Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
Encyclopedia
Trinity School for Ministry (TSM) is an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition, located in Ambridge
, Pennsylvania
, a suburb of Pittsburgh
. It is generally associated with the Low Church
(evangelical) wing of the Anglican Church.
and "theological relativism
" of the existing Episcopal seminaries. Some members of this group had been involved with the charismatic movement
that began in the mid-1960s in some parishes, while others, many associated with the Fellowship of Witness, held to a more traditional Anglican Evangelicalism. These advocates for conservatism in the ECUSA began to meet and plan a new seminary with a curriculum based on orthodox
Protestant theology and evangelical principles.
In 1976, Alfred Stanway, a retired Australian missionary
bishop
to Tanganyika
(present-day Tanzania
), accepted the call to become the first dean of TSM. Beginning with 17 students and meeting in rented space, Trinity held its first classes in September 1976. Stanway served for two years before retiring. His successor, John Rodgers
, oversaw major growth during his 12-year tenure. In 1989, William C. Frey
resigned as Bishop of Colorado to become the third dean and president. In 1996, Peter C. Moore, a founding board member and noted evangelical leader, became the fourth dean and president.http://tsm.edu/About_Trinity/Our_History.html Paul F. M. Zahl was elected Trinity's fifth dean in 2004. He stepped down in May 2007, and Rodgers came out of retirement to serve as Interim Dean and President for one year. Trinity's Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, the Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry, was named the school's new dean, effective August 2008.
In 2007, Trinity dropped the word "Episcopal" from its name on most of its publications and printed materials. The school's official name, however, remains unchanged. The modification was made in acknowledgement of the growing number of realigning Anglican bodies sending students to the seminary, including the Anglican Church in North America, Anglican Mission in the Americas, the Reformed Episcopal Church
and Convocation of Anglicans in North America
(see Anglican realignment
).
Trinity has "board members, faculty, staff, students and alumni on both sides" of movements to realign. Trinity remains, however, an independent institution, neither owned nor controlled by any diocese, parish or province. It remains a member of the Episcopal Seminaries.
Trinity now serves 150 full- and part-time students on its campus in Ambridge and 75 more in online degree programs. Many former professors have become bishop
s in the Episcopal Church or other Anglican bodies around the world.
Trinity School for Ministry is an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition. In this fractured world, we desire to be a global center for Christian formation, producing outstanding leaders who can plant, renew and grow churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ. To this end we are forming Christian leaders for mission.
The values that undergird this vision are:
1) Evangelical and Anglican identity: We stand in the great Anglican Evangelical tradition that is rooted in the primacy of the scriptures and the doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, and which is foundationally expressed in the classic Book of Common Prayer.
2) Welcoming evangelical, charismatic and catholic streams: We welcome students and faculty who long for a church that is evangelical in faith, catholic in order, alive in the Holy Spirit and committed to mission. We have a vital commitment to students from the Episcopal Church and from other Anglican jurisdictions both in North America and abroad. We also welcome students from other Christian traditions.
3) Serving the Church: We are committed to serving the Church by preparing men and women to be leaders for its mission, its renewal, the planting and growth of congregations, and the proclamation of the never-changing truth in an ever-changing world.
4) Excellent teaching and scholarship: We hold high standards of excellence in teaching and scholarship, believing that these will further both personal maturity and practical effectiveness in mission.
5) Deep formation in community: We value the deep formation in Christian ministry that is possible in the residential degree programs of the school. In addition we believe in being flexible and innovative in providing theological education by extension with a global reach through the internet and off-campus classes and conferences.
6) Being a school of discipleship: We believe that the discipleship of the whole person is essential preparation for ministry. We commit to foster in all our seminarians – men, women, single, married, married with children – spiritual and emotional maturity, integrity, grace, and holiness of life.
7) Lifelong learning: We are committed to building a life-long community of learning among our graduates and other Christian leaders aimed at constantly improving their knowledge and ability as servants of Jesus Christ and His Church.
