Union Presbyterian Seminary is a

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 n ...

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 ...

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

. It also has a non-residential campus in

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most popu ...

and an online blended learning program.

History

As a result of efforts undertaken together by the Synod of Virginia and the Synod of North Carolina, Union Theological Seminary was founded in 1812 as the theological department of

Hampden–Sydney College gr, Ye Shall Know the Truth , established = , type = Private liberal arts men's college , religious_affiliation = Presbyterian Church (USA) , endowment = $258 million (2021) , president = Larry Stimpert , city = Hampden Sydney, Virginia , co ...

, located near

Farmville, Virginia Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 8,216 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County. Farmville developed near the headwaters of the Appomattox ...

, and housed in what is now named Venable Hall. In 1895, Lewis Ginter, a financier and philanthropist in Richmond VA, donated eleven acres of land to the school, which was relocated to its current campus location on the north side of Richmond in 1898. The General Assembly's Training School (ATS) for Lay Workers was founded in Richmond in 1914 as a complementary institution intended to train "workers outside of the regular ordained ministry." In 1959 ATS was renamed the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (PSCE). PSCE offered a master's degree in Christian Education, and operated across the street from Union Seminary until 1997, when Union and PSCE were joined in federation, becoming Union-PSCE. In 2002, a commuter campus in Charlotte, North Carolina, began on the campus of

Queens University of Charlotte The Queens University of Charlotte is a private university in Charlotte, North Carolina. It has approximately 2,300 undergraduate and graduate students through the College of Arts and Sciences, the McColl School of Business, the Wayland H. Cato, ...

, offering both M.Div. and M.A.C.E. degrees to part-time students. The Charlotte campus for Union Presbyterian was relocated to its new facility on 5141 Sharon Road in 2012. In 2009, Union's Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the institution to Union Presbyterian Seminary, partially as a means of distinguishing it from

Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

. In his address announcing the new name, seminary president Brian Blount emphasized the school's unique heritage of several "unions," as well as the school's Presbyterian identity. For many years, the seminary operated WRFK, an FM

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

at 106.5 MHz. WRFK was sold to commercial interests in 1988.

Faculty

Union has a faculty of scholars in the fields of

Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus ...

Christian education Catechesis (; from Greek: , "instruction by word of mouth", generally "instruction") is basic Christian religious education of children and adults, often from a catechism book. It started as education of converts to Christianity, but as the r ...

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

ethics Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that "involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior".''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy'' The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concer ...

preaching A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. ...

worship Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recogni ...

church history __NOTOC__ Church history or ecclesiastical history as an academic discipline studies the history of Christianity and the way the Christian Church has developed since its inception. Henry Melvill Gwatkin defined church history as "the spiritua ...

, Christian leadership, and

pastoral care Pastoral care is an ancient model of emotional, social and spiritual support that can be found in all cultures and traditions. The term is considered inclusive of distinctly non-religious forms of support, as well as support for people from re ...

. Faculty come from a range of denominational backgrounds, including Baptist, Lutheran and Methodist. Notable faculty include president of Union Presbyterian Seminary,

Brian Blount Brian K. Blount (born in Smithfield, Virginia) is a Presbyterian minister, New Testament scholar and current President of Union Presbyterian Seminary. He is a preacher and scholar on the Book of Revelation. Education He holds a B.A. from the Colle ...

. Retired faculty include Bible scholar James L. Mays.

Student body

Union's student body is made up of about 180 students, with 90 students at the Richmond campus and another 84 students at the Charlotte campus. The majority of Union's students come from the Presbyterian tradition, but the seminary draws students from more than 20 Christian denominations, including Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, and Reformed. There are a number of international students as well from

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and Tog ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, and other nations. Students at Union take part in a number of student activities and seminary initiatives, such as mission and service activities to Shalom Farms in the city of Richmond.

