C o l u m b i a T h e o l o g i C a l

S e m i n a r y

is educating imaginative,

resilient leaders for

God’s changing world.

Columbia Theological Seminary exists to educate and nurture faithful, imaginative, and effective leaders for the sake of

the Church and the world.

Among our many mission emphases, we seek to witness to God’s creative power —

seen in the wonder and beauty of creation; God’s reconciling love —

demonstrated in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and God’s redemptive action and transforming justice —

visible through the Church and in the broad work of the Holy Spirit in a pluralistic and interdependent world.

Connecting Our Mission . . .

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Co lu m b i a Th e o l o g i C a l Se m i n a ry was founded in 1828 in Lexington, Georgia to equip leaders serving the Church of Jesus Christ. Many of its early graduates met the needs of an expanding church presence throughout the South and the West of the United States, and beyond.

The first permanent home of the seminary was Columbia, South Carolina when it moved there in 1830. The school became popularly known as Columbia Theological Seminary, and the name was formally adopted in 1925.

During the 1920’s, Atlanta, the capital city of Georgia, was becoming a commercial and industrial center and growing rapidly in its cultural and educational opportunities. Under the leadership of President Richard T. Gillespie, the seminary moved to its present location in Decatur, Georgia, (about six miles outside of Atlanta) by 1930.

The early years throughout the 1930’s in Decatur were difficult, yet the seminary experienced substantial growth under the leadership of Dr. J. McDowell Richards, who was elected president in 1932 and led the seminary for almost four decades. Following Dr. Richards’ retirement in 1971, Dr. C. Benton Kline, Jr. served five years as Columbia’s president.

The culture of Atlanta has served well to nurture and challenge Columbia through a variety of social changes. Columbia now enjoys an outstanding national and international reputation, even while it continues to faithfully uphold its historic covenants with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The John Bulow Campbell Library collects and preserves materials relating to the history of Columbia Theological Seminary and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in the C. Benton Kline, Jr. Special Collections and Archives. The archives include, but are not limited to, institutional papers and records, faculty papers and records, faculty publications, and student theses. Other collections comprise materials from the Southern Stream of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and its predecessor bodies including presbytery and congregational records.

Remembering Our History . . .

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Columbia produces skilled leaders who are

also mature disciples, prepared for

lifelong learning.

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Columbia Theological Seminary is a community with a commitment of “educating imaginative, resilient leaders for God’s changing world.” God has called people of faith and their leaders to participate in God’s global work of creation, reconciliation, compassion and justice. Now and in the days ahead, the world-wide Church needs…

faithful disciples who live consistently with

focus and integrity,

anchored influencers who can serve stable and

growing faith communities,

imaginative energizers who can ignite congregations that need to be revitalized to engage opportunities and

build sustainable ministries,

resilient shepherds who can pastor the long-time faithful and

those who are new to the church, and

spiritual pioneers who can plant new faith communities

with entrepreneurial skill.

At Columbia, we develop leaders in a holistic manner to connect with God and the world. In addition to classroom and field experience, students are nurtured, challenged, and ultimately formed by mentoring relationships, community engagement, worship and other spiritual disciplines. As a result, Columbia produces skilled leaders who are also mature disciples, prepared for lifelong learning.

Columbia strives to be a diverse community. Theological, cultural, ethnic, geographic, and denominational diversity offer a rich environment in which to be prepared for leadership within the Church and world. We are a community where the Table is large. We are committed to providing a place at the Table where people can explore, be challenged and grow while at the same time experiencing the hospitality and love which is at the heart of God’s character. While we maintain a special relationship with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), we have a growing network of friends who share a common calling as Christians to carry the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ throughout God’s world.

Serving the Church into the Future.

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Columbia Theological Seminary currently offers several degree programs.

Master of DivinityThe starting place for a variety of

professional ministries such as pastor, teacher, evangelist, or chaplain, most especially ordained church leadership. Integrating bible, history, doctrine and practice, faculty and students examine the crucial challenges of ministry.

Master of Arts in Practical TheologyThis program is designed as preparation

for specialized professional or volunteer ministry in the areas of Christian Education, Christian Leadership, Pastoral Care/Pastoral Theology, and Worship.

Master of Arts (Theological Studies)A flexible degree program for those

who are preparing for specialized ministry or doctoral studies with focus areas in Old Testament, New Testament, theology, church history, and ethics. Those also interested in investigating the relationship between faith and a profession such as business, law, the arts, medicine or science should consider this program.

