The San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS) is a seminary in

San Anselmo, California San Anselmo () is an List of cities in California, incorporated town in Marin County, California, Marin County, California, United States. San Anselmo is located west of San Rafael, California, San Rafael, at an elevation of 46 feet (14 m). It ...

with historic ties to the

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

Church (U.S.A.). SFTS became embedded in a new Graduate School of Theology of the

University of Redlands The University of Redlands is a private university headquartered in Redlands, California. The university's main, residential campus is situated on 160 acres (65 ha) near downtown Redlands. An additional eight regional locations throughout Califo ...

in 2019. It was founded by the Synod of California in 1871. SFTS is a founding member of the

Graduate Theological Union The Graduate Theological Union (GTU) is a consortium of eight private independent American theological schools and eleven centers and affiliates. Seven of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded in 1962 ...

(GTU) in

Berkeley Berkeley most often refers to: *Berkeley, California, a city in the United States **University of California, Berkeley, a public university in Berkeley, California * George Berkeley (1685–1753), Anglo-Irish philosopher Berkeley may also refer ...

, a large consortium of graduate schools and seminaries in the Bay Area. Through this membership, students have access to the

Flora Lamson Hewlett Library The Flora Lamson Hewlett Library is the central library of the Graduate Theological Union. Located on the summit of the "Holy Hill" area of Berkeley, California, its collections comprise one of the largest collections of theological works in t ...

and enjoy many opportunities to learn from and engage with religious traditions outside of the Reformed tradition. Through the Graduate Theological Union, students have access to the classes and the libraries of the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...

and, most recently, University of Redlands.

History

San Francisco pastor William Anderson Scott opened two Presbyterian schools in his churches in the third quarter of the 19th century, the second of which was the San Francisco Theological Seminary. In 1872, SFTS began with four professors and four students meeting for instruction at the Presbyterian City College and Calvary Presbyterian Church, located at what now is Union Square, and St. John's Presbyterian Church. Six years later, the seminary moved to its own building next to the City College building on Haight Street. The seminary moved in 1891 to a hilltop site in Marin County about north of the Golden Gate Bridge. A new charter issued in 1900 gave the seminary power to grant degrees, and jurisdiction over the seminary was transferred from the synod to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1913. In the post World War II era under its president, Jesse Hays Baird, SFTS enjoyed unprecedented expansion, with enrollment increasing to more than 300 and new buildings rising all over the San Anselmo campus. SFTS joined in 1962 with neighboring graduate schools and academic centers in founding the

. The GTU developed joint M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in cooperation with the graduate school at the

University of California Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant univ ...

. In 1990, SFTS opened its second campus in Pasadena, which was housed in the Pasadena Presbyterian Church. Due to seminary budget cuts, the board of trustees voted to close the Pasadena campus in February 2011. However, despite the announced closure, the seminary continued to consider alternative opportunities to expand their programs in Southern California. In February 2019, SFTS announced its intention to become part of the

, based in Southern California's Inland Empire region. The merger was complete on July 1, 2019, and SFTS was embedded within a new Graduate School of Theology that carried SFTS programs forward and expanded opportunities for its students. In consequence of the merger, the PCUSA General Assembly's Committee on Theological Education (COTE) removed SFTS from its roster of Presbyterian Seminaries, and the Presbyterian Foundation withheld payments from a portion of SFTS endowment that it held in trust, on the grounds that the seminary no longer exists as an incorporated entity. While SFTS maintained its commitment to Presbyterian 'theological education', the PC(USA) was unconvinced. “After six years, there is no requirement of any Presbyterians on the UR Board, and after five years the proceeds from any sale of former SFTS assets may be used as determined in the discretion of that board, who are fiduciaries for the University of Redlands and not for the former SFTS. In short, COTE is concerned that the distinguished legacy of the former SFTS could disappear after five years.”. The co-moderators of the 224th General Assembly appointed a mediator, and after a year of negotiation, COTE, SFTS, and the University of Redlands agreed to a covenant "reaffirming SFTS as a Presbyterian theological seminary related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)". COTE presented the covenant to the 225th General Assembly of the PCUSA in July 2022, and the Assembly, upon COTE's recommendation, approved the covenant without controversy.

Academics

San Francisco Theological Seminary degree programs include the

Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and divi ...

(M.Div.),

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. Tho ...

