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 Western Seminary Logo | |
Former name | Western Baptist Theological Seminary |
|---|---|
| Motto | Trustworthy and Accessible Training for Gospel-centered Transformation. |
| Type | Privateseminary |
| Established | 1927 |
Religious affiliation | Venture Church Network[1] |
| President | Charles Conniry |
| Students | 980[2] |
| Location | , United States |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Orange and Black |
| Website | www.westernseminary.edu |
Western Seminary is aninterdenominationalEvangelical Christianseminary with campuses inPortland, Oregon andSan Jose, California. Western Seminary also has online-only degrees and programs and offers cohorts at partner churches around the U.S.
Portland Baptist Bible Institute was organized in the winter of 1925 through the work of Walter B. Hinson. In the following year, further efforts were begun to establish a graduate-level seminary to provide a theological education of greater depth in theNorthwestern United States. The Western Baptist Theological Seminary was officially dedicated on October 4, 1927.
The board acquired thePhilip Buehner House, now Armstrong Hall, and 5 acres (2.0 ha) of land on the west slope of Portland'sMt. Tabor in 1944. Additional structures were built and classes convened at the new site in the fall of that year. The Portland campus continues to operate at this site at the crest of theHawthorne District.
The Western Baptist Theological Seminary became Western Seminary. Western Seminary has opened several extension campus locations in theWestern United States. The first branch campus was launched inSan Jose, California in 1986, followed by another inPhoenix, Arizona in 1988. ASacramento, California campus was opened in 1991, as was the formerSeattle,Washington campus in 1992. The Phoenix campus has become an independent seminary,Phoenix Seminary. Western Seminary's former Seattle campus is nowThe Seattle School of Theology & Psychology (formerly Mars Hill Graduate School).
Western's presidents have been reputable leaders in theological education, including Earl D. Radmacher (1965–1989), Bert Downs (1998–2008) and Randal Roberts (2008–2021). Since February 2021[update], the president is Chuck Conniry. Dr. Earl Radmacher became president of Western Seminary in 1965 at age 34, the youngest seminary president in the country, leading a school of 90 students. Six years of effort in recruiting faculty and students saw the student body increase to 600 students. Dr. Radmacher led the institution as its president for a total of 25 years.
Western has developed many solutions to help non-residential students complete their coursework. Western was one of the earliest institutions to offer the Doctor of Ministry degree, withmodular scheduling for easy out of state access. In 1981, Western began an online-only program that served hundreds of students per year in study centers across America and overseas through interactive video curriculum. In adapting courses to DVD and online streaming formats, the Western Seminary Online Campus offers distance learning courses and programs.
In 2005, Western expanded its training sites along the west coast by establishing learning cohorts in such cities asSeattle andRichland, Washington,Reno, Nevada andBakersfield, California.
In 2010, theSan Jose, California campus relocated toSanta Clara, California.
In 2013, Western Seminary changed the name of its online learning department to Western Seminary Online Campus (formerly "Center for Lifelong Learning") as it began to offer its fully online degree program.
In 2014, the seminary launched a Seattle Teaching Site inBellevue, Washington to offer classes to the Puget Sound Area. This site was closed in 2020 and replaced by a "pop-up" model. TheSacramento, California campus relocated to a new facility in the Sacramento community ofRocklin, California.
In 2016, theSan Jose, California campus relocated toMilpitas, California.
During theCOVID-19 pandemic, the Portland seminary received $1 million to $2 million (equivalent to $1.21 million to $2.43 million in 2024)[3] in federally backed small business loan from Columbia State Bank as part of thePaycheck Protection Program. The company stated it would allow them to retain an undefined number of jobs.[4]
Western Seminary offers the Master of Arts (MA), Master of Divinity (M.Div.) and Master of Theology (Th.M.) degrees. It also offers theDoctor of Intercultural Studies, Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees as well as non-credit programs.
Western Seminary is dedicated to "gospel-centered transformation." The seminary centers all learning and experience – in and out of the classroom – onthe gospel.[5]
Though Western Seminary students come from a large number ofChristian denominations andnon-denominational churches, the faculty teaches a conservative andevangelical Christian doctrine, with a philosophy of ministry in and alongside the church. Western Seminary regards theBible as theinfallible and inerrant word of God.
Western Seminary is accredited to award master's and doctorate degrees by theNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and is an accredited member of theAssociation of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS).
The seminary is also a partner withJerusalem University College inJerusalem,Israel, as well as a charter member of the Institute of Theological Studies (ITS).
Western Magazine is a print publication produced semi-annually by Western Seminary and is sent to alumni, supporters, and friends of the Seminary.
'Renewal' is an electronic newsletter published by Western Seminary and sent to alumni, supporters, and friends of the Seminary.
'Transformed' is a blog composed by faculty and alumni of Western Seminary, which was launched in October 2011 to help initiate renewal to the Christian Church community. Articles address a variety of disciplines, including the Bible, theology, ministry practice, leadership, discipleship, culture and reviews of various media that pertain to Christian living.
The Spurgeon Fellowship Journal was inaugurated in October 2007 in an effort "to equip pastors to bring classic pastoral wisdom to bear upon modern ministry challenges." The journal is published online three times a year, focusing each edition on one of three areas: The Pastoral Identity, The Pastoral Task and the Pastoral Confession. Journal articles are contributed by Western Seminary faculty, as well as theologians and pastors around the country.
Food Trucks In Babylon is the official podcast of Western Seminary. The show explores how to live faithfully in a post-christian world and is hosted by Dr. Todd Miles and Dr. Ryan Lister.
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