Weston Jesuit School of Theology
Encyclopedia
The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry in Brighton, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 is the graduate divinity school
Divinity School
Divinity School may refer to:* The common noun, divinity school* When used as a proper noun, may be an abbreviated reference to one of the following:** Beeson Divinity School** Berkeley Divinity School** Brite Divinity School...

 of Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...

 and an ecclesiastical faculty
Pontifical university
A pontifical university is a Catholic University established by and directly under the authority of the Holy See. It is licensed to grant academic degrees in sacred faculties, the most important of which are Sacred Theology, Canon Law, Sacred Scripture and...

 of theology that trains men and women, both lay and religious, for service, especially within the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

. The School is operated by the Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

.

History

Founded in 1922 as Weston College in the Massachusetts town of Weston
Weston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....

, the school was integrated into Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...

 in 1959.

In 1974, Weston College became independent but coordinated with Boston College under the Boston Theological Institute
Boston Theological Institute
Boston Theological Institute is the largest theological consortium in the world, bringing together the resources of universities and divinity schools throughout the greater Boston area and some of the most prestigious educational institutions...

. In 1975, Weston College was renamed to Weston School of Theology and operated from facilities in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...

 in a cooperative arrangement with the Episcopal Divinity School
Episcopal Divinity School
The Episcopal Divinity School is a seminary of the Episcopal Church based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Known throughout the Anglican Communion for prophetic teaching and action on issues of civil rights and social justice, its faculty and students have been directly involved in many of the social...

. In 1994, the school was renamed to Weston Jesuit School of Theology.

In December 2004, Boston College announced plans to create a School of Theology and Ministry by merging the Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry and the Weston Jesuit School of Theology. The reaffiliation of Weston Jesuit with Boston College took place in 2008, and the school was moved to the Boston College campus in Brighton, Massachusetts, purchased in 2006. These buildings formerly housed the chancery of the Archdiocese of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...

 and portions of St. John's Seminary
St. John's Seminary (Massachusetts)
Saint John's Seminary, located in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, is a Catholic major seminary sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston....

.

Academic programs

The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry is a fully accredited member of 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 the following degree and certificate programs:

Civil Degree programs

  • 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...

     (M.Div.)
  • Master of Theological Studies
    Master of Theological Studies
    A 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 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 Pastoral Ministry (M.A.)
  • Master of Theology
    Master of Theology
    A Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries.-North America:In North America, the Master of Theology is considered by the Association of Theological Schools to be the minimum educational credential for teaching...

     (Th.M.)
  • Master of Education
    Master of Education
    The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...

     in Religious Education (M.Ed.)
  • Doctor of Philosophy
    Doctor of Philosophy
    Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...

     in Theology and Education (Ph.D.)

Ecclesiastical degree programs

Three of the School's programs offer ecclesiastical degrees recognized by the Roman Catholic Church. The programs offering these ecclesiastical degrees are subject to the oversight of the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education
Congregation for Catholic Education
The Congregation for Catholic Education is the Pontifical congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for: seminaries and houses of formation of...

, and faculty members teaching in these programs are required to have the approval of the Congregation:
  • Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology
    Bachelor of Sacred Theology
    The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...

     (S.T.B.)
  • Licentiate in Sacred Theology
    Licentiate of Sacred Theology
    Licentiate of Sacred Theology is the title of the second cycle of studies of a Faculty of Theology offered by a pontifical universities or ecclesiastical faculties of sacred theology. An Ecclesiastical Faculty offers three cycles of study: Baccalaureate or fundamentals, Licentiate or specialized,...

     (S.T.L.)
  • Doctor of Sacred Theology
    Doctor of Sacred Theology
    The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....

     (S.T.D.)

Dual-degree programs

The School also offers the following dual-degree programs in collaboration with other graduate schools at Boston College:
  • 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 Pastoral Ministry/Master of Social Work
    Master of Social Work
    The Master of Social Work is a master's degree in social workand especiality of sociology.- United States :In the United States, MSW degrees must be received from a graduate school that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education...

     (M.A./M.S.W.) in collaboration with the Graduate School of Social Work
    Boston College Graduate School of Social Work
    The Graduate School of Social Work is one of the professional schools of Boston College, located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. is central to Boston College's mission of social justice. Its major goal is to assist and empower the disadvantaged members of society...

  • 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 Pastoral Ministry/Master of Business Administration
    Master of Business Administration
    The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...

     (M.A./M.B.A.) in collaboration with the Carroll School of Management
    Carroll School of Management
    Established in 1938, The Wallace E. Carroll School of Management, or "CSOM", as it is colloquially known, is the business school of Boston College, in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States....

