Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Encyclopedia
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) is one of six official seminaries of the Southern Baptist Convention
. It is located in Kansas City, Missouri
. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary also houses an undergraduate college, Midwestern Baptist College, SBC. Although the seminary focuses primarily on graduate level education, there are diploma options available. The current president is Dr. R. Philip Roberts.
Midwestern Seminary was officially founded on May 29, 1957 when the Southern Baptist Convention
voted to establish the institution and elected a board of trustees. Since that time, the trustees have been regularly and exclusively elected by the Southern Baptist Convention
. Under the leadership of the original board of trustees, the seminary was established in 1958 in Northern Kansas City, Missouri
with six faculty members and 136 students. Most of the property on which the seminary is housed was donated by the Vivion family to the seminary. The Vivion farm home has been restored and is now used for special events and to house special guests of the seminary.
Doctrinally, MBTS is controlled by the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message
. Every member of the faculty and administration is required to sign a statement agreeing to the precepts of this document. While students are required to be Christians, they are not required to affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.
Educationally, MBTS is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
(ATS) and The Higher Learning Commission
of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
(HLC). The seminary is accredited to offer several Master's degrees that are generally classified as Master of Divinity
(MDiv) and Master of Arts
. In the MDiv program, concentrations are available in the traditional MDiv, Christian Education, Collegiate Ministries, International Church Planting, North American Church Planting, Urban Ministry, Worship Leadership and Youth Ministry. Master of Arts degrees are available in Christian Education Degree, Christian Education Degree plus Worship Leadership Concentration, Church Music, Counseling, Biblical Archaeology and Biblical Languages. At the doctoral level, MBTS offers two professional doctorates: Doctor of Ministry
(D.Min.) and Doctor of Educational Ministry (D.Ed.Min.) and a research doctorate PhD
in Old Testament or New Testament studies. The seminary also offers a Graduate Certificate in Christian Foundations for Lay Ministers. Midwestern Baptist College, SBC offers undergraduate degrees.
In 2010, Midwestern Baptist College launched a Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree 100% online. Additionally, in 2010 ground was broken on a new 1000 seat chapel.
The purpose statement of Midwestern Seminary was revised in 2008 to read, "Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary serves the church by biblically educating God-called men and women to be and to make disciples of Jesus Christ."
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
. It is located in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary also houses an undergraduate college, Midwestern Baptist College, SBC. Although the seminary focuses primarily on graduate level education, there are diploma options available. The current president is Dr. R. Philip Roberts.
Midwestern Seminary was officially founded on May 29, 1957 when the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
voted to establish the institution and elected a board of trustees. Since that time, the trustees have been regularly and exclusively elected by the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
. Under the leadership of the original board of trustees, the seminary was established in 1958 in Northern Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
with six faculty members and 136 students. Most of the property on which the seminary is housed was donated by the Vivion family to the seminary. The Vivion farm home has been restored and is now used for special events and to house special guests of the seminary.
Doctrinally, MBTS is controlled by the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message
Baptist Faith and Message
The Baptist Faith and Message is the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention . It summarizes key Southern Baptist thought in the areas of the Bible and its authority, the nature of God as expressed by the Trinity, the spiritual condition of man, God's plan of grace and salvation,...
. Every member of the faculty and administration is required to sign a statement agreeing to the precepts of this document. While students are required to be Christians, they are not required to affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.
Educationally, MBTS 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...
(ATS) and The Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission is part of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Higher Learning Commission oversees the accreditation of degree-granting colleges and universities in nineteen Midwestern and South-Central states, including Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa,...
of the 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...
(HLC). The seminary is accredited to offer several Master's degrees that are generally classified as 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...
(MDiv) and 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...
. In the MDiv program, concentrations are available in the traditional MDiv, Christian Education, Collegiate Ministries, International Church Planting, North American Church Planting, Urban Ministry, Worship Leadership and Youth Ministry. Master of Arts degrees are available in Christian Education Degree, Christian Education Degree plus Worship Leadership Concentration, Church Music, Counseling, Biblical Archaeology and Biblical Languages. At the doctoral level, MBTS offers two professional doctorates: Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Ministry
The 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.) and Doctor of Educational Ministry (D.Ed.Min.) and a research doctorate PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Old Testament or New Testament studies. The seminary also offers a Graduate Certificate in Christian Foundations for Lay Ministers. Midwestern Baptist College, SBC offers undergraduate degrees.
In 2010, Midwestern Baptist College launched a Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree 100% online. Additionally, in 2010 ground was broken on a new 1000 seat chapel.
The purpose statement of Midwestern Seminary was revised in 2008 to read, "Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary serves the church by biblically educating God-called men and women to be and to make disciples of Jesus Christ."
External links
- Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary official site