The Council on Theological Education (CTE) is comprised of the presidents and deans of the four Disciples seminaries, two divinity houses and the Disciples Seminary Foundation. Other members of the council include a representative from the College of Regional Ministers as well as the President of Higher Education and Leadership Ministries. The Council recently met in Indianapolis on March 21-22 and had the opportunity to engage in conversations with representatives from the Association of Theological Schools. Chris Meinzer, Senior Director of Administration and CFO of ATS, shared information on ATS enrollment with a focus on Disciples students while Dr. Frank Yamada, Executive Director of ATS, presented information on the status of denominationally affiliated theological education. Both presentations offered the opportunity for members of CTE to engage in conversations concerning the challenges and opportunities facing Disciples theological institutions today.
In addition, representatives from each school shared news and current changes taking place on their respective campuses. Here are a few highlights from each school:
Brite Divinity School
A search is currently in process to find an instructor to teach Methodist studies. In the fall a search will begin for a scholar to teach classes on the Black Church in America.
Christian Theological Seminary
Rev. Yolanda Norton will join the CTS faculty in July as Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible. CTS anticipates making an appointment for the coming academic year in New Testament as well.
CTS continues its re-accreditation process this spring, having received a positive recommendation from the Association of Theological Schools in March and is anticipating the accreditation review visit from the Higher Learning Commission in April.
The completion of reconfiguring and updating classrooms and offices as part of the CTS/Butler University shared space arrangement is nearing completion.
Disciples Divinity House at the University of Chicago
The Divinity House will celebrate its 125th year of training students in 2019, with celebrations scheduled throughout the year and special events taking place on Memorial Day weekend.
The Divinity House has just completed a search for a professor of the History of Religions, with a focus on Africa. Two other searches are currently underway.
Disciples Divinity House at Vanderbilt University
The Divinity House is in the midst of a planned leadership transition, as Mark Miller-McLemore steps down after 23 years as dean. The House will engage an interim leader for a year as it makes careful transitions to a new leader and model.
The House’s partner, Vanderbilt Divinity School, is implementing a new curriculum in the fall of 2018. A major part of this transition is a reduction in the hours for the MDiv from 84 to 72. In addition, interdisciplinary “concentrations” will be introduced in areas such as Prophetic and Pastoral Congregational Leadership, Chaplaincy, Prison Studies, and Spirituality and Social Activism.
Finally, the Divinity School is renovating, adding to its building better teaching and gathering spaces, including a chapel, and places where the community can discover, question and create change.
Disciples Seminary Foundation
DSF currently serves the largest number of students in its history, with 118 Disciples enrolled in the four partner campuses in Seattle, San Anselmo, Berkeley, Claremont and San Diego as well as online programs across the United States, and 39 students enrolled in the certificate programs in Spanish. DSF’s interests and growing edges include new church planting, Disciples and ecumenical formation, and multiculturalism.
Lexington Theological Seminary
Dr. Richard Weis retired as Dean after the 2017 spring semester. After a thorough search process, Dr. Loida Martell was called to serve as Dean at the beginning of the 2017 fall semester. Dr. Martell also serves as Professor of Constructive Theology.
LTS also received a grant from the Lilly Foundation to do research on bi-vocational ministers, a growing segment within those called into ministry. This process includes surveying ministers in Kentucky who self-identify as bi-vocational with the goal of identifying the types of theological education that offer the best preparation for ministry.
Phillips Theological Seminary
In addition to serving as Dean, Dr. Nancy Pittman will become Interim President May 1.
Four searches for new faculty members are nearing completion with new hires in the areas of Disciples History, New Testament, Diaspora Studies and Practical Theology.
PTS has taken the Ministry Training Program (formerly the MidAmerica Center for Ministry) under its wing, relaunching it on January 1, 2018. This program will continue the work of training persons for local church ministry, providing continuing education and making ministry training available to a broad audience, including laity.