The Meadville Lombard Theological School is a
Unitarian Universalist
Unitarian or Unitarianism may refer to:
Christian and Christian-derived theologies
A Unitarian is a follower of, or a member of an organisation that follows, any of several theologies referred to as Unitarianism:
* Unitarianism (1565–present) ...
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 ...
in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
.
History
Meadville Lombard is a result of a merger in the 1930s between two institutions, a
Unitarian 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 ...
and a
Universalist 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 ...
.
Meadville Theological School was founded in 1844 in
Meadville,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. Most of the original funding came from Harm Jan Huidekoper, a recent convert to
Christian Unitarianism and a wealthy businessman, and from the
Independent Congregational Church
Independent Congregational Church, also known as the Unitarian Church of Meadville, is a historic Congregational church at 346 Chestnut Street in Meadville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1835–1836. It is a large, squarish re ...
.
[ ''Note:'' This includes ]
Meadville Theological School moved to
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
and became affiliated with the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
in 1926. It began construction on its permanent building in 1929, located across the street from
First Unitarian Church of Chicago
The First Unitarian Church of Chicago is a Unitarian Universalist ("UU") church in Chicago, Illinois. Unitarians do not have a common creed and include people with a wide variety of personal beliefs, and include atheists, agnostics, deists, mono ...
and designed by the same architect.
Lombard College
Lombard College was a Universalist college located in Galesburg, Illinois.
History
Lombard College was founded in 1853 by the Universalist Church as the Illinois Liberal Institute. In 1855, however, a major fire damaged much of the college, p ...
was a Universalist institution in Galesburg, Illinois, founded in 1853. From the 1880s to 1913 it was the seat of the Ryder School of Divinity. When the college closed in 1930, the Lombard charter was transferred to Meadville Theological School in Chicago. bringing with it Lombard's privilege of a tax exemption, "one of only three in Illinois granting full tax-exempt status in perpetuity for all college-owned property." The combined institution became Meadville Lombard Theological School.
21st century
In the first decade of the 2000s, the school implemented cost-cutting measures as its endowment declined in value from $18 million to $12 million, and funding from the Unitarian Universalist Association was reduced.
In 2005 Meadville Lombard held merger talks with the other Unitarian Universalist seminary in the United States,
Starr King School for the Ministry
Starr King School for the Ministry is a Unitarian Universalist seminary in Oakland, California. The seminary was formed in 1904 to educate leaders for the growing number of progressive religious communities in the western part of the US. The scho ...
, but the schools announced in July 2006 that a merger was not in the best interest of either institution.
![Spertus1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Spertus1.jpg)
In June 2010, Meadville Lombard and
Andover Newton Theological School in
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is approximately west of downtown Boston. Newton resembles a patchwork of thirteen villages, without a city center. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Ne ...
, affiliated with the
American Baptist Churches USA
The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a mainline/evangelical Baptist Christian denomination within the United States. The denomination maintains headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The organization is usually considered mainl ...
and 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 approximatel ...
, announced plans to create a "new university-style institution" based at Andover Newton's campus with an interfaith model for theological education. Meadville Lombard would have become the Unitarian Universalist college in the new theological university. The two schools, Meadville Lombard and Andover Newton, announced they were seeking additional partners for the proposed institution. The intention was to form the new university as a legal entity by June 15, 2011, but the two institutions withdrew from the plan in April 2011, citing issues related to governance and finances.
In 2011, the seminary's Hyde Park buildings were sold and the school relocated, to the
Spertus Institute building on Michigan Avenue in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood.
Over the last decade, changes were made to the school's curriculum to reflect the smaller campus footprint and the increase in online learning options.
Academics
Meadville Lombard Theological School is one of two Unitarian Universalist seminaries (the other being
Starr King School for the Ministry
Starr King School for the Ministry is a Unitarian Universalist seminary in Oakland, California. The seminary was formed in 1904 to educate leaders for the growing number of progressive religious communities in the western part of the US. The scho ...
in
Berkeley, California
Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and E ...