Doctor of MinistryThe Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program

is a leadership development program designed for experienced pastors of any denomination who are currently engaged in ministry in the North American or Caribbean settings. The degree program of study begins with

an introductory seminar specific to the student’s area of concentration, and culminates with the completion of a research project that focuses on renewal in ministry for the larger church and includes a significant research paper to report on their findings. Areas of concentration include (1) Christian Spirituality; (2) Church and Ministry; and (3) Gospel, Culture and Transformation of the Church.

Doctor of Educational MinistryThe Doctor of Educational Ministry

(DEdMin) is open to qualified applicants currently engaged in ministries of Christian education. It was created to foster spiritual maturity as well as imaginative thinking about educational ministry as it is practiced within the life of congregations and other contexts. The degree includes course work, a supervised program and a final research project.

Doctor of Theology in Pastoral CounselingThis unique doctoral program integrates

theological, clinical, and research dimensions of the advanced study of pastoral theology and pastoral psychotherapy. It is designed to prepare persons for the specialized ministry of pastoral counseling at a doctoral level of competence and for membership at the Clinical Member level in the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.

Degree Programs“Privileging the practice of ministry in new ways”

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Each year, more than 1,300 people take courses or attend special events offered by Columbia’s Center for Lifelong Learning. Both pastors and lay persons are drawn to the center’s calendar of vibrant learning and cohort opportunities specifically created to build and enhance skills in church leadership, Christian education and formation, spiritual formation and spiritual direction.

The Center for Lifelong Learning’s courses are taught by top-notch seminary faculty as well as instructors who are nationally recognized as experts in their fields.

Columbia’s Lifelong Learners

These continuing education courses and events serve as opportunities to learn with and from others throughout a lifetime of ministry and service. We invite you to explore, discover, and grow as faithful disciples engaged in God’s transforming work.

Church Leadership Programs• Pastoral Excellence Programs• Church vitality programs

Scholars Programs• Guthrie Scholars• Thompson Scholars

Certificate Programs• Older Adult Ministry• Compass Points Camp &

Conference Ministry

Worship and Preaching Programs

Christian Education Programs

Spirituality Program• Certificate in Spiritual Formation• Certificate in Spiritual Direction

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We become givers and receivers

of hospitality, through exploration trips,

exchange programs, bridge-building.

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For decades, Columbia Theological Seminary has been engaged in partnerships with academic associations, mainly theological institutions and ecclesial bodies of the reformed tradition, in various parts of the world. International partnerships enable us to be actively engaged with the global church through exchange programs with various institutions abroad and to host visiting scholars of international repute on the Columbia campus.

As a community, we become givers and receivers of hospitality and make connections all over the world through various exchange programs and by accommodating international students and scholars here in the Atlanta area. We gain an ability to better understand the world and God’s work in different parts of the world through our exchange partners. Such an enhanced understanding allows us to better engage the world outside the U.S. and to collaborate in providing a sustainable and impactful theological education.

These partnerships foster mutual enrichment and robust global scholarship as a result of engaging with diverse cultures. They provide our American students opportunities to be introduced to very different perspectives on the biblical texts, theology and on the role of the church in the contemporary world. Explorations trips, which often emerge from these partnerships, provide for our students opportunities to spend short periods of time abroad witnessing first hand varieties of expressions of Christianity and lived experiences of Christians in other parts of the world, especially in the Global South.

International students who come to Columbia Seminary either for a short time exchange program or a full degree program, get to experience life in contexts very different from theirs and connect with churches in the U.S. during their time here. They are able to take with them the insights from their time here and help build bridges across the globe.

International Partnerships at Columbia

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30 faculty and 65 staff representing:

15 denominations

6 countries

25 states

41 seminaries and graduate schools

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The faculty of Columbia are world-class in quality and represent diverse traditions. While their publications and academic achievements are widely regarded, they are also beloved by students and alumni for their accessibility and pastoral attitudes. Similarly, while the staff at Columbia excel at keeping the functions of the seminary going every day, many also mentor students in work-study settings as well as serve and worship alongside students and professors.

Community Life: Faculty and Staff

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350 students in several degree programs representing:

29 states

14 countries

37 denominations and religious traditions

Who comes to Columbia?

Each student at Columbia is a gift to the community

with his or her own God-given talents.

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Community Life: Students

Community life at Columbia is the reflection of what we do in the classroom; it is where we stop talking about Christ to become the body of Christ. Our community life is complex and has many layers.

