Why choose Columbia?
Who comes to Columbia Theological Seminary? Presbyterian Catholic 20something 70something Female Male Young Old Asian Latino Black White Teacher Lawyer Engineer Artist Leader Helper Classical Hip-Hop North South Liberal Conservative Baptist Episcopalian AME Zion Tofu Steak Korean Portugese Wine Juice Traditional Contemporary Scientist Actress Sourdough Rye Leader Helper Dreamer Administrator Young Old Coffee Tea Church Non-Profit Car Bike Visionary Orator Mac PC Mountains Beach East West Paramedic Poet Accountant Author Lutheran Pentecostal Imaginative Resilient Leaders
You!
Scholars. Students. Lifelong learners. Faithful people from an increasingly diverse cross-section of the United States and the world. Women and men who want to know more about what it means to live into their call as disciples. People who want to experience the possibilities theological education offers. Columbia Seminary provides a firm foundation for those claimed and called by God to lead the changing church and world of the 21st century. We invite you to come to Columbia and experience for yourself the sound teaching and deep community that excels in preparing resilient leaders for God’s changing world.
How will a degree from Columbia prepare me for future ministry?
How does the worship life at Columbia Seminary cultivate community?
“I came to seminary wanting to form my thoughts about God and be formed by a particular Christian tradition. Because of the breadth of subjects that I study in the Master of Divinity program—from theology and biblical studies to pastoral care and preaching—I have learned about God and the various paths that one can take in ministry. All of the classes are inescapably practical: they are shaping me into a person who can think, write, read, pray, preach, and counsel others more responsibly and imaginatively. Whatever I am called to do after seminary, I have been prepared as a ‘reflective practitioner’ of the Christian faith, someone who values and participates in Christian practices while also examining them critically. It is a holistic education for life both in the church and outside of it.” — Jeff Banks, MDiv ’17
“We are a worshiping community called from many places. As we pray together, our presence expresses a desire for a common life in which we understand each other, not only through the viewpoints we share in classroom discussion, but also in our connection in the Spirit. In my time here, I have been part of very traditional services where thoughtful exegesis of a biblical passage illuminated the text in a new way. I have been a part of Pentecostal prayers where we raised our hands and called on God for healing. I have stood shoulder to shoulder in the Korean Tongsung Kido prayer practice, as we lifted our voices in a mighty shout. We have filled the Broyles Center tower with music that moved me to tears and filled the quad with frisky, friendly dogs who helped us play and pray. Each expression of our shared faith has deepened my experience of the beloved community and the Beloved who calls us into community.” — Melissa Tidwell, MDiv ’15
How can the financial aid resources at Columbia assist me in fulfilling my call? “The financial aid resources at Columbia Theological Seminary made it possible for me to fulfill my call to ministry. During seminary, I was encouraged to focus on my studies without worry of how to make ends meet. Upon graduation, I was able to step into ministry without debt. The financial aid offered through generous donors affirmed me in my gifts for ministry and gave me the courage to say ‘yes’ to Christ’s call.” — Rev. Dawn Hyde, MDiv ’11
Columbia offers generous needbased financial aid packages which are comprised of grants and work-study. The minimum need-based financial aid award is 96% of the total tuition cost (chart). This grant will be awarded to all students who submit the complete financial aid application, attend as a full-time student (at least 9 credit hours per semester) and are eligible for financial aid based on documented unmet need.
What does it mean to live beyond the classroom at Columbia?
How are faculty preparing leaders who serve the church into the future?
“At Columbia, we grow into our unique, individual calls to ministry by experiencing God’s love in a remarkable community. The lessons we learn in the classroom are certainly invaluable to responding to God’s call on our lives. Still, it is in our relationships that we put those lessons into practice. We have plenty of opportunities to do this by serving others both on and off campus, through supervised ministry, in discussions with friends and professors, and even by simply sharing meals or playing Ping-Pong with one another.” — keiTH PHilliPS, MDiv/MaPT ’17
“In teaching church history, I take my students on a journey of self-discovery through deep exploration into the past. As our knowledge of Christian history expands, we better understand how our faith traditions encompass a global story than spans centuries and diverse cultural contexts. We learn how Christians formed the theological doctrines we cherish today, but we also encounter the mistakes Christians made over the course of time. Ultimately, we study the complexities of the past in order to faithfully interpret our present and guide our future as leaders in the church and the world.” — DR. williaM yoo, aSSiSTanT PRofeSSoR of aMeRiCan ReligiouS anD CulTuRal HiSToRy
How will my understanding of Christianity grow through Columbia’s international programs? “Looking at Christianity from a global perspective humbles me. Christianity is prevalent in the United States: this is a country where Christians can practice and express their faith freely. That is not the case all around the world. I have seen and met people who have been and are being persecuted because of their faith. I can no longer believe that Christian persecution is historical. It is current and it is real. My exposure to Christianity around the world has made me much more of a proponent for a theology of liberation and a seeker of justice for all people. Through my exposure to Christianity around the world with the international programs at Columbia, including a recent trip to India, I now claim the authority to question and challenge oppressive systems outside of my daily context.” — MilliCenT THoMSon, MDiv ’17
How will I be formed outside of class? “I truly believe that although a big portion of the education we provide at Columbia occurs in the classroom, another part of it takes place in the relationships students have with each other, with faculty, and with staff. By the way we live out our lives as staff: by showing kindness, by offering hospitality to all people, by challenging the students who work with me to love others, by creating a safe space where those who walk through my office door can be themselves, I know I am shaping the current and future ministries of students.” — Rev. ClauDia aguilaR, MDiv ’11 anD aSSoCiaTe Dean, STuDenT SeRviCeS