Campuses

William Smith Morton Library at Union Presbyterian Seminary

Union's Richmond campus includes two chapels: the historic Watts Chapel, located in Watts Hall, which also serves as a classroom and administration building, and the state of the art Lake Chapel, located in the campus's Early Center, a classroom and office building completed in 2008. The Richmond campus also includes the Belk student center, dormitories, student apartments and guest housing, as well as recreation fields, community gardens and tennis courts. Union's William Smith Morton Library was completed in 1996, and includes over 900,000 volumes and grows at a rate of about 5,500 volumes per year. The seminary's Charlotte campus is located on 5141 Sharon Road. This facility opened in 2012 houses a chapel, library, classrooms, a regional Christian Education Resource Center, and office facilities.

Academics

The seminary only offers graduate degrees: *Master of Arts In Christian Education (M.A.C.E.) *Master of Arts in Christian Education in Global Format (Global M.A.C.E.) *Master of Arts in Public Theology (M.A.P.T) *Master of Divinity (M.Div.) *''Dual Degree Program''—Master of Divinity/Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.Div./M.A.C.E.) *''Dual Degree Program''—Master of Divinity/Master of Arts in Public Theology (M.Div/M.A.P.T) *Master of Theology (Th.M.) *Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)

Notable alumni

* John M. P. Atkinson: minister; tenth president of

Hampden-Sydney College Hampden Sydney is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,450 at the 2010 census. Hampden Sydney is the home of Hampden–Sydney College, a private all- ...

; first president of The Virginia Educational Association *

Myron Augsburger Myron Augsburger (born August 20, 1929) is an American Mennonite pastor, professor, theologian, and author. He is the former president of both Eastern Mennonite College (now known as Eastern Mennonite University) and the Council for Christian C ...

: pastor, theologian, fifth president of

Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) is a private Mennonite university in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The university also operates a satellite campus in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which primarily caters to working adults. EMU's bachelor-degree holders ...

* John Bright (biblical scholar) * Erskine Clarke: historian, author, retired professor at

Columbia Theological Seminary Columbia Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Decatur, Georgia. It is one of ten theological institutions affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). History Columbia Theological Seminary was founded in 1828 in Lexington, Geor ...

, winner of the

Bancroft Prize The Bancroft Prize is awarded each year by the trustees of Columbia University for books about diplomacy or the history of the Americas. It was established in 1948, with a bequest from Frederic Bancroft, in his memory and that of his brother, ...

(2006) *Benjamin T. Conner: author, professor of Practical Theology at

Western Theological Seminary Western Theological Seminary (WTS) is a private seminary located in Holland, Michigan. Established in 1866, it is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. ...

, director of graduate studies in Disability Ministry *

Jill Y. Crainshaw Jill Yvette Crainshaw (born 1962) is an American theologian and liturgical scholar. Crainshaw earned a bachelor of arts degree at Wake Forest University in 1984, followed by a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 19 ...

: professor of religion, and Vice Dean of the Faculty at

Wake Forest University Wake Forest University is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Reynolda Campus, the un ...

* Kathy Dawson, Associate Professor of Christian Education and Director of M.A.P.T. Program at

; Association of Presbyterian Church Educators' 2015 Educator of the Year *

Bob Childress Robert "Bob" Walter Childress (January 19, 1889 or January 19, 1890 – January 16, 1956) was a Presbyterian minister who was born in "The Hollow," now Ararat, Virginia, and grew up surrounded by the Primitive Baptist tradition. He became known t ...

* Pierre Etienne, French poet and

monastic Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic ...

brother A brother is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to refer to non-famili ...

of the

Taizé Community The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic fraternity in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is composed of more than one hundred brothers, from Catholic and Protestant traditions, who originate from about thirty countrie ...

* T. David Gordon, Reformed theologian at Grove City College and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary * Graeme Goldsworthy: Australian-Anglican evangelist, author, retired professor at

Moore Theological College Moore Theological College, otherwise known simply as Moore College, is the theological training seminary of the Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia. The president of the Moore Theological College Council is ''ex officio'' ...

