Earlham School of Religion (ESR), a graduate division of

Earlham College Earlham College is a private liberal arts college in Richmond, Indiana. The college was established in 1847 by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and has a strong focus on Quaker values such as integrity, a commitment to peace and social ...

, located in

Richmond, Indiana Richmond is a city in eastern Wayne County, Indiana. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County and is part of the Dayton, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 36,812. Situ ...

, is the oldest graduate seminary associated with the

Religious Society of Friends Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...

(Quakers). ESR's Mission Statement is as follows: "Rooted in the Christian Quaker tradition of contemplation that inspires action, Earlham School of Religion prepares theologically diverse students for a pluralistic world. Our curriculum unites spiritual formation, academic study, social engagement, and vital ministry."

History

Earlham School of Religion's ESR Building

ESR was founded in 1960 by Wilmer Cooper,

D. Elton Trueblood David Elton Trueblood (December 12, 1900 – December 20, 1994), who was usually known as "Elton Trueblood" or "D. Elton Trueblood", was a noted 20th-century American Quaker author and theologian, former chaplain both to Harvard and Stanford ...

and others for the training of Quaker ministers. Earlham School of Religion was opened on an experimental basis by Earlham College in the autumn of 1960. An M.A. in Religion was offered for the first two years. Then, the Board of Trustees authorized the expansion of the program to include a three-year Bachelor of Divinity degree. The B. Div. is now called either the Master of Ministry degree, a name many Quakers prefer, or the Master of Divinity degree, preferred by some who wish the name to correspond to that of other seminaries. Earlham School of Religion was accredited in 1969 by the

Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. History It was founded in 1918. The assoc ...

(ATS) and by the North Central Association through affiliation with Earlham College. Barclay Center at ESR

In 1994,

Bethany Theological Seminary Bethany Theological Seminary is the official seminary of the Church of the Brethren. Bethany, located in Richmond, Indiana, is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and the Higher Learning Commissio ...

, affiliated with the

Church of the Brethren The Church of the Brethren is an Anabaptist Christian denomination in the Schwarzenau Brethren (german: link=no, Schwarzenauer Neutäufer "Schwarzenau New Baptists") tradition that was organized in 1708 by Alexander Mack in Schwarzenau, Germ ...

, relocated to Richmond, Indiana, from Oak Brook, Illinois, and entered into a partnership with Earlham School of Religion. The schools remain independent but coordinate curriculum through a jointly operated Academic Services office, and they operate a combined computer network through Seminary Computing Services. In 2010, Earlham School of Religion celebrated its 50th anniversary. In 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 ESR was designated as one of the "Seminaries that Change the World]" by The Center for Faith and Service.

Current programs

Today Earlham School of Religion grants the Master of Divinity or Master of Ministry degree with emphases in Christian Spirituality, Pastoral Care, Pastoral Ministry, Peace and Justice, Quaker Ministry, Teaching, Entrepreneurial Ministry, and Writing as Ministry. ESR also offers a Master of Arts in Religious Studies degree with four areas of concentration: Biblical Studies, Christian Theology, Quaker Studies, and Peace and Justice Studies. In fall 2019, ESR launched a jointly offered Master of Arts: Theopoetics and Writing degree with its partner school, Bethany Theological Seminary. In fall 2020, ESR launched a Master of Arts in Peace and Social Transformation degree. In addition, students can enroll in Certificate programs in Quaker Studies, Spirituality, Quaker Spirituality, Spirituality in a Multifaith World, Entrepreneurial Ministry, Bivocational Ministry, and Writing as Ministry, or take individual courses as Occasional Students. Earlham School of Religion maintains its accreditation through ATS. In addition to its regular on-campus program, ESR also operates an ATS-accredited, degree granting distance education program called ''ESR ACCESS''. The institution hosts a number of annual conferences and events including the Leadership Conference, Spirituality Gathering, Pastor's Conference, and a Ministry of Writing Colloquium. Earlham School of Religion also maintains a number of websites for Quaker research, development, and networking. These include the Digital Quaker Collection, the Quaker Bible Index, the Quaker Career Center, and the Quaker Information Center.

References

External links

Official website
{{authority control Seminaries and theological colleges in Indiana Buildings and structures in Richmond, Indiana Educational institutions established in 1960 Education in Richmond, Indiana 1960 establishments in Indiana Earlham College