The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (STM) is a Jesuit school of graduate theology at Boston College. It is an ecclesiastical faculty of

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 the ...

that trains men and women, both lay and religious, for scholarship and service, especially within the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

. Boston College's School of Theology and Ministry and Theology Department ranked 10th among universities worldwide in Theology, Divinity, and Religious studies in the 2020 QS World University Rankings. It was one of two Catholic institutions, along with the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...

, in the top 10.

History

The School of Theology and Ministry was founded in the merger of Weston Jesuit School of Theology and Boston College Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry on June 1, 2008. Weston College opened in 1922 as a center of philosophy for the New England Province of the Jesuits in

Weston, Massachusetts Weston is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, about 15 miles west of Boston. At the time of the 2020 United States Census, the population of Weston was 11,851. Weston was incorporated in 1713, and protection of the town's historic resourc ...

. Weston College expanded in 1927 to prepare men for ordination, and later to include religious and lay men and women, as the Weston Jesuit School of Theology. Historically, the School of Theology at Weston College was listed in the Boston College course catalog as a constituent school of the university, with the names of theological degree graduates in the commencement program. But the connection between Boston College and Weston College was non-legal and had never been properly defined, according to university historians. Williamshall

Meanwhile, Weston College in 1967 joined with Boston College and five other theological institutions to form the

Boston Theological Institute The Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium (BTI), originally the Boston Theological Institute, is the largest theological consortium in the world, bringing together the resources of theological schools and seminaries throughout the greater ...

(BTI), increasing cooperation and academic opportunities in the spirit of the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and ...

. For the first time, Weston College matriculated students in its theology programs who were not members of the Jesuit order. In 1968, Weston College moved to

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston ...

and also became one of the first three Catholic schools accredited by the

Association of Theological Schools 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 as ...

in 1968. In 1971, Boston College opened a summer Institute of Religious Education and Service, which later became known as the Institute of Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry (IREPM), offering hands-on ministerial training to men and women. The Institute expanded its academic offerings and awarded its first degree in 1975. In 1974, the arrangement between Weston College and Boston College ceased, and Weston College changed its name to Weston School of Theology. In December 2004, Boston College announced plans to create a School of Theology and Ministry by merging the Institute for Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry and the Weston Jesuit School of Theology. The reaffiliation of Weston Jesuit School of Theology with Boston College took place in 2008, and the new school was moved to Boston College's campus in Brighton, purchased in 2006. These buildings formerly housed the chancery of the Archdiocese of Boston and portions of St. John's Seminary. In September 2015, Simboli Hall, home of the School of Theology and Ministry, was dedicated in recognition of alumnus and real estate developer Anthony C. Simboli and his wife Gloria. The Boston College School of Theology and Ministry is one of the two schools in the United States where Jesuits receive theological training prior to ordination to the priesthood, the other being

Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University The Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University is a Jesuit seminary within Santa Clara University and one of the member colleges of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley, California. Prior to its merger with Santa Clara Univers ...

. The School of Theology and Ministry offers an array of ministerial and theological courses and degrees.

Academics

The School of Theology and Ministry is both a graduate

divinity school 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 an ecclesiastical faculty of theology regulated by the Apostolic Constitution Sapientia Christiana (1979) and accredited 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 ...

. It offers both master and doctoral degrees, civil and ecclesiastical degrees, and a wide variety of continuing education offerings, including online programs through C21 Online. * Master of Divinity (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. Th ...

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 the ...

and Ministry (M.A.) *

Master of Theological Studies A Master of Theological Studies (MTS) is a graduate degree, offered in theological seminary or graduate faculty of theology, which gives students lay training in theological studies. Under Association of Theological Schools in the United States ...

(M.T.S.) *

Master of Theology Master of Theology ( la, Theologiae Magister, abbreviated MTh, ThM, or MTheol) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a PhD program or as a sta ...

(Th.M.) *

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

and

Education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty ...

(Ph.D.) * Bachelor's of

Sacred 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 the s ...

(S.T.B.) * Licentiate in

(S.T.L.) *

(S.T.D.)

Faculty

There are approximately 29 full-time faculty members at the School of Theology and Ministry, in addition to about 32 members of the Morrissey College Department of Theology at Boston College with which students are able to work and take classes. The School of Theology and Ministry faculty can be divided according to their research in the following fields: *

Historical Theology Historical theology is the study of the history of Christian doctrine. Stanley Grenz, Grenz, Guretzki and Nordling describe it as, "The division of the theological discipline that seeks to understand and delineate how the church interpreted Scri ...

Systematic Theology Systematic theology, or systematics, is a discipline of Christian theology that formulates an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues such as what the Bible teaches about certain topic ...

Practical Theology Practical theology is an academic discipline that examines and reflects on religious practices in order to understand the theology enacted in those practices and in order to consider how theological theory and theological practices can be more full ...

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 ...

Moral Theology Ethics involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior.''Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy''"Ethics"/ref> A central aspect of ethics is "the good life", the life worth living or life that is simply sati ...

* Biblical Studies * Religious Education *

Pastoral Counseling Pastoral counseling is a branch of counseling in which psychologically trained ministers, rabbis, priests, imams, and other persons provide therapy services. Pastoral counselors often integrate modern psychological thought and method with tradit ...

Canon Law Canon law (from grc, κανών, , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its members. It is th ...

* Liturgical Theology

Student demographics

Enrollment at the School of Theology and Ministry is approximately 420 students. While the majority of students at the STM are Catholic, it is also home to a number of Anglican/ Episcopal,

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

Evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual expe ...

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...

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 ...

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) ...

Nondenominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. Overview The term has been used in the context of various faiths including Jainism, Baháʼí Fait ...