8) Trusting God’s provision: We believe that “money follows ministry,” and therefore are accountable to our partners in ministry for careful stewardship of God’s money. We prayerfully rely on God’s provision and the generosity of His people in providing quality theological education at a reasonable cost for this and future generations.
in the ECUSA. Although the seminary professes not to discriminate based on theological perspective, the over 1000 graduates who currently serve as clergy and lay leaders are overwhelmingly evangelical. Some of the, alumni, faculty, and trustees of the school have been among those who support conservative theology within the ECUSA, advocating historic views on matters such as the virgin birth, deity
of Jesus
, and the literal resurrection of Jesus
, as well as moral stances such as opposition to abortion
and homosexuality
. Some of the graduates of this institution have also assumed leadership positions within the Anglican realignment movement and are no longer practicing clergy of the ECUSA.
Although unquestionably evangelical, the seminary includes students, faculty, and staff from among evangelical, charismatic, and Anglo-Catholic wings of Anglicanism, as well as members of other Christian denominations.
and is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
.
Ambridge, Pennsylvania
Ambridge is a borough in Beaver County in Western Pennsylvania, incorporated in 1905 and named after the American Bridge Company. Ambridge is located 16 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, alongside the Ohio River. In 1910, 5,205 people lived in Ambridge; in 1920, 12,730 people lived there, and in...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, a suburb of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. It is generally associated with the Low Church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
(evangelical) wing of the Anglican Church.
History
In the mid 1970s, several prominent evangelical-leaning Episcopal clergymen and lay leaders became disillusioned with what they considered the liberal theologyLiberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
and "theological relativism
Relativism
Relativism is the concept that points of view have no absolute truth or validity, having only relative, subjective value according to differences in perception and consideration....
" of the existing Episcopal seminaries. Some members of this group had been involved with the charismatic movement
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
that began in the mid-1960s in some parishes, while others, many associated with the Fellowship of Witness, held to a more traditional Anglican Evangelicalism. These advocates for conservatism in the ECUSA began to meet and plan a new seminary with a curriculum based on orthodox
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
Protestant theology and evangelical principles.
In 1976, Alfred Stanway, a retired Australian missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
bishop
Bishop
A 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...
to Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
(present-day Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
), accepted the call to become the first dean of TSM. Beginning with 17 students and meeting in rented space, Trinity held its first classes in September 1976. Stanway served for two years before retiring. His successor, John Rodgers
John Rodgers
John Rodgers may refer to:*John Rodgers , Colonel during the Revolutionary War and owner of Rodgers Tavern, Perryville, Maryland...
, oversaw major growth during his 12-year tenure. In 1989, William C. Frey
William C. Frey
William C. Frey was a United States federal judge.Born in Tucson, Arizona, Frey was in the United States Army Major during World War II, from 1941 to 1946. He received a B.A. from the University of Arizona in 1947 and a J.D. from the University of Arizona College of Law in 1950. He was in private...
resigned as Bishop of Colorado to become the third dean and president. In 1996, Peter C. Moore, a founding board member and noted evangelical leader, became the fourth dean and president.http://tsm.edu/About_Trinity/Our_History.html Paul F. M. Zahl was elected Trinity's fifth dean in 2004. He stepped down in May 2007, and Rodgers came out of retirement to serve as Interim Dean and President for one year. Trinity's Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, the Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry, was named the school's new dean, effective August 2008.
In 2007, Trinity dropped the word "Episcopal" from its name on most of its publications and printed materials. The school's official name, however, remains unchanged. The modification was made in acknowledgement of the growing number of realigning Anglican bodies sending students to the seminary, including the Anglican Church in North America, Anglican Mission in the Americas, the Reformed Episcopal Church
Reformed Episcopal Church
The Reformed Episcopal Church is an Anglican church in the United States and Canada and a founding member of the Anglican Church in North America...
and Convocation of Anglicans in North America
Convocation of Anglicans in North America
The Convocation of Anglicans in North America is an Anglican body in the United States primarily comprising Anglican and Episcopal churches that have disaffiliated from the Episcopal Church in the United States of America . CANA was initially a missionary initiative of the Anglican Church of Nigeria...
(see Anglican realignment
Anglican realignment
The term Anglican realignment refers to a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada...
).
Trinity has "board members, faculty, staff, students and alumni on both sides" of movements to realign. Trinity remains, however, an independent institution, neither owned nor controlled by any diocese, parish or province. It remains a member of the Episcopal Seminaries.
