Western Seminary
Encyclopedia
Western Seminary is an evangelical
, non-denominational theological seminary
with campuses in Portland
, Oregon
, as well as in San Jose
and Sacramento
in California
. The seminary offers Master’s Degrees in Divinity
, Counseling, Intercultural Studies, Leadership
and Theology
along with Doctoral Programs in Ministry and Missiology. Western Seminary provides alternative learning options for students through the Center for Lifelong Learning, the seminary’s distance education
program.
Though Western Seminary students come from a large number of Christian denominations and non-denominational churches, the faculty teaches a conservative and evangelical Christian doctrine, with a progressive philosophy of ministry in and alongside the Church.
The faculty of Western Seminary regard the Bible as the infallible and inerrant word of God, which may be accurately understood through a grammatical-historical model of interpretation. They place a strong emphasis on the practical ministry application of any interpretation of scripture.
(NWCCU) and is an accredited member of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
.
The seminary is also a partner with Jerusalem University College
in Jerusalem, Israel
, as well as a charter member of the Institute of Theological Studies (ITS).
The Board acquired a mansion and 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land on the west slope of Portland's Mt. 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 today.
To date, Western Seminary has opened several extension campus locations in the Western United States to support residential studies in other major cities. The first branch campus was launched in San Jose, CA in 1986, followed by another in Phoenix, AZ in 1988. A Sacramento, CA campus was opened in 1991, as was the Seattle, WA campus in 1992. Since this time, the Phoenix and Seattle campuses have become independent seminaries.
Western’s presidents have been reputable leaders in theological education, including Dr. Earl D. Radmacher (from 1965–1989) and Dr. Bert Downs (from 1998–2008). The current president is Dr. Randal Roberts (2008-).
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. In 1981, Western began a distance learning 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 CD-ROM formats, the Western Seminary Center for Lifelong Learning offers distance learning courses on demand. Today, alternative course scheduling options on the different campuses also allow students to complete their studies as either part- or full-time students.
In 2005, Western expanded its training sites along the west coast by establishing hybrid learning cohorts in such cities as Seattle and Richland, WA; Reno, NV; Bakersfield, CA.
Trans·formed: living the gospel in an everyday world 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.
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
, non-denominational theological seminary
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...
with campuses in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, as well as in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
and Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The seminary offers Master’s Degrees in Divinity
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
, Counseling, Intercultural Studies, Leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
and Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
along with Doctoral Programs in Ministry and Missiology. Western Seminary provides alternative learning options for students through the Center for Lifelong Learning, the seminary’s distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
program.
Theology and Philosophy of Ministry
Western Seminary is dedicated to the motif "Gospel-Centered Transformation". As a seminary there is an intentionality in regards to centering all learning and experience-in and out of the classroom-on the gospel. Faculty and students are asked to think about the meaning and implications of the gospel in relation to each class and subject.Though Western Seminary students come from a large number of Christian denominations and non-denominational churches, the faculty teaches a conservative and evangelical Christian doctrine, with a progressive philosophy of ministry in and alongside the Church.
The faculty of Western Seminary regard the Bible as the infallible and inerrant word of God, which may be accurately understood through a grammatical-historical model of interpretation. They place a strong emphasis on the practical ministry application of any interpretation of scripture.
Accreditation
Western Seminary is accredited to award master's and doctor's degrees by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and UniversitiesNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the United States Department of Education since 1952 and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the regional authority on educational quality and institutional...
(NWCCU) and is an accredited member of 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...
.
The seminary is also a partner with Jerusalem University College
Jerusalem University College
Jerusalem University College, founded in 1957 as the American Institute of Holy Land Studies is an undergraduate and graduate academic institution operated by a consortium of 100 American theological seminaries and Christian colleges and universities. It provides a two-year graduate program of...
in Jerusalem, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, as well as a charter member of the Institute of Theological Studies (ITS).
History
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 the Northwestern United States. The Western Baptist Theological Seminary was officially dedicated on October 4, 1927.The Board acquired a mansion and 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land on the west slope of Portland's Mt. 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 today.
To date, Western Seminary has opened several extension campus locations in the Western United States to support residential studies in other major cities. The first branch campus was launched in San Jose, CA in 1986, followed by another in Phoenix, AZ in 1988. A Sacramento, CA campus was opened in 1991, as was the Seattle, WA campus in 1992. Since this time, the Phoenix and Seattle campuses have become independent seminaries.
Western’s presidents have been reputable leaders in theological education, including Dr. Earl D. Radmacher (from 1965–1989) and Dr. Bert Downs (from 1998–2008). The current president is Dr. Randal Roberts (2008-).
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. In 1981, Western began a distance learning 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 CD-ROM formats, the Western Seminary Center for Lifelong Learning offers distance learning courses on demand. Today, alternative course scheduling options on the different campuses also allow students to complete their studies as either part- or full-time students.
In 2005, Western expanded its training sites along the west coast by establishing hybrid learning cohorts in such cities as Seattle and Richland, WA; Reno, NV; Bakersfield, CA.
Publications
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.Trans·formed: living the gospel in an everyday world 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.