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

, and

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

students. The student body includes representatives from 27 nations and 6 continents, and students range in age from 21 to 74 years old. Laypersons comprise 65% of the students at the STM while 35% represent a religious order or are diocesan priests. Lay students in all programs study alongside Jesuit scholars.

Theology and Ministry Library

The Theology and Ministry Library is located on the Brighton Campus. It is open to all Boston College students, faculty and staff, and is a part of the Boston College Library System. Integrating the former collections of Weston Jesuit School of Theology and St. John's Seminary, it contains more than 2.44 million volumes. The library also participates in the

library program, which allows School of Theology and Ministry students to borrow materials from any of the other BTI libraries.

New Testament Abstracts

The School of Theology and Ministry publishes ''New Testament Abstracts,'' a research and bibliographic aid for scholars, librarians, clergy, and students of the New Testament and its historical milieu. The journal has been in publication since 1956, and each year it abstracts approximately 1,500 articles, selected from over 500 periodicals in different languages, as well as hundreds of books. ''New Testament Abstracts'' is published three times per year.

Deans

# Rev. Richard J. Clifford, S.J. (2008-2010) # Rev. Mark S. Massa, S.J. (2010-2016) # Rev. Thomas D. Stegman, S.J. (2016–present)

Notable alumni

* Leo J. O'Donovan, president of

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

* Jeffrey Paul von Arx, president of Fairfield University * Kevin Wildes, president of Loyola University New Orleans *

J. Donald Freeze James Donald Freeze, S.J. (September 15, 1932 – December 10, 2006) was the Academic Vice President (or Provost) for the main campus of Georgetown University from 1979 to 1991. In this role, he supervised all academic programs of Georgetown's Coll ...

, provost at Georgetown University *

David O'Leary David Anthony O'Leary (born 2 May 1958) is a football manager and former player. His managerial career began at Leeds United, subsequently managing Aston Villa. He most recently worked as the manager of Al-Ahli Dubai. The majority of his 20-yea ...

, former university chaplain at

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...

* Robert Araujo,

John Courtney Murray John Courtney Murray (September 12, 1904 – August 16, 1967) was an American Jesuit priest and theologian, who was especially known for his efforts to reconcile Catholicism and religious pluralism, particularly focusing on the relationsh ...

Professor at

Loyola University Chicago School of Law Loyola University Chicago School of Law is the law school of Loyola University Chicago, in Illinois. Established in 1909, by the Society of Jesus, the Roman Catholic order of the Jesuits, the School of Law is located in downtown Chicago. Loy ...

Katarina Schuth Katarina Schuth, O.S.F., is an American religious sister and academic. Early life and education Mary Ann Schuth was born on a dairy farm near Wabasha, Minnesota, to Marie (née Eversman) and Math Schuth. In 1959, she graduated from St. Fel ...

, Endowed Professor for the Social Scientific Study of Religion at the

Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity The Saint Paul Seminary (SPS) is a Roman Catholic major seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. A part of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, SPS prepares men to enter the priesthood and permanent diaconate, and educates lay men and women on ...

at the

University of St. Thomas St. Thomas University or University of St. Thomas may refer to: *Saint Thomas Aquinas University, Colombia *Saint Thomas Aquinas University of the North, Tucumán province, Argentina *St. Thomas University (Canada), Fredericton, New Brunswick *St. ...

Joseph Koterski Joseph Koterski, S.J. (November 28, 1953 – August 9, 2021) was an American Jesuit priest, philosopher, author, and professor at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. Biography In 1976, Koterski graduated with a H.A.B. degree in Classics ...

, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Fordham University * Michael Holman, Provincial of the British Province of the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

Richard Joseph Malone Richard Joseph Malone (born March 19, 1946) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo in New York, from 2012 to 2019. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Portland in Maine f ...

, Bishop of Portland from 2004-2012 and then

Bishop of Buffalo The Diocese of Buffalo is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church headquartered in Buffalo, New York, United States. It is a suffragan diocese within the metropolitan province of the Archdiocese of New York. The Diocese of Buffalo inclu ...

* James Martin, Jesuit priest, writer and editor-at-large for the Jesuit magazine ''

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

'' *

T. J. Martinez Antonio "T.J." Martinez, S.J. (May 10, 1970 – November 28, 2014) was an American Jesuit priest and the founding President of Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston. Early life and education Martinez was born in San Antonio, Texas. He at ...

, founding president of

Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston is a Roman Catholic secondary school located on 6700 Mount Carmel Drive in Houston, Texas, United States. It was founded by the New Orleans Province of the Society of Jesus and continues to be a spon ...

Greg Boyle Gregory Joseph Boyle, S.J. (born May 19, 1954) is an American Roman Catholic priest of the Jesuit order. He is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang-intervention and rehabilitation program, and former pastor o ...

, Founding Director of

Homeboy Industries Homeboy Industries is a youth program founded in 1992 by Father Greg Boyle following the work of the Christian base communities at Dolores Mission Church in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. The program is intended to assist high-risk youth, former ...

* Thomas Worcester, president of

Regis College, Toronto Regis College is a postgraduate theological college of the University of Toronto. Founded in 1930, it is the Jesuit school of theology in Canada and a member institution of the Toronto School of Theology. History Foundation Regis College began ...

Daniel J. Harrington Daniel J. Harrington, S.J. (July 19, 1940February 7, 2014), was an American academic and Jesuit priest who served as professor of New Testament and chair of the Biblical Studies department at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry (for ...

, Jesuit priest and noted

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

scholar

References

External links

* {{Authority control Boston College Educational institutions established in 1922 1922 establishments in Massachusetts Jesuit universities and colleges in the United States Seminaries and theological colleges in Massachusetts Christianity in Boston Pontifical universities Catholic seminaries in the United States Educational institutions established in 2008 2008 establishments in Massachusetts