| Trinity School for Ministry | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1975 |
| Type | Private graduate institution |
| Religious affiliation | Episcopal / Anglican |
| Dean | The Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry |
| Academic staff | 14 |
| Admin. staff | 25 |
| Students | 150 on campus/100 online |
| Location | Ambridge, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Campus | Small Town |
| Colors | Blue and Gold |
| Nickname | Kneelers |
| Website | www.tsm.edu |
Trinity School for Ministry (TSM) is an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition, located in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. It is generally associated with the Low Church (evangelical) wing of the Anglican Church.
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In the mid 1970s, several prominent evangelical-leaning Episcopal clergymen and lay leaders became disillusioned with what they considered the liberal theology and "theological relativism" of the existing Episcopal seminaries. Some members of this group had been involved with the charismatic movement that began in the mid-1960s in some parishes, while others, many associated with the Fellowship of Witness, held to a more traditional Anglican Evangelicalism. These advocates for conservatism in the ECUSA began to meet and plan a new seminary with a curriculum based on orthodox Protestant theology and evangelical principles.
In 1976, Alfred Stanway, a retired Australian missionary bishop to Tanganyika (present-day Tanzania), accepted the call to become the first dean of TSM. Beginning with 17 students and meeting in rented space, Trinity held its first classes in September 1976. Stanway served for two years before retiring. His successor, John Rodgers, oversaw major growth during his 12-year tenure. In 1989, William C. Frey resigned as Bishop of Colorado to become the third dean and president. In 1996, Peter C. Moore, a founding board member and noted evangelical leader, became the fourth dean and president.[2] Paul F. M. Zahl was elected Trinity's fifth dean in 2004. He stepped down in May 2007, and Rodgers came out of retirement to serve as Interim Dean and President for one year. Trinity's Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, the Rev. Dr. Justyn Terry, was named the school's new dean, effective August 2008.
In 2007, Trinity dropped the word "Episcopal" from its name on most of its publications and printed materials. The school's official name, however, remains unchanged. The modification was made in acknowledgement of the growing number of realigning Anglican bodies sending students to the seminary, including the Anglican Church in North America, Anglican Mission in the Americas, the Reformed Episcopal Church and Convocation of Anglicans in North America (see Anglican realignment).
Trinity has "board members, faculty, staff, students and alumni on both sides" of movements to realign.[1] Trinity remains, however, an independent institution, neither owned nor controlled by any diocese, parish or province. It remains a member of the Episcopal Seminaries[2].
Trinity now serves 150 full- and part-time students on its campus in Ambridge and 75 more in online degree programs. Many former professors have become bishops in the Episcopal Church or other Anglican bodies around the world.
As of 2011, Trinity's Vision & Values Statement is as follows:[3]
Trinity School for Ministry is an evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition. In this fractured world, we desire to be a global center for Christian formation, producing outstanding leaders who can plant, renew and grow churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ. To this end we are forming Christian leaders for mission.
The values that undergird this vision are:
1) Evangelical and Anglican identity: We stand in the great Anglican Evangelical tradition that is rooted in the primacy of the scriptures and the doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, and which is foundationally expressed in the classic Book of Common Prayer.
2) Welcoming evangelical, charismatic and catholic streams: We welcome students and faculty who long for a church that is evangelical in faith, catholic in order, alive in the Holy Spirit and committed to mission. We have a vital commitment to students from the Episcopal Church and from other Anglican jurisdictions both in North America and abroad. We also welcome students from other Christian traditions.
3) Serving the Church: We are committed to serving the Church by preparing men and women to be leaders for its mission, its renewal, the planting and growth of congregations, and the proclamation of the never-changing truth in an ever-changing world.
4) Excellent teaching and scholarship: We hold high standards of excellence in teaching and scholarship, believing that these will further both personal maturity and practical effectiveness in mission.
5) Deep formation in community: We value the deep formation in Christian ministry that is possible in the residential degree programs of the school. In addition we believe in being flexible and innovative in providing theological education by extension with a global reach through the internet and off-campus classes and conferences.
6) Being a school of discipleship: We believe that the discipleship of the whole person is essential preparation for ministry. We commit to foster in all our seminarians – men, women, single, married, married with children – spiritual and emotional maturity, integrity, grace, and holiness of life.
7) Lifelong learning: We are committed to building a life-long community of learning among our graduates and other Christian leaders aimed at constantly improving their knowledge and ability as servants of Jesus Christ and His Church.
8) Trusting God’s provision: We believe that “money follows ministry,” and therefore are accountable to our partners in ministry for careful stewardship of God’s money. We prayerfully rely on God’s provision and the generosity of His people in providing quality theological education at a reasonable cost for this and future generations.
Founded by leaders of the evangelical wing of the Episcopal Church, TSM has become a central player in the renewal movement in the ECUSA. Although the seminary professes not to discriminate based on theological perspective, the over 1000 graduates who currently serve as clergy and lay leaders are overwhelmingly evangelical. Some of the, alumni, faculty, and trustees of the school have been among those who support conservative theology within the ECUSA, advocating historic views on matters such as the virgin birth, deity of Jesus, and the literal resurrection of Jesus, as well as moral stances such as opposition to abortion and homosexuality. Some of the graduates of this institution have also assumed leadership positions within the Anglican realignment movement and are no longer practicing clergy of the ECUSA.
Although unquestionably evangelical, the seminary includes students, faculty, and staff from among evangelical, charismatic, and Anglo-Catholic wings of Anglicanism, as well as members of other Christian denominations.
TSM is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada[4] and is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. [5]
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