  • 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 Pastoral Ministry/Counseling Psychology (M.A./M.A.) in collaboration with the Lynch School of Education
    Lynch School of Education
    The Lynch School of Education is a professional school of Boston College. Joseph O'Keefe, S.J. is the current dean.The Lynch School of Education offers graduate and undergraduate programs in education, psychology, and human development. The mission of the school is to improve the human condition...

  • 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 Pastoral Ministry/Master of Science in Nursing
    Master of Science in Nursing
    A Master of Science in Nursing is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree also may prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader...

     (M.A./M.S.N.) in collaboration with the Connell School of Nursing
    Connell School of Nursing
    The Connell School of Nursing is a graduate and undergraduate nursing school and one of the professional schools of Boston College.-See also:*List of nursing schools in the United States...


Students must be independently admitted to both schools prior to beginning a dual-degree program at the School of Theology and Ministry.

Certificate programs

The School also offers a Certificate of Advanced Educational Specialization, Religious Education (C.A.E.S.)

Theology and Ministry Library

The Theology and Ministry Library is located on the Brighton Campus. It is open to all Boston College students, faculty and staff, and is a part of the Boston College Library System. Integrating the former collections of Weston Jesuit School of Theology and St. John's Seminary, it contains more than 2.44 million volumes. The library also participates in the Boston Theological Institute
Boston Theological Institute
Boston Theological Institute is the largest theological consortium in the world, bringing together the resources of universities and divinity schools throughout the greater Boston area and some of the most prestigious educational institutions...

 library program, which allows STM students to borrow materials from any of the other BTI libraries.

New Testament Abstracts

The School of Theology and Ministry publishes New Testament Abstracts, a scholarly journal that abstracts at least 2,150 articles selected from over 500 periodicals in different languages, as well as over 850 current books annually. New Testament Abstracts is published three times per year and is edited by professors Daniel J. Harrington
Daniel J. Harrington
Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. is a professor and the Chair of the Biblical Studies Department at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry . A member of the Society of Jesus, Fr. Harrington has served as editor of New Testament Abstracts since 1972...

, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 and Christopher R. Matthews.

Administration

The current Dean of the School is Rev. Mark S. Massa
Mark S. Massa
Mark S. Massa, SJ is the Dean of the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and Karl Rahner Distinguished Professor of Theology at Fordham University in New York....

, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 The previous Dean was Rev. Richard J. Clifford, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

, who oversaw the merger in 2008 and served in that capacity until 2010. Clifford is currently a Professor of Old Testament at the STM.

Faculty

There are 27 full-time faculty members at the School of Theology and Ministry, in addition to 33 members of the Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...

 Department of Theology with which students are able to work and take classes. The faculty at the STM can be divided according to their research in the following fields:
  • Historical Theology
    Historical theology
    Historical theology is a branch of theological studies that investigates the socio-historical and cultural mechanisms that give rise to theological ideas, systems, and statements. Research and method in this field focus on the relationship between theology and context as well as the major...

  • 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...

  • Practical Theology
    Practical theology
    Practical theology is the practical application of theology to everyday life. Richard Osmer explains that the four key questions and tasks in practical theology are:# What is going on? # Why is this going on?...

  • Church History
  • Moral Theology
    Moral theology
    Moral theology is a systematic theological treatment of Christian ethics. It is usually taught on Divinity faculties as a part of the basic curriculum.- External links :*...

  • Biblical Studies
    Biblical studies
    Biblical studies is the academic study of the Judeo-Christian Bible and related texts. For Christianity, the Bible traditionally comprises the New Testament and Old Testament, which together are sometimes called the "Scriptures." Judaism recognizes as scripture only the Hebrew Bible, also known as...

  • Religious Education
    Religious Education
    Religious Education is the term given to education concerned with religion. It may refer to education provided by a church or religious organization, for instruction in doctrine and faith, or for education in various aspects of religion, but without explicitly religious or moral aims, e.g. in a...

  • Pastoral Counseling
    Pastoral counseling
    Pastoral counseling is a branch of counseling in which psychologically trained ministers, rabbis, priests and other persons provide therapy services...

  • Canon Law
    Canon law
    Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...

  • Liturgical Theology
    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...

  • 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...

     and the Arts

Student demographics

As of 2010, the current number of students at the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry is 402 students during the academic year (and 380 students in the summer institute). While the majority of students at the STM are Catholic, it is also home to a number of Anglican/Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, 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:...

, Orthodox, Presbyterian, Unitarian Universalist, Nondenominational, Buddhist and Hindu
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...

 students. The student body includes representatives from 27 nations and 6 continents, and students range in age from 21 to 74 years old. 65% of students at the STM are laypersons
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...

, with 35% representing a religious order or diocesan priests. Lay students in all programs study alongside Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

 scholastics.

Notable alumni

  • Robert Araujo
    Robert Araujo (Jurist)
    The reverend Robert Araujo, SJ, is the John Courtney Murray Professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Formerly, he was the Robert Bellarmine University Professor in American and Public International Law at Gonzaga University and an Ordinary Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian...