(MA), and

Doctor of Ministry The Doctor of Ministry (abbreviated DMin or D.Min.) is a professional doctorate, often including a research component, that may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in some form of ministry. It is categorized as an advance ...

(D.Min.). The seminary also offers graduate-level diplomas and certificate programs. In conjunction with the Graduate Theological Union and the University of California Berkeley, students can also earn a

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...

(Ph.D.). Students also have access to professional certificate programs in the University of Redlands School of Continuing Studies.

Academic affiliations

: Through GTU schools and centers, SFTS students can relate to wider communities within Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. SFTS students enjoy free and open cross-registration with all GTU member institutions. *

: Through Graduate Theological Union agreements, SFTS students enjoy free cross-registration for UC Berkeley courses and the use of the university's research and performing arts centers, its nearly 100 library collections and approximately 80 museum collections. *

: As part of the University of Redlands, SFTS students have access to a wide range of programming, including joint degrees through the university's School of Business and School of Education.

Notable alumni

* John Norman Maclean, 1893 graduate and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Vacaville (1893-1897), Bozeman, MT (1897-1902), Clarinda, IA (1902-1909), and Missoula, MT (1909-1925). Maclean was father of renown author,

Norman Maclean Norman Fitzroy Maclean (December 23, 1902August 2, 1990) was a Scottish-American professor at the University of Chicago who became, following his retirement, a major figure in American literature. Maclean is best known for his collection of no ...

, whose novella, A River Runs Through It, achieved both critical and commercial success. The autobiographical novel, later made into film in 1992, features prominently Maclean. *

Yvette Flunder Yvette A. Flunder (born July 29, 1955) is an American womanist, preacher, pastor, activist, and singer from San Francisco, CA. She is the senior pastor of the City of Refuge United Church of Christ in Oakland, California and Presiding Bishop of ...

, D.Min, San Francisco Theological Seminary; Founder the City of Refugee and Chair of the San Francisco Inter-religious Coalition on AIDS. * The Rev.

Bruce Reyes-Chow Bruce Reyes-Chow is an American Teaching Elder (minister) of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Reyes-Chow received his BA in Asian American Studies, Sociology and Religion from San Francisco State University in 1990 and received his Masters of Divin ...

, M.Div, San Francisco Theological Seminary; Moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the

Presbyterian Church (USA) The Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PC(USA), is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US, and known for its liberal stance on doctrine and its ordaining of women and ...

Notable faculty members

David Noel Freedman David Noel Freedman (May 12, 1922 – April 8, 2008) was an American biblical scholar, author, editor, archaeologist, and, after his conversion from Judaism, a Presbyterian minister. He was one of the first Americans to work on the Dead Sea Scroll ...

Gray Professor of Old Testament Exegesis at San Francisco Theological Seminary (1961–1964); Endowed Chair in Hebrew Biblical Studies at the

University of California, San Diego The University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego or colloquially, UCSD) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in San Diego, California. Established in 1960 near the pre-existing Scripps Insti ...

(1986–2008). * David Alexander Professor of Old Testament and Theology at San Francisco Theological Seminary, and President Emeritus of

Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a "college of the New England type" in Southern California. In 1925, it became ...

James Muilenburg James Muilenburg (1 June 1896 – 10 May 1974) was a pioneer in the field of rhetorical criticism of the Old Testament. Muilenburg was born in Orange City, Iowa, and studied at Hope College, the University of Nebraska, and Yale University. He taug ...

Gray Professor of Hebrew Exegesis and Old Testament (1963-1972). *

John Dillenberger John Dillenberger (1918–2008) was professor of historical theology at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He was instrumental in forming the Graduate Theological Union which he headed during its first decade, first as dean f ...

Dean of the Faculty at San Francisco Theological Seminary; Professor Emeritus, Graduate Theological Union Berkeley; Chair of the Program in History and Philosophy at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

* Philip L. Wickeri Adviser to the Archbishop of Hong Kong for theological and historical studies and Professor of Church History at

Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui The Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (abbreviated SKH), also known as the Hong Kong Anglican Church (Episcopal), is the Anglican church in Hong Kong and Macao. It is the 38th Province of the Anglican Communion. It is also one of the major denominations ...

Ming Hua Theological College

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Graduate Theological Union San Anselmo, California Seminaries and theological colleges in California Universities and colleges in Marin County, California Presbyterian Church (USA) seminaries Presbyterianism in California Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Educational institutions established in 1871 1871 establishments in California