organist of the Chapel of the Good Shepherd.
Notable alumni include:
- The Rev. James Lloyd BreckJames Lloyd BreckJames Lloyd Breck was a priest, educator and missionary of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.James Lloyd Breck is commemorated on April 2 on the Episcopal calendar of saints.-Early life and education:...
, a co-founder of Nashotah HouseNashotah HouseNashotah House is an Anglo-Catholic seminary of the Episcopal Church located in Nashotah, Wisconsin, approximately 30 miles from Milwaukee, in the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. The seminary opened its doors in 1842 and received its official charter in 1847...
and the founder of Seabury Divinity SchoolSeabury-Western Theological SeminarySeabury-Western Theological Seminary is a seminary of The Episcopal Church, located in Evanston, Illinois. It was formed in 1933 by a merger of Western Theological Seminary of Evanston , and Seabury Divinity School of Faribault, Minnesota... - The Rev. Jeannette PiccardJeannette PiccardJeannette Ridlon Piccard was an American high-altitude balloonist, and in later life an Episcopal priest. She held the women's altitude record for nearly three decades, and according to several contemporaneous accounts was regarded as the first woman in space.Jeannette was the first licensed...
, one of the "Philadelphia Eleven" who were the first women to be ordained in the Episcopal Church - The Rt. Reverend Gene RobinsonGene RobinsonVicki Gene Robinson is the ninth bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Robinson was elected bishop in 2003 and entered office in March 2004...
, 9th BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Diocese of New HampshireEpiscopal Diocese of New HampshireThe Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America , covers the entire state of New Hampshire. It was originally part of the Diocese of Massachusetts, but became independent in 1841. The see city is Concord...
and first openly gayGayGay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
bishop in the Episcopal Church
Many other notable figures, including a number of bishops, have graduated from General Seminary.
In popular culture
Because of its proximity to film studiosMovie studio
A movie studio is a term used to describe a major entertainment company or production company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to film movies...
in New York City and its collection of neo-Gothic buildings, General has appeared in multiple television shows to portray a number of schools and universities. Only a block from the Chelsea Piers
Chelsea Piers
Chelsea Piers is a series of piers on the West Side of Manhattan in New York City that was a passenger ship terminal in the early 1900s that was used by the RMS Lusitania and was the destination of the RMS Titanic....
, where Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
was filmed and where Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
is currently filmed, the seminary's Close has frequently appeared in those shows as a stand in for several schools whose campuses are not as accessible and most frequently as the fictitious Hudson University
Hudson University
Hudson University is a fictional university alluded to in the TV shows The Cosby Show, Degrassi: the Next Generation, Law & Order, Tru Calling, Without a Trace, Castle and in the DC Comics universe.-Law & Order:...
.