United Theological Seminary

The United Theological Seminary was founded in Dayton, Ohio, United States in 1869 by the Rev. Milton Wright at a General Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. In 1968, when the United Brethren merged with the Methodist Church, United Theological Seminary became one of the thirteen official seminaries of the United Methodist Church. Its campus is presently located in Trotwood, Ohio, on the outskirts of Dayton.

Church Renewal

United Theological Seminary is unique among mainline Protestant seminaries in that it offers a Masters of Divinity (M.Div.) degree with an emphasis in church renewal [http://www.united.edu/academics/churchrenewal.shtml] . In addition, the M.Div. curriculum includes a required course on Foundations for Church Renewal. These degree and course offerings reflect a shared commitment by the faculty at United Theological Seminary to pursue theological education in a way that contributes to the work of renewing the church in the modern West.

Faculty

United has an outstanding faculty of scholars in the fields of Bible, theology and ethics, preaching, worship, church history, and pastoral care. They have written numerous books and articles in their respective fields of study. Is the school accredited?

Current faculty include:

Sarah B. Brooks Blair, Director of the Library and Assistant Professor of Church History

Andrea J. Dickens, Assistant Professor of Church History

Thomas B. Dozeman, Professor of Old Testament

Wendy J. Deichmann Edwards, President and Associate Professor of History and Theology

Richard Eslinger, Interim Academic Dean and Professor of Homiletics and Worship

Lisa M. Hess, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Contextual Ministries

Vivian Johnson, Associate Professor of Old Testament

Emma J. Justes, Distinguished Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling

Kendall K. McCabe, Professor of Evangelization in the Heisel Chair

Andrew Sung Park, Professor of Theology

Jason E. Vickers, Associate Professor of Theology and Wesleyan Studies

David F. Watson, Assistant Professor of New Testament

David M. Whitford, Professor of the History of Christianity

Formation/Integration for Spirit-led Discipleship

United's commitment to collaborative and contextual theological education is rooted in a call to Christ-centered community, love of learning, nurture of piety, and pursuit of justice. Only within covenantal communities, who live their faith into particular contexts, may the historical spiritual disciplines find contemporary roots to nurture and enliven ministry for discipleship. The formation/integration program revolves around local church or community placements and facilitated peer-groups for critical theological reflection. The intercultural immersion program stretches students' horizons for understanding context and collaboration in a global sense. Contextual Ministries, a central element of United's academic curriculum, encourages students to develop stronger skills in: 1. Spiritual disciplines for a rhythmic life amidst the development of professional, theological excellence

2. Proactive pursuit of healthy, well-bounded relationships for the support of ministry

3. Critical theological reflection in community that speaks to the church/world, yet weaves concrete experiences of the Holy Spirit

4. Discernment of one's own assumptions within personal narrative, culture, and theological perspective

5. Engagement of ministry in collaboration with people from other cultures, locations, perspectives

The Center for Evangelical United Brethren Heritage

Founded in 1979, its purpose is to preserve and promote the study of the religious and ecclesiastical traditions that formed the Evangelical United Brethren Church. To this end the Center has carried on an extensive oral history project and has gathered people for consultations and special observances. The Center is housed in the Library at United Theological Seminary.

Center holdings include a collection of:

Over 7,000 volumes related to the denomination and its forebears, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and the Evangelical Church; artifacts from the mission field; photographs; church ephemera; numerous manuscript collections documenting the work of the church and the lives of church leaders.

Harriet L. Miller Women's Center

The Harriet L. Miller Women’s Center, named for the first woman to serve on United’s faculty, was established to facilitate the partnership of women and men in a community of faith.

The Center has as its objective both the present support of women in ministry and the actualization of a theological community in which the leadership of women and the leadership of men will be perceived as a community of partnership.

Through the varied dimensions of the Center, women receive support and resources to strengthen their identity and relationships as students, professionals in ministry, family members, friends and colleagues.

The Center sponsors programs and projects that integrate the history, scholarship, leadership and ministries of women into the seminary curriculum and supports retreats, workshops and womanist / feminist / mujerista theological dialogue for women faculty and staff, ordained and lay women in the Church, denominational organizations and other church groups.

The Center also assists men in developing their capacity to recognize the presence and participation of women in seminary and clergy communities and in the Church.

Notable Alumni/ae

* Paul E. V. Shannon - a Bishop of the Evangelical United Brethren Church
* W. Maynard Sparks - a Bishop of the Evangelical United Brethren and the United Methodist Churches
* Floyd H. Flake (D.Min.) - Senior Pastor of the 23,000 member Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Cathedral in Jamaica, Queens, New York; President of Wilberforce University.
* Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ.

External links

* [http://www.united.edu/ UTS official site]
* [http://www.united.edu/aboututs/history/ UTS official history page]