Trinity now serves 150 full- and part-time students on its campus in Ambridge and 75 more in online degree programs. Many former professors have become bishop
Bishop
A 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...
s in the Episcopal Church or other Anglican bodies around the world.
Vision, Purpose & Values
As of 2011, Trinity's Vision & Values Statement is as follows:Trinity School for Ministry is an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition. In this fractured world, we desire to be a global center for Christian formation, producing outstanding leaders who can plant, renew and grow churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ. To this end we are forming Christian leaders for mission.
The values that undergird this vision are:
1) Evangelical and Anglican identity: We stand in the great Anglican Evangelical tradition that is rooted in the primacy of the scriptures and the doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, and which is foundationally expressed in the classic Book of Common Prayer.
2) Welcoming evangelical, charismatic and catholic streams: We welcome students and faculty who long for a church that is evangelical in faith, catholic in order, alive in the Holy Spirit and committed to mission. We have a vital commitment to students from the Episcopal Church and from other Anglican jurisdictions both in North America and abroad. We also welcome students from other Christian traditions.
3) Serving the Church: We are committed to serving the Church by preparing men and women to be leaders for its mission, its renewal, the planting and growth of congregations, and the proclamation of the never-changing truth in an ever-changing world.
4) Excellent teaching and scholarship: We hold high standards of excellence in teaching and scholarship, believing that these will further both personal maturity and practical effectiveness in mission.
5) Deep formation in community: We value the deep formation in Christian ministry that is possible in the residential degree programs of the school. In addition we believe in being flexible and innovative in providing theological education by extension with a global reach through the internet and off-campus classes and conferences.
6) Being a school of discipleship: We believe that the discipleship of the whole person is essential preparation for ministry. We commit to foster in all our seminarians – men, women, single, married, married with children – spiritual and emotional maturity, integrity, grace, and holiness of life.
7) Lifelong learning: We are committed to building a life-long community of learning among our graduates and other Christian leaders aimed at constantly improving their knowledge and ability as servants of Jesus Christ and His Church.
8) Trusting God’s provision: We believe that “money follows ministry,” and therefore are accountable to our partners in ministry for careful stewardship of God’s money. We prayerfully rely on God’s provision and the generosity of His people in providing quality theological education at a reasonable cost for this and future generations.
Evangelical leadership
Founded by leaders of the evangelical wing of the Episcopal Church, TSM has become a central player in the renewal movementConfessing Movement
The Confessing Movement is an Evangelical movement within several mainline Protestant denominations to return those churches to what the members of the movement see as theological orthodoxy....
in the ECUSA. Although the seminary professes not to discriminate based on theological perspective, the over 1000 graduates who currently serve as clergy and lay leaders are overwhelmingly evangelical. Some of the, alumni, faculty, and trustees of the school have been among those who support conservative theology within the ECUSA, advocating historic views on matters such as the virgin birth, deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, and the literal resurrection of Jesus
Resurrection of Jesus
The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"...
, as well as moral stances such as opposition to abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
. Some of the graduates of this institution have also assumed leadership positions within the Anglican realignment movement and are no longer practicing clergy of the ECUSA.
Although unquestionably evangelical, the seminary includes students, faculty, and staff from among evangelical, charismatic, and Anglo-Catholic wings of Anglicanism, as well as members of other Christian denominations.
Academic information
TSM is accredited by the 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...
and is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is an accreditation agency to promote fiscal integrity and sound financial practices among member organizations. Founded in 1979, it comprises over 2,000 evangelical Christian organizations which qualify for tax-exempt, nonprofit status and...
.
Degree programs
- Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
- Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
- Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.)
- Master of Arts in Mission (M.A.M.)
- Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.)
Diploma and certificate programs
- Diploma in Anglican Studies - available on campus or online
- Diploma in Christian Ministry - available on campus or online
- Certificate in Christian Ministry
Notable alumni
- Mark J. Lawrence (1980), Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South CarolinaEpiscopal Diocese of South CarolinaThe Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America covering an area of 24 counties in the eastern part of the state of South Carolina. Its see city is Charleston, home to the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul and Diocesan House. There are...
- John Miller, Bishop in Anglican Mission in AmericaAnglican Mission in AmericaThe Anglican Mission in the Americas or The Anglican Mission ; formerly Anglican Mission in America is a Christian missionary organization active in the United States and Canada which emphasizes church planting...