George Wilson McPhail Reverend George Wilson McPhail D.D. (December 26, 1815 – June 28, 1871) was a Presbyterian minister, and educator who served as the sixth president of Lafayette College, a director at Princeton Theological Seminary, and as the fifth president ...

: minister, sixth president of Lafayette college and fifth president of

Davidson College Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. It was established in 1837 by the Concord Presbytery and named after Revolutionary War general William Lee Davidson, who was killed at the nearby Battle of Cowan� ...

Thomas Mar Makarios Thomas Mar Makarios (born 26 May 1926 in India and died on 23 Feb 2008 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle, England) was the founder of the diocese of the United States and Canada of the Malankara Orthodox Church and the first metropolitan of the UK ...

: bishop of the Indian Orthodox Church; founder of the United States and Canada diocese * Douglas Oldenburg a President Emeritus at

and the former moderator of the 210th 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 ...

* Katherine Paterson, author of '' Bridge to Terabithia'', '' Jacob Have I Loved''; two time winner of the

Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished cont ...

and of the

National Book Award The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The Nat ...

* Roy Kinneer Patteson, Jr., Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1960 Union Theological Seminary * William D. Reynolds; missionary to Korea; lead translator of the first Korean Old and New testament, professor * W. Taylor Reveley IV, political scientist, 26th president of

Longwood University Longwood University is a public university in Farmville, Virginia. Founded in 1839, it is the third-oldest public university in Virginia and one of the hundred oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. Previously a college, Lo ...

Jay W. Richards Jay Wesley Richards is an American analytic philosopher who focuses on the intersection of politics, philosophy, and religion. He is the William E. Simon Senior Research Fellow in Heritage’s DeVos Center for Religion and Civil Society at The Heri ...

: author, business professor, fellow at The Discovery Institute, executive editor of The Stream *

Holmes Rolston III Holmes Rolston III (born November 19, 1932) is a philosopher who is University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Colorado State University. He is best known for his contributions to environmental ethics and the relationship between science ...

: philosopher; professor at Colorado State University; winner of the

Templeton Prize The Templeton Prize is an annual award granted to a living person, in the estimation of the judges, "whose exemplary achievements advance Sir John Templeton's philanthropic vision: harnessing the power of the sciences to explore the deepest quest ...

(2003) *

John Bunyan Shearer John Bunyan Shearer (1832–1919) was the eighth president of Davidson College. Biography John Bunyan Shearer was born in Appomattox County, Virginia on July 19, 1832. He completed his undergraduate studies at Hampden–Sydney College in 1851 ...

: president of Stewart College which became

Rhodes College Rhodes College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Memphis, Tennessee. Historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), it is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Sout ...

, eighth president of Davidson College *David R. Bauer, Biblical studies author and Ralph W. Beeson Professor of Inductive Biblical Studies and Dean of the School of Biblical Interpretation at

Asbury Theological Seminary Asbury Theological Seminary is a Christian Wesleyan seminary in the historical Methodist tradition located in Wilmore, Kentucky. It is the largest seminary of the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. It is known for its advocacy of egalitarianism, giving ...

* Frances Taylor Gench, New Testament scholar *

Theodore Wardlaw Theodore J. Wardlaw is an American Presbyterian minister and academic administrator. He is president emeritus of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas. He holds the following degrees: *Bachelor of Arts degree from Presbyterian ...

: theologian, president Austin Theological Seminary * V. Neil Wyrick: pastor, popular Christian author and actor

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control 1812 establishments in Virginia Educational institutions established in 1812 Education in Charlotte, North Carolina Education in Richmond, Virginia Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Richmond, Virginia Presbyterian Church (USA) seminaries Presbyterianism in North Carolina Presbyterianism in Virginia Seminaries and theological colleges in North Carolina Seminaries and theological colleges in Virginia