) and offers the following graduate degree programs:
Master of Divinity,
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...
in Religion, and the Master of Arts in Leadership Studies (with the option to add a concentration in Lay Community Ministry).
Campus
The seminary's historic 16,000 sq. ft.
Collegiate Gothic style building was erected in 1933 on 5701 S. Woodlawn Avenue, across from
First Unitarian Church of Chicago
The First Unitarian Church of Chicago is a Unitarian Universalist ("UU") church in Chicago, Illinois. Unitarians do not have a common creed and include people with a wide variety of personal beliefs, and include atheists, agnostics, deists, mono ...
and near the campus of the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
in
Hyde Park.
In 2011 the University of Chicago purchased the building and hired Kliment Halsband Architects to turn it into a home for the
Neubauer Family Collegium for Culture and Society
The Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society is a collaborative research center located on the campus of the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois.
History
The Neubauer Collegium was established in June 2012. It was founded with a gift ...
.
From 2011 to 2021, Meadville Lombard was located in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago, sharing space with the
Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership
Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership (Spertus College or Spertus) is a private educational center in Chicago, Illinois. Spertus offers learning opportunities that are "rooted in Jewish wisdom and culture and open to all" although ...
. The school's current location is more centrally situated in the Loop at 180 North Wabash.
[https://www.meadville.edu/]
Notable alumni
*The Rev.
Jenkin Lloyd Jones
Jenkin Lloyd Jones (November 14, 1843 – September 12, 1918) was a Unitarian minister in the United States, and also the uncle of Frank Lloyd Wright. He founded All Souls Unitarian Church in Chicago, Illinois, as well as its community outr ...
, peace advocate, founder of All Souls Unitarian Church in Chicago; played a prominent role in the growth of the Western Unitarian Convention
*
Christian D. Larson, New Thought writer of over 40 books and associate editor of ''Science of Mind'' magazine
*The Rev.
William F. Schulz
William F. Schulz is a Unitarian Universalist minister who is most known for his role as the executive director of Amnesty International USA, the U.S. division of Amnesty International, from March 1994 to 2006. He is a prominent spokesperson, a ...
, human rights activist, former president of the
Unitarian Universalist Association, former executive director of
Amnesty International USA
Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) is one of many country sections that make up Amnesty International worldwide.
Amnesty International is an organization of more than 7 million supporters, activists and volunteers in over 150 countries, with compl ...
*The Rev.
James Henry Wiggin
James Henry Wiggin (May 14, 1836 - November 3, 1900) was a Unitarianism, Unitarian minister. He also worked as an editor and proofreader.
Biography
Wiggin studied at Dwight Grammar School and Tufts College, and was well traveled in Europe, the Mi ...
, editor for
Mary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy (July 16, 1821 – December 3, 1910) was an American religious leader and author who founded The Church of Christ, Scientist, in New England in 1879. She also founded ''The Christian Science Monitor'', a Pulitzer Prize-winning se ...
*The Rev.
John B. Wolf, senior minister of
All Souls Unitarian Church
All Souls Unitarian Church is a Unitarian Universalist (UU) church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is one of the largest UU congregations in the world.
All Souls Unitarian Church was founded in 1921 by two leading Tulsans from families with Unitarian roo ...
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Notable faculty
*The Rev.
James Luther Adams
James Luther Adams (1901–1994), an American professor at Harvard Divinity School, Andover Newton Theological School, and Meadville Lombard Theological School, and a Unitarianism, Unitarian Parish#Ecclesiastical parish, parish minister, was the ...
(died 1994), former Professor of Ethics and Theology
*The Rev.
William F. Schulz
William F. Schulz is a Unitarian Universalist minister who is most known for his role as the executive director of Amnesty International USA, the U.S. division of Amnesty International, from March 1994 to 2006. He is a prominent spokesperson, a ...
, affiliated faculty
*The Rev.
William Sinkford, affiliated faculty
*The Rev.
William R. Murry, former President and Academic Dean
References
External links
Official website
{{authority control
Educational institutions established in 1844
Unitarian Universalism in Illinois
Unitarian Universalist seminaries
Meadville Lombard Theological School
1844 establishments in Illinois