Calvin Theological Seminary is a private Christian Reformed Church

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 ...

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

. It is closely tied to Calvin University, though each institution has its own board.

History

The seminary was founded in 1876 with the purpose of preparing ministers for the Christian Reformed Church. Originally it met on Spring Street in Grand Rapids, but in 1892 it was moved to Madison Avenue and Franklin Street. In 1917 it made the move to the Franklin Street location. It began holding classes on the Knollcrest Campus, its current location, in 1960. In 1894, the seminary began to offer eight literary courses for the preparation for seminary studies. In 1900 these courses were expanded and made open to non-seminary students. The school enrolled its first four female students in 1901. In 1908 the school expanded to include a full four years of high school education and two years of college, and in 1914 this was expanded to three years. In 1919 and 1920 respectively, a college president and a fourth year of college education were added, which led to the formation of Calvin College.

Presidents

* Geert Egberts Boer *

Louis Berkhof Louis Berkhof (October 13, 1873 – May 18, 1957) was a Dutch-American Reformed theologian whose works on systematic theology have been influential in seminaries and Bible colleges in the United States, Canada, Korea and with individual Christia ...

* Samuel Volbeda * Rienk B. Kuiper * John H. Kromminga * James A. De Jong * Cornelius Plantinga * Jul Medenblik

Academics

The seminary primarily prepares students for ordained ministry within the denomination through the Master of Divinity degree, but also grants

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

s ( MA, MTS) in other subjects including worship, education, missions, and theological studies. The seminary also offers a Th.M. with concentrations in Old Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature, New Historical Theology, Systematic Theology, Philosophical and Moral Theology, Pastoral Care, Church Polity and Administration, Preaching, Worship, Educational Ministry, and Missions, as well as the PhD degree in historical, systematic, and philosophical theology, and in ethics. In addition to formal degrees, the seminary offers continuing education, including courses that are open to visitors, lectures, book discussion groups, and conferences for clergy and those in the community.

Notable alumni and faculty

* Clarence Bouma * Gary M. Burge * Anthony Hoekema *

Herman Hoeksema Herman Hoeksema (13 March 1886 in Hoogezand – 2 September 1965 in Grand Rapids) was a Dutch Reformed theologian. Hoeksema served as a long time pastor of the First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. In 1924 he refused to accept the thre ...

* James Kennedy, professor of the

history of the Netherlands The history of the Netherlands is a history of seafaring people thriving in the lowland river delta on the North Sea in northwestern Europe. Records begin with the four centuries during which the region formed a militarized border zone of the Ro ...

at the

University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, nl, Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The UvA is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, the other being ...

* Barend Klaas Kuiper, professor of history, who was dismissed after watching a movie."Saw movie, loses job"
''Kingsport Times'' from Kingsport, Tennessee . July 6, 1928 Page 1. via Newspapers.com (subscription required) * Rienk Kuiper * Richard Muller * James Olthuis * Cornelius Plantinga * Lewis Smedes * John Stek * Cornelius Van Til * Geerhardus Vos * Jeffrey A. D. Weima

References

External links

Calvin Theological Seminary website''Kerux'', the online student publication of Calvin Theological Seminary
{{authority control Seminaries and theological colleges in Michigan Education in Grand Rapids, Michigan Reformed church seminaries and theological colleges in the United States Educational institutions established in 1876 Universities and colleges in Kent County, Michigan 1876 establishments in Michigan Christian Reformed Church in North America