Eden Theological Seminary is a
seminary
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...
of the
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination based in the United States, with historical and confessional roots in the Congregational, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Anabaptist traditions, and with approximately 4 ...
in
Webster Groves, Missouri
Webster Groves is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. The population was 22,995 at the 2010 census.
The city is home to the main campus of Webster University.
Geography
Webster Groves is located at ( ...
, near
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
.
The seminary was established in 1850 by German pastors in what was then the American frontier. The pastors soon formed the German
Evangelical Synod of North America
The Evangelical Synod of North America, before 1927 German Evangelical Synod of North America, in German ''(Deutsche) Evangelische Synode von Nord-Amerika'', was a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States existing from the mid-19th c ...
. This, after subsequent mergers, became a part of the UCC. One of the early campuses in St. Louis became
Normandy High School. The school was augmented by a merger with the Central Theological Seminary, an institution of the
Reformed Church in the United States
The Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) is a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. The present RCUS is a conservative, Calvinist denomination. It affirms the principles of the Reformation: ''Sola scriptura'' (Scriptur ...
in
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...
, in the 1930s, concurrent with the merger of the two denominations into the
Evangelical and Reformed Church
The Evangelical and Reformed Church (E&R) was a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. It was formed in 1934 by the merger of the Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS) with the Evangelical Synod of North America (ESNA). A ...
.
Conversations at Eden Theological Seminary, beginning in 1937, led to the 1957 merger of the E&R Church and the
Congregational Christian Churches
The Congregational Christian Churches were a Protestant Christian denomination that operated in the U.S. from 1931 through 1957. On the latter date, most of its churches joined the Evangelical and Reformed Church in a merger to become the United ...
and the formation of the United Church of Christ. Notable alumni of Eden include
Reinhold Niebuhr
Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr (June 21, 1892 – June 1, 1971) was an American Reformed theologian, ethicist, commentator on politics and public affairs, and professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years. Niebuhr was one of Ameri ...
,
H. Richard Niebuhr,
Walter Brueggemann
Walter Brueggemann (born March 11, 1933) is an American Protestant Old Testament scholar and theologian who is widely considered one of the most influential Old Testament scholars of the last several decades. His work often focuses on the Hebrew p ...
,
Catherine Keller and
Seth Senyo Agidi
Seth Senyo Agidi (1955–2020) was the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (E.P. Church) until his death in October 2020.
Education
Agidi trained as a teacher. He later attended the Trinity Theological ...
.
Eden Theological Seminary offers four degree programs: the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), the Master of Arts in Professional Studies (M.A.P.S), THE Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.), and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.). Eden's campus offers on-campus housing and dormitories to its student body.
Locate College on Eden Theological Seminary
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External links
Official website
References
German-American culture in Missouri
Seminaries and theological colleges in Missouri
Universities and colleges in St. Louis County, Missouri
Universities and colleges affiliated with the United Church of Christ
Reformed church seminaries and theological colleges
Educational institutions established in 1850
1850 establishments in Missouri
Buildings and structures in St. Louis County, Missouri
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