Wesley Theological Seminary

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. For the seminary located in Jackson, MS, see Wesley Biblical Seminary.
Wesley Theological Seminary
Established: 1882
Religious affiliation: United Methodist Church
President: The Rev. Dr. David McAllister-Wilson
Location: Washington, DC
Campus: Urban
Colors: Purple and White
Website: www.wesleyseminary.edu

Contents

[edit] Introduction

Wesley Theological Seminary is a United Methodist affiliated theological seminary located in Washington, D.C.. The school was founded in 1882. It is a member of the Washington Theological Consortium and is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools.

Wesley offers Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theological Studies, and Doctor of Ministry degrees. In addition, Wesley offers a dual degree program in concert with neighboring American University. Graduates of the dual degree program receive a Master of Theological Studies from Wesley and a Master of Arts degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution or International Development.

Wesley also offers the unique National Capital Semester for Seminarians program which gives seminarians the opportunity to come to Washington, DC to see how theology interacts with public policy. This program is conducted by the Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy which is an ecumenical organization that serves to research and explore the relationship between theology and issues of social and public policy.

[edit] History

Wesley Theological Seminary can trace its roots back to the 1881 meeting of the Methodist Protestant Church's Maryland Annual Conference. Legislation was passed during the meeting that would lead to the founding of Westminster Theological Seminary in 1882. The seminary was located on the campus of Western Maryland College in Westminster, Maryland (hence its name).

In 1939, Westminster became one of the ten theological schools under the newly-formed Methodist Church. Upon its association with this new, larger, Westminster quickly experienced a period of growth. Because of this continued growth, it was determined in 1955 that Westminster should move to a more central location, namely, Washington, DC. In 1958, Westminster moved to its current location and was renamed Wesley Theological Seminary.

Upon the formation of the United Methodist Church, Wesley became one of the 13 theological schools under the jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church and still is to this day.

[edit] Presidents

Since its formation in 1882, Westminster/Wesley has had ten presidents.

Number Name Years Served
1 Thomas Hamilton Lewis 1882 - 1886
2 James Thomas Ward 1886 - 1897
3 Hugh Latimer Elderdice 1897 - 1933
4 Fred Garrigus Holloway 1933 - 1935
5 Charles Edward Forlines 1935 - 1943
6 Lester Allen Welliver 1943 - 1955
7 Norman L. Trott 1955 - 1967
8 John Lowden Knight 1967 - 1982
9 G. Douglass Lewis 1982 - 2002
10 David F. McAllister-Wilson 2002 - Present

[edit] Mission

The mission of Wesley Theological Seminary is, "to prepare persons for Christian ministry, to foster theological scholarship, and to provide leadership on issues facing the church and the world. Our aim is to nourish a critical understanding of Christian faith, cultivate disciplined spiritual lives, and promote a just and compassionate engagement in the mission of the church to the world." [1]

[edit] Governance

Wesley Theological Seminary is governed by a Board of Governors and is under the jurisdiction of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church. The current president is the Rev. Dr. David McAllister-Wilson

[edit] Student Body

The student body of Wesley Theological Seminary is culturally, denominationally, and theologically diverse. As a seminary affiliated with the United Methodist Church, the theology at Wesley is considered Mainline Protestant. However, Wesley is considered theologically moderate amongst the United Methodist affiliated seminaries.

[edit] Diversity

Wesley is one of the most diverse seminaries in the world. Among the students, 56% are women, 43% are an ethnic minority, and 38 denominations are represented.[2] Denominationally, the student body is primarily made up of United Methodists. However, there are significant numbers of students from other Methodist and non-Methodist faith traditions such as African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Baptist, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Episcopal, and Unitarian Universalist.

[edit] Student Groups

Seminarians at Wesley have an opportunity to join one of many special interest groups. These groups are generally open to any seminarian who wishes to join.

Among these organizations are:
Association of Black Seminarians
Episcopal Student Union
Korean Student Association
Open Room
Of Sacred Worth
LOGOS
Multicultural Fellowship
Plumbline
Presbyterian Student Organization
Student Council
Unitarian Universalist Student Association
The Writing Group
Wesley Student Fellowship
Wesley Ambassadors

[edit] Affiliated Organizations

Wesley Theological Seminary is home to several institutions that serve to educate as well as provide resources to churches.

[edit] The Lewis Center for Church Leadership

[edit] The Wesley Ministry Network

[edit] The Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion

[edit] Churches' Center for Theology and Public Policy

[edit] Notable Alumni

Don Knight (actor) - English Movie, Television, and Stage Actor
Michel Martin - Award-Winning Journalist for ABC News and National Public Radio
C. Anthony Muse - Maryland State Senator (District 26)
Ed Whitfield - United States Congressman (Republican, Kentucky-1)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Wesley Theological Seminary » About » Mission and Ministry Statement
  2. ^ Wesley Theological Seminary » About » Community

[edit] External links

This article relating to education is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.