We are community through our worship practices, our student organizations, and through our relationships with each other.

Columbia’s spiritual life is rich: we hold chapel services four times per week, in addition to student-led spirituality workshops and prayer times. In fact, everything we do during the school year is worship. Our love for God is the center of our life together.

Through our many formal and informal organizations, the student body finds creative ways to be the hands and feet of Christ in Decatur and nearby Atlanta.

Life as a student at Columbia is not only academic work, it is also fun. Planned and impromptu social events, ranging from casual dinners to music jam sessions to mission projects and more. These activities season our campus life as we serve and play together.

But our life as a community is deeper and more complex than that. We share tears, hugs, and concerns during worship. Our prayer board includes our most difficult struggles and greatest joys. We disagree. Strongly. On almost every possible important matter. And yet, we manage to love the ones with whom we disagree the most.

We are increasingly more diverse and we are learning how to live in the type of harmony that celebrates diversity and does not just tolerate it. We then carry these practices into our ministries. This kind of community is the embodiment of everything we believe and everything we learn. It is who we are.

Who comes to Columbia? Each student at Columbia is a gift to the community with his or her own God-given talents. Columbia students range in age from 20-something to 60-plus. While many are from the southeastern United States, others are drawn from all corners of the world. Politically and theologically, they represent a diverse spectrum of viewpoints. Yet, all of our students share one essential characteristic: God has called each one to faithful discipleship and leadership in Christ’s Church.

Student backgrounds are represented by a wide array of undergraduate and graduate experiences in liberal arts, sciences, mathematics, engineering, and other professional degrees. Some enroll in a basic degree program immediately after college; some after careers in fields such as banking and finance, education, law, marketing and communications, medicine, and visual and performing arts. God uses all of these vocations to provide depth and perspective on our common calling in the world.

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Worship is central to the way we cultivate community. In our daily chapel services we actively engage the seminary community in the planning, leading, and activity of worship. As an extension of the classroom, our worship life is an intercultural event that provides formative opportunities for our community to be spiritually enriched while learning new ways of worship, even as we worship. We actively seek to cultivate a worship environment that is scripture-focused, Spirit-led, creative, and inclusive. Through the open participation of our community, we experience God’s love as we are called out to worship together.

Worship

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One of the most popular destinations in the South to live and visit, Atlanta and its metropolitan area combine a rich history, outstanding dining, and amazing attractions, creating a unique environment where you can experience true Southern hospitality in charming neighborhoods like Decatur or attend world-class events in one of the city’s venues. The City of Decatur is a great place to live: it offers a small-town feel, excellent education, incredible restaurants, and a wide range of cultural and entertainment opportunities within walking distance.

Decatur and Atlanta

www.decaturga.com

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Our goal at Columbia is that our students and graduates would be active in God’s changing world. We seek to enable our students to connect the knowledge and skills they learn in the classroom to their lives in a holistic manner. We believe that theological education is not just an academic journey; it’s also a journey of being formed, challenged, broadened and nurtured into leaders who are always learning and growing. Therefore, we aim to provide space for students to engage in ministry while they study.

From learning about healthy habits for self-care in supervised ministry placements, to feeding and interceding on behalf of those in need, it is our hope that the way our graduates live their lives, personally and outwardly, will be a light in the world. Thus, our students reach out to the world through the classroom, through student organizations, and individually.

Whether they are studying the relationship between Paul’s imprisonment letters and the prison system today, our role as stewards of God’s creation, or about the New Testament and economic justice, our students are engaging in constant conversations about the connection of faith and justice.

Columbia’s students are constantly seeking to serve the people of God by making meals for our community members in need, engaging actively in advocacy projects and protests, organizing prayer vigils for those struggling, spending nights at shelters alongside the poor, fasting and raising money to alleviate hunger, or making sandwiches for our homeless brothers and sisters. Together, we serve on a regular basis as a caring and prophetic presence in our communities.

Beyond the Classroom

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Student Placement

Traditionally, theological education prepared students mostly for conventional parish ministry, but more and more our graduates find themselves serving in a variety of ministries and communities. Through their academic and contextual education experiences, our students expand their vision of what a call to ministry is, leading them to explore a myriad of ways to serve God.

Columbia graduates are serving God’s changing world as parish ministers, chaplains in hospital, military, hospice, and corporate settings, campus ministers, doctoral students, professors, community organizers, founders of non-profits, youth ministers, Christian educators, worship music producers, camp directors, and more.