- Wilson Turumanya, Bishop of Bunyaro-Kitara, Anglican Church of Uganda
- John RucyahanaJohn RucyahanaJohn Kabango Rucyahana is a former Anglican bishop in Rwanda.-Early life:Rucyahana was born on 14 November 1945 and lived in Rwanda until 1959 when he went into exile because of the civil war in Rwanda. He became a lay evangelist at the age of 21.He did his Primary Studies in three primary...
, Bishop of Shyria, Anglican Church of Rwanda - Hector "Tito" Zavala, Bishop of Chile, Iglesia Anglicana de Chile (Anglican Church of Chile), Primate- Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de América (Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America)
- Sadock Makaya, Bishop of Diocese of Western Tanganyika, Tanzania
- Elias Chakupewa, Bishop of Tabora, Anglican Church of Tanzania
- Ben Kwashi, Archbishop of Jos, Anglican Church of Nigeria
- Alpha Mohamed, Bishop of Rift Valley, Tanzania
- Abraham Nhial, Bishop of Aweil, The Episcopal Church of Sudan
- Ann B. DavisAnn B. DavisAnn Bradford Davis is an American television actress.Davis achieved prominence for her role in The Bob Cummings Show for which she twice won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series...
, former actress - Shirley Rollinson, retired Chair of the Department of Religion, and Professor of Greek at Eastern New Mexico Universisy.
Notable current and former faculty
- John Rodgers was one of the first bishops in the Anglican Mission in America.
- Paul Zahl is the recently retired Rector of All Saints Church, Chevy Chase, Maryland, and former dean of the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama.
- Greg Brewer is now Rector of the Parish of Calvary/St. George's, New York City.
- Paul House is Associate Dean and Professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity SchoolBeeson Divinity SchoolThe Beeson Divinity School of Samford University is an interdenominational evangelical divinity school. The current dean is Timothy George.Though located on the campus of a Baptist university, Beeson remains interdenominational...
of Samford UniversitySamford UniversitySamford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
. - Terence Kelshaw served as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio GrandeEpiscopal Diocese of the Rio GrandeThe Episcopal Diocese of Rio Grande is the Episcopal diocese in New Mexico and southwest Texas, the portion of the state west of the Pecos River, including the counties of El Paso, Reeves, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Brewster, Presidio, Terrell, Hudspeth and Pecos. The total area of the diocese is ....
from 1989 until his retirement in 2005. - Bishop William C. Frey, Dean and President, Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, 1989-1996
- Mary Hays is Canon to the Ordinary of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh
- David Mills is executive editor of the journal First ThingsFirst ThingsFirst Things is an ecumenical journal focused on creating a "religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". The journal is inter-denominational and inter-religious, representing a broad intellectual tradition of Christian and Jewish critique of contemporary society...
. - Robert S. Munday is Dean and President 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...
Theological Seminary. - Stephen Noll is Vice Chancellor of Uganda Christian UniversityUganda Christian UniversityUganda Christian University is a private church-founded university administered by the Church of Uganda .-Location:The main campus of the university, with approximately 6,500 students, is located in the town of Mukono, approximately , by road, east of Uganda's capital city, Kampala, on the...
. - Patrick Henry Reardon is Pastor of All Saints Antiochian Orthodox Church in ChicagoChicagoChicago 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...
and Senior Editor of Touchstone MagazineTouchstone MagazineTouchstone Magazine is a bimonthly publication of the Fellowship of St. James. It is subtitled A Journal of Mere Christianity, which replaced A Journal of Ecumenical Orthodoxy.-Biography:...
. - Marcus Robertson is the Rector of Christ Church, Savannah, Georgia.
- Allen P. Ross is Professor of Divinity at Beeson Divinity SchoolBeeson Divinity SchoolThe Beeson Divinity School of Samford University is an interdenominational evangelical divinity school. The current dean is Timothy George.Though located on the campus of a Baptist university, Beeson remains interdenominational...
of Samford UniversitySamford UniversitySamford University, founded as Howard College is a private, coeducational, Alabama Baptist Convention-affiliated university located in Homewood, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It includes the , Cumberland School of Law, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Brock School of Business, Ida V....
.