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Mission
Virginia Theological Seminary is a seminary of the Episcopal Church that has since 1823 served to further the universal mission of Christ’s church by providing graduate theological education and serving as a theological resource for the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and the wider church. In preparing its students as servants of Jesus Christ, as lay and ordained leaders of the church, the Seminary has placed theological education in the context of residential community marked by common life and worship. Seeking to equip the people of God for their vocation and ministry in the world, Virginia Theological Seminary has emphasized the preparation of persons for the ministries of preaching, teaching, pastoral care, and social justice. Born from the Anglican evangelical tradition, Virginia Theological Seminary has been formed by the diversity with Anglicanism, the larger ecumenical vision, and the increased understanding of the racial and cultural diversity of the needs and reality of the church in mission. With primary attention to the needs of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion, the mission of Virginia Theological Seminary continues to be:
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DEGREE PROGRAMS INTEGRATING FAITH & SERVICE
Virginia Theological Seminary offers the following degrees. Click the title for more information about each program.
- Master in Divinity (https://www.vts.edu/academics/academic-programs/master-in-divinity)
- Master of Arts (https://www.vts.edu/academics/academic-programs/master-of-arts)
- Pathway to Ministry (https://www.vts.edu/admissions--aid/pathway-to-ministry)
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Theology (https://www.vts.edu/academics/the-post-graduate-diploma-in-theology)
- Post-Graduate Diploma in Anglican Studies (https://www.vts.edu/academics/anglican-studies-program)
- Doctor of Ministry in Ministry Development (https://www.vts.edu/academics/academic-programs/doctor-of-ministry-in-ministry-development)
- Doctor of Ministry in Educational Leadership (https://www.vts.edu/academics/academic-programs/doctor-of-ministry-in-educational-leadership)
- Doctor of Ministry in Christian Spirituality (https://www.vts.edu/academics/academic-programs/doctor-of-ministry-in-christian-spirituality)
- Doctor of Educational Ministry in Educational Leadership (https://www.vts.edu/academics/academic-programs/doctor-of-ed-ministry--educational-leadership)
- Non-Degree (https://www.vts.edu/academics/non-degree-program)
- Continuing Education (https://www.vts.edu/lifelong-learning/continuing-education-at-vts)
ENGAGEMENT ON CAMPUS
VOICE- Community organizing and advocacy
Since 2012, VTS has been a member organization of VOICE, the northern Virginia Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) affiliate for interfaith community organizing. Through VOICE, faculty, staff, and students connect more intentionally with different people accross Alexandria, Arlington, and northern VA to hear their concerns, passions, and interests for the common good, and to bring talent together to seek strategic solutions to local and regional social problems.
In the past, VOICE has involved students and faculty in door-knocking campaigns, one-on-one meetings, and house and church meetings with people whose neighborhoods are threatened by redevelopment and gentrification.
The Office of Multicultural Ministries celebrates the racial and ethnic diversity within the church and the world. There are 5 key dimensions of our work:
Since 2012, VTS has been a member organization of VOICE, the northern Virginia Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) affiliate for interfaith community organizing. Through VOICE, faculty, staff, and students connect more intentionally with different people accross Alexandria, Arlington, and northern VA to hear their concerns, passions, and interests for the common good, and to bring talent together to seek strategic solutions to local and regional social problems.
In the past, VOICE has involved students and faculty in door-knocking campaigns, one-on-one meetings, and house and church meetings with people whose neighborhoods are threatened by redevelopment and gentrification.
The Office of Multicultural Ministries celebrates the racial and ethnic diversity within the church and the world. There are 5 key dimensions of our work:
- Helping the VTS community live into the Seminary Covenant, which is built upon our baptismal commitment to seek and serve Christ in all persons.
- Sharing the experiences of people of African, Asian, Indigenous, and Latinx heritage and exploring intersectionality with other categories of identity, such as race, gender, class, and sexual orientation.
- Promoting anti-racism through classes and events, such as the annual Introduction to Intercultural Competency and the commemoration of the martyrdom of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Supporting the Office of Admissions in recruiting students from underrepresented backgrounds.
- Partnering with others to be sure diversity is reflected in our worship, pedagogy, and community life.
- Supporting student activism and other efforts to resist racial domination and promote social justice.