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Campus Visits

We encourage anyone who is considering Columbia to come visit us. The best way to get a feel for the campus and community life is to come for a visit. We are always happy to host guests. We have guest rooms available for overnight stays and we welcome spouses and children to come as well. The best time to visit is when the semester is in session so that you can attend class, talk with current students and professors, tour the campus

and housing, attend worship, and share meals with the community. You may want to consider joining us for one of our Seminary Weekends for prospective students held each academic year in November and February. You may download a registration form for the weekend on our website or contact us directly to schedule a time that is convenient for you. Our number is 404.687.4517 (local) or 1.877.548.2817 (toll free) or email Admissions@CTSnet.edu.

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Financial Aid and Scholarships

All of our students benefit in some measure from the support of our Annual Fund which provides scholarships for students, resources for faculty and many other aspects of academic life. Most basic degree students graduate with only a minimal amount of additional debt. Our Office of Financial Planning provides support to almost all students enrolled in basic degree programs under one of three umbrellas:

Scholarships and Institutional Aid

Students benefit by applying for various Columbia academic scholarships and institutional need-based financial aid. Full time students should complete the current year’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and submit a CTS Financial Aid application. Students will be asked to document unmet needs, and to agree to terms in the award letter received.

Outside ResourcesStudents may also benefit from a

variety of outside sources by completing applications, providing information, and meeting deadlines for scholarship opportunities in the PC(USA) or other denominations, foundations, and programs including: PC(USA) Study Grant, Apollos, Hoover, Freedom Plains and others. Students also receive support from friends, family members and organizations with whom they have previously volunteered.

Federal Programs (Federal Work Study and Federal Loans)

Students applying for Federal programs (work-study or loans) should complete the current year’s FAFSA. For federal loans students must be enrolled at least half-time, complete an entrance interview and Master Promissory Note. For either program, students will be asked to document unmet need, and to agree to terms of the program.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact our Office of Financial Planning. Vivian Hodo, director of financial aid, may be reached by phone at 404.687.4582 or by email at hodov@CTSnet.edu.

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To be considered for admission for the basic masters level programs, prospective students must

a) have completed a baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, at an accredited university or college,

b) submit a completed application form and self-disclosure form,

c) submit an autobiographical essay,

d) submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended,

e) submit letters of recommendation [3 for MDiv and MAPT applicants; 4 for MA(TS) applicants],

f ) complete a background check with Certified Background,

g) (for MDiv and MAPT applicants only) submit a church endorsement form from one’s home church or letter of endorsement from a sponsoring Christian organization,

h) submit official scores from the Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for those for whom English is not their first language

i) complete an admissions interview, and

j) pay a $65 application fee. Application materials for each program may be downloaded from the website.

Please refer to the CTS academic catalog on our website for more details or contact the Office of Admissions.

How to Apply: Basic vs. Advanced

To be considered for admission for the advanced doctoral level programs, prospective students must

a) have completed a first level masters degree (MDiv, MAPT), or its equivalent, as outlined in our academic catalog, at an accredited university or college,

b) submit a completed application form,

c) submit a personal statement,

d) submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended,

e) submit 3 letters of recommendation,

f ) submit official scores from the Test for English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for those for whom English is not their first language,

g) (for ThD applicants only) submit official scores from the Graduate Record Exami-nation (GRE)–General Test taken within the last 5 years, and

h) pay a $65 application fee. Application materials for each program may be down-loaded from the website.

Please refer to the CTS academic catalog on our website for more details or contact the Office of Admissions or Office of Advanced Professional Studies.

Mailing Address:PO Box 520

Decatur, GA 30031

Location:701 S. Columbia Drive

Decatur, GA 30030404.378.8821

On the Web:www.CTSnet.edu

Admissions Information

Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Practical Theology, Master of Arts (Theological Studies), Doctor of TheologyOffice of Admissions:404.687.4517 or Admissions@CTSnet.edu

Doctor of Ministry, Doctor of Educational MinistryOffice of Advanced Professional Studies: 404.687.4534 or AdvancedStudies@CTSnet.edu

Financial Aid Information

Office of Financial Planning: 404.687.4582 or FinancialAid@CTSnet.edu

International Student Information

Office of International Programs: 404.687.4618 orIntlProg@CTSnet.edu

The Center for Lifelong Learning404.687.4577LifelongLearning@CTSnet.edu

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