    , S.J.
    Society of Jesus
    The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

    , John Courtney Murray
    John Courtney Murray
    John Courtney Murray, , was an American Jesuit priest and theologian, who was especially known for his efforts to reconcile Catholicism and religious pluralism, particularly focusing on the relationship between religious freedom and the institutions of a democratically structured modern...

     Professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law
    Loyola University Chicago School of Law
    Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the law school of the Loyola University Chicago, in Illinois. Established in 1909, by the Society of Jesus, the Roman Catholic order of the Jesuits, the School of Law is located in downtown Chicago, within walking distance of the Water Tower , the John...

  • J. Donald Freeze
    J. Donald Freeze
    James Donald Freeze, S.J. was the Academic Vice President for the main campus of Georgetown University from 1979 to 1991. In this role, he supervised all academic programs of Georgetown's College of Arts and Sciences, School of Foreign Service, School of Language and Linguistics, School of Business...

    , S.J., Academic Vice President of Georgetown University
    Georgetown University
    Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...

     from 1979 to 1991
  • Michael Holman
    Michael Holman (priest)
    Father Michael Holman SJ is the current principle of Heythrop College, University of London and former Headmaster of Wimbledon College and the of the Jesuits in the British Province...

    , S.J., current Provincial
    Provincial
    Provincial may refer to:* Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country.* Provincial examinations, a school-leaving exam in British Columbia, Canada* A provincial superior of a religious order...

     of the British Province of the Society of Jesus
    Society of Jesus
    The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

  • Thomas Lawler, S.J., future Provincial
    Provincial
    Provincial may refer to:* Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country.* Provincial examinations, a school-leaving exam in British Columbia, Canada* A provincial superior of a religious order...

     of the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus
    Society of Jesus
    The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

    .
  • James J. Martin
    James J. Martin
    James J. Martin was an American historian. He was educated at the University of New Hampshire and the University of Michigan, earning a Ph.D. in history in 1949....

    , S.J., Jesuit priest, a writer and Culture Editor of the Jesuit magazine America
    America (magazine)
    America is a national weekly magazine published by the American Jesuits that contains news and opinion about Catholicism and how it relates to American politics and cultural life....

  • Leo J. O'Donovan
    Leo J. O'Donovan
    Rev. Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J. was the 47th President of Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States. A 1952 graduate of Iona Preparatory School, and a 1956 graduate of Georgetown, he studied at the Universite de Lyon on a Fulbright scholarship and received a doctorate in 1961 from Fordham...

    , S.J., the 47th President of Georgetown University
  • David O'Leary
    Reverend David O'Leary
    Reverend David O'Leary is a priest and educator, currently serving as the University Chaplain for Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. He is also a Senior Lecturer in Religion and Medical Ethics and Chair of the Social, Behavioral and Educational Institutional Review Board at Tufts...

    , Senior Lecturer in Religion and Medical Ethics and Chair of the Social, Behavioral and Educational Institutional Review Board at Tufts University
    Tufts University
    Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...

  • Katarina Schuth
    Katarina Schuth
    Sr. Katarina Schuth is an active member of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, Minnesota, since 1960, through most of which she has been a faculty member in higher education institutions. Currently she holds an Endowed Professorship for the Social Scientific Study of Religion at the Saint...

    , Endowed Professor for the Social Scientific Study of Religion at the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity
    Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity
    The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, was founded by Archbishop John Ireland in 1894, to provide ordained priests for the ever-increasing Catholic population of the Upper Midwest. The seminary now sits on the south campus of the University of St. Thomas,...

     at the University of St. Thomas
    University of St. Thomas
    University of St. Thomas can refer to:*University of St. Thomas *University of St. Thomas *University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines*Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas , Rome, Italy...

  • Jeffrey Paul von Arx, S.J., current president of Fairfield University
    Fairfield University
    Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...

  • Kevin Wildes
    Kevin Wildes
    Reverend Kevin William Wildes, S.J., Ph.D., is the current president of Loyola University New Orleans. He was formally installed as the school's 16th president on July 1, 2004....

    , S.J., current president of Loyola University New Orleans
    Loyola University New Orleans
    Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola...


See also

  • Society of Jesus
    Society of Jesus
    The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...

  • Boston Theological Institute
    Boston Theological Institute
    Boston Theological Institute is the largest theological consortium in the world, bringing together the resources of universities and divinity schools throughout the greater Boston area and some of the most prestigious educational institutions...

  • Boston College
    Boston College
    Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...

  • Pontifical university
    Pontifical university
    A pontifical university is a Catholic University established by and directly under the authority of the Holy See. It is licensed to grant academic degrees in sacred faculties, the most important of which are Sacred Theology, Canon Law, Sacred Scripture and...

  • Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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