Contextual Ministry
The Virginia Theological Seminary Contextual Ministry Department offers you, the seminarian, resources needed to develop skills and practices for experiential ministry.
During the fall semester, Juniors are encouraged to visit different CXM sites, including 150+ parishes and organizations, around the greater D. C. area to get a sense of where they might want to serve and what types of ministry they want to experience. These sites include:
Contextual Ministry (CXM) Supervisors collaborate and train with Virginia Theological Seminary to offer high quality supervision to seminarians being formed as leaders in God’s church. This partnership is essential to a healthy, life-giving CXM experience. Supervisors are clergy with three years of experience and laity in an organization with three years of experience in that context.
Lay Support Teams play an important role in the seminarian’s Contextual Ministry (CXM) experience by offering support and challenge. Lay Support Teams are expected to meet with their seminarians once per month for two hours during the academic year (Sept.-May) and complete an annual evaluation of the seminarian.
The Seminary organizes safe, confidential, small groups for seminarians to reflect and further integrate the CPE and CXM experiences into ministerial identity and practice. The groups consist of approximately 5-7 seminarians and 2 facilitators. Facilitators are experienced clergy, laity, and faculty, along with senior seminarians recommended by previous facilitators as especially gifted in theological reflection and small group leadership skills.
During the fall semester, Juniors are encouraged to visit different CXM sites, including 150+ parishes and organizations, around the greater D. C. area to get a sense of where they might want to serve and what types of ministry they want to experience. These sites include:
- Schools
- Prisons
- Hospitals
- Parishes (rural, multicultural, suburban, etc.)
Contextual Ministry (CXM) Supervisors collaborate and train with Virginia Theological Seminary to offer high quality supervision to seminarians being formed as leaders in God’s church. This partnership is essential to a healthy, life-giving CXM experience. Supervisors are clergy with three years of experience and laity in an organization with three years of experience in that context.
Lay Support Teams play an important role in the seminarian’s Contextual Ministry (CXM) experience by offering support and challenge. Lay Support Teams are expected to meet with their seminarians once per month for two hours during the academic year (Sept.-May) and complete an annual evaluation of the seminarian.
The Seminary organizes safe, confidential, small groups for seminarians to reflect and further integrate the CPE and CXM experiences into ministerial identity and practice. The groups consist of approximately 5-7 seminarians and 2 facilitators. Facilitators are experienced clergy, laity, and faculty, along with senior seminarians recommended by previous facilitators as especially gifted in theological reflection and small group leadership skills.
ISSUE INTEGRATED ACADEMIC COURSES
Religious and cultural pluralism receives a lot of attention in the Seminary's curriculum, including courses like :
Courses in mission, evangelism, public Christian faith, and formation that engage issues of neighborhood change (gentirfication, poverty, diversity of subcultures) include:
There are courses specifically aimed at increasing student proficiency in Spanish for worship leadership, conversation, and preaching. These include a language immersion program in the Dominican Republic, courses on the Liturgy in Spanish and the Bible in Spanish, and The Context of Latin American Theology.
International immersion courses to Jerusalem, Myanmar, Turkey, Italy, and other locations also involve intensive work integrating current social issues of particular contexts with theological study.
- Exploring Islam,
- Pastoral Care in Interfaith Settings,
- Introduction to Judaism and Midrash,
- Theologies of Religious Pluralism,
- Comparative Theology in a Christian Context,
- Religious Diversity in Schools and Organizations,
- Spirituality and Healthcare.
Courses in mission, evangelism, public Christian faith, and formation that engage issues of neighborhood change (gentirfication, poverty, diversity of subcultures) include:
- Evangelism
- Public Witness and New Faith Communities
- Theological Reflection on Missional Communities
- Christian Social Ministry
- Social Chaplaincy
- Digital Media for Ministry
- Advanced issues in Leadership
- Race in America
There are courses specifically aimed at increasing student proficiency in Spanish for worship leadership, conversation, and preaching. These include a language immersion program in the Dominican Republic, courses on the Liturgy in Spanish and the Bible in Spanish, and The Context of Latin American Theology.
International immersion courses to Jerusalem, Myanmar, Turkey, Italy, and other locations also involve intensive work integrating current social issues of particular contexts with theological study.