Nashotah House
Encyclopedia
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of the Episcopal Church (TEC) located in Nashotah, Wisconsin
Nashotah, Wisconsin
Nashotah is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,266 at the 2000 census.-Education:Nashotah House, a seminary of The Episcopal Church, is in Nashotah.-Geography:...
, approximately 30 miles (50 km) from Milwaukee, in the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee
Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee
Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America located in the southern area of Wisconsin. It is in Province V . The Rt. Reverend Steven Miller is the bishop.-Cathedral:...
. The seminary opened its doors in 1842 and received its official charter in 1847. The institution is generally regarded as one of the more theologically conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
seminaries within the Episcopal Church.
In 2007, there were fifty students who lived on campus. The average age of students was 37.5, which means that the school had the youngest student body among Episcopal seminaries. Forty-four of these students were male and six female.
Degree and certificate programs
Nashotah House offers a variety of degree and certificate programs aimed at training clergy and lay leaders for ministries in the Anglican CommunionAnglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
:
- Doctor of MinistryDoctor of MinistryThe Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the...
(D.Min.) - Master of Sacred TheologyMaster of Sacred TheologyThe Master of Sacred Theology is a second-level graduate degree for those who wish to pursue a year of more advanced coursework focusing on a particular discipline....
(S.T.M.) - Master of DivinityMaster of DivinityIn 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 StudiesMaster of Theological StudiesA 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 ArtsMaster 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 Ministry (M.A. in Ministry)
It also offers a one-year certificate program in Anglican Studies, geared toward students who have received an M.Div. from a non-Anglican institution and wish to be ordained within the Anglican tradition. The M.A. in Ministry degree may be earned through a combination of residential and online study. The M.Div., M.T.S., S.T.M., D.Min. and M.A. in Ministry degrees are accredited by 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...
(ATS).
History
Nashotah House was founded by three young deacons of the Episcopal Church: James Lloyd BreckJames Lloyd Breck
James Lloyd Breck was a priest, educator and missionary of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.James Lloyd Breck is commemorated on April 2 on the Episcopal calendar of saints.-Early life and education:...
, William Adams, and John Henry Hobart, Jr., all recent graduates of General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, at the bidding of Bishop Jackson Kemper
Jackson Kemper
Bishop Jackson Kemper was the first missionary bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.Baptized David Jackson Kemper by Dr...
. Gustaf Unonius
Gustaf Unonius
Gustaf Elias Marius Unonius also referred to as Gustav Unonius, Gustave Unonius, Gustavus Unonius, or Gustov Unonius was a pioneer and priest in the American Midwest...
was the first graduate.
Nashotah House was, from the beginning, a center for High Church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
thought and discipline. Breck, the first dean, was highly committed to the principles of the Oxford Movement
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
. Later, famous professors such as James DeKoven
James DeKoven
James DeKoven was a priest, an educator and a leader of the Oxford Movement in the Episcopal Church. DeKoven was born in Middletown, Connecticut and educated at Columbia College. In 1851 he was admitted to General Theological Seminary and was ordained as a deacon in 1854 in Middletown...
would bring Anglo-Catholic worship and practice to the seminary. This began with the daily celebration of the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
as well as the use of vestments, candles, and incense.
In the present controversies affecting the Episcopal Church, Nashotah faculty have come down almost entirely on the side of conservatism in doctrine and morals, favoring traditional conceptions of Christian doctrine and opposition to cultural liberalism. There has been involvement by some of its graduates with the Anglican realignment
Anglican realignment
The term Anglican realignment refers to a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada...
and continuing Anglican movements, which began in the 1970s.
On 3 April 2009, an historic building which was part of the Nashotah House seminary property was destroyed by fire.
Main buildings
The property of the Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary covers 365 acres (148 ha) of land.The main buildings of the seminary include:
- Chapel of St. Mary the Virgin
- Sabine Hall (faculty offices, student housing)
- James Lloyd Breck Refectory
- Shelton Hall (bookstore)
- Lewis Hall (administration and faculty offices, the Saint Francis Oratory)
- Kemper Hall (classrooms, student housing, gymnasium)
- Webb Hall (faculty and guest housing, the Chapel of Saints Peter and Paul)
- Library
- The Tender Hearts Day Care Center
There are also apartments for both single and married students, and several houses for the Dean and other faculty, as well as maintenance facilities.
Construction is currently underway for a substantial addition to the Refectory, which will include a large meeting hall and additional classrooms.
Student life
Nashotah began as a community of self-help and it has largely stayed that way. All students have work crew assignments - cleaning bathrooms, mowing lawns, sweeping floors and taking other chores. Daily routine includes Morning Prayer, Mass, breakfast, classes, lunch, and Solemn Evensong. Always anticipated on the campus is the annualSt. Laurence Cup, a flag football
Flag football
Flag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
game played against students from
Sacred Heart School of Theology
Sacred Heart School of Theology
The Sacred Heart School of Theology is an apostolate of the Priests of the Sacred Heart, a Roman Catholic religious community of priests and lay brothers. It is located in Hales Corners, Wisconsin. When the seminary program was established in 1932, the school was known as Sacred Heart Monastery...
and St. Francis Seminary (Wisconsin). The formerly annual Lavabo Bowl game was played against Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary is a seminary of The Episcopal Church, located in Evanston, Illinois. It was formed in 1933 by a merger of Western Theological Seminary of Evanston , and Seabury Divinity School of Faribault, Minnesota...
which no longer matriculates students for the traditional Master of Divinity degree.
Notable alumni and faculty
- James DeKovenJames DeKovenJames DeKoven was a priest, an educator and a leader of the Oxford Movement in the Episcopal Church. DeKoven was born in Middletown, Connecticut and educated at Columbia College. In 1851 he was admitted to General Theological Seminary and was ordained as a deacon in 1854 in Middletown...
, faculty member - Gustaf UnoniusGustaf UnoniusGustaf Elias Marius Unonius also referred to as Gustav Unonius, Gustave Unonius, Gustavus Unonius, or Gustov Unonius was a pioneer and priest in the American Midwest...
, 1845 - Benjamin Franklin Price IvinsBenjamin Franklin Price IvinsThe Right Reverend Benjamin Franklin Price Ivins was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. Following studies at Nashotah House Theological Seminary, he was ordained to the diaconate in 1909 and to the priesthood in 1910. He was an veteran of World War I...
, 1907, Bishop of Milwaukee - Charles Wesley LeffingwellCharles Wesley LeffingwellCharles Wesley Leffingwell was an author, educator, and Episcopal priest born in Ellington, Connecticut. He was a descendant of Thomas Leffingwell, known as one of the founders of Norwich, Connecticut....
, editor of The Living ChurchThe Living ChurchThe Living Church is a biweekly magazine based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin providing commentary and news information on the Episcopal Church in the United States... - Harwood SturtevantHarwood SturtevantHarwood Sturtevant was the Episcopal bishop of the Diocese of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, USA.-Early Life:Born June 30, 1888, in Michigan, Harwood Sturtevant grew up in Delavan, Wisconsin where he graduated high school...
, fourth Bishop of Fond du Lac - William Walter WebbWilliam Walter WebbThe Right Reverend William Walter Webb , sixth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee, was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania. On November 10, 1886 he was ordained to the priesthood by the Right Reverend John Williams, Bishop of Connecticut...
, professor, president, Bishop of Milwaukee - William Wallace Horstick, second Bishop of Eau Claire