Westminster Theological Seminary is a

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

theological 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 ...

seminary 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 ...

in the Reformed theological tradition in Glenside, Pennsylvania. It was founded by members of the faculty of

Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a private school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1812 under the auspices of Archibald Alexander, the General Assembly of t ...

in 1929 after Princeton chose to take a liberal direction during the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy.

History

Machen Hall, Westminster Theological Seminary, Glenside PA 04

Westminster Theological Seminary was formed in 1929, largely under the leadership and funding of

J. Gresham Machen John Gresham Machen (; 1881–1937) was an American Presbyterian New Testament scholar and educator in the early 20th century. He was the Professor of New Testament at Princeton Seminary between 1906 and 1929, and led a revolt against modernist ...

. Though independent, it has a close relationship with the

Orthodox Presbyterian Church The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) is a confessional Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the United States, with additional congregations in Canada, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. It was founded by conservative members of the Presbyter ...

, which Machen helped found in 1936. The seminary was founded by members of the faculty of

, following a controversy over the liberal direction that Princeton was beginning to take. Westminster Theological Seminary considers itself to be the faithful continuation of Princeton's historic theological tradition. Many of the founders of Westminster, including Machen, John Murray, Oswald Allis, Robert Dick Wilson, and

Cornelius Van Til Cornelius Van Til (May 3, 1895 – April 17, 1987) was a Dutch-American reformed philosopher and theologian, who is credited as being the originator of modern presuppositional apologetics. A graduate of Calvin College, Van Til later received ...

, had been professors at Princeton prior to the controversy. The first president of the seminary was Edmund Clowney, who served from 1966 until 1984. He was followed by George C. Fuller and Samuel T. Logan. The current president is

Peter Lillback Peter A. Lillback is an American theologian who is President and Professor of Historical Theology and Church History at Westminster Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution in Glenside, Pennsy ...

, who also serves as a professor of historical theology. In 1982, the

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

branch of Westminster became an independent institution, the Westminster Seminary California, and in 2009 the

Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...

branch was established as Redeemer Theological Seminary and since 2017 has been

Reformed Theological Seminary Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) is a theological seminary in the Reformed theological tradition with campuses in multiple locations in the United States. Founded by conservatives in the Southern Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Church in ...

's Dallas campus.

Theological position

In Philadelphia on September 25, 1929, J. Gresham Machen declared the following in his inaugural address:

"We believe, first, that the Christian religion, as set forth in the Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church, is true; we believe, second, that the Christian religion welcomes and is capable of scholarly defense; and we believe, third, that the Christian religion should be proclaimed without fear or favor, and in clear opposition to whatever opposes it, whether from within or without the church, as the only way of salvation for lost mankind. On that platform, brethren, we stand. Pray that we may be enabled by God’s grace to stand firm. Pray that the students who go forth from Westminster Theological Seminary may know Christ as their own Savior and may proclaim to others the gospel of his love."

The current board and faculty continue to hold to this original vision. All trustees and faculty members are required to affirm their agreement with the theological perspective presented in the

Westminster Confession of Faith The Westminster Confession of Faith is a Reformed confession of faith. Drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Westminster Standards to be a confession of the Church of England, it became and remains the "subordinate standard" o ...

and the Larger and

Shorter Catechism The Westminster Shorter Catechism is a catechism written in 1646 and 1647 by the Westminster Assembly, a synod of English and Scottish theologians and laymen intended to bring the Church of England into greater conformity with the Church of S ...

s, the core doctrinal statements of many

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 n ...

denominations. Westminster's strict adherence to the Westminster Standards and to Protestant theology in general has led to several dismissals of tenured faculty members since 1980. In 1981, theology professor

Norman Shepherd Norman Shepherd (born 1933) is an American theologian who served as associate professor of systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary from 1963 to 1981. Shepherd had a number of views that were criticized as being contrary to the Wes ...

was fired from Westminster due to his views on the doctrine of justification by faith alone. In 2008, Old Testament professor

Peter Enns Peter Eric Enns (born January 2, 1961) is an American Biblical scholar and theologian. He has written widely on hermeneutics, Christianity and science, historicity of the Bible, and Old Testament interpretation. Outside of his academic work En ...

was dismissed from Westminster over controversial views expressed in his book ''Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament'', and in 2014 Old Testament professor Douglas Green was terminated from his position over his views on the relationship between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the early 1990s,

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (Middle States Association or MSA) was a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association that performed peer evaluation and regional accreditation of public and private schools in the Mid-Atl ...

disputed with Westminster because of its refusal to give women membership on the board of trustees. The accrediting body backed down after the

United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Departmen ...

took the seminary's side in the dispute.

Academics

The seminary currently offers the following degrees:

Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and di ...

(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. Tho ...

(MA),

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 ...

(Ph.D.), and

Doctor of Ministry The Doctor of Ministry (abbreviated DMin or D.Min.) is a professional doctorate, often including a research component, that may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in some form of ministry. It is categorized as an advance ...

(D.Min.). Westminster publishes the semi-annual ''

Westminster Theological Journal ''Westminster Theological Journal'' is an evangelical theological journal published by Westminster Theological Seminary and edited by Vern Poythress Vern Sheridan Poythress (born 1946) is an American philosopher, theologian, New Testament schol ...

''.

Accreditation

Westminster, under a

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the re ...

from the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

granted in 1930 and as subsequently amended, has the power to grant the degrees of Master of Arts in Counseling, Master of Arts (Religion), Master of Divinity, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy. Westminster received accreditation in 1954 by the

Middle States Commission on Higher Education The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (abbreviated as MSCHE and legally incorporated as the Mid-Atlantic Region Commission on Higher Education) is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit membership organization that performs peer evalua ...

and is also 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 ...

Legacy

According to

Roger E. Olson Roger Eugene Olson (born 1952) is an American Baptist theologian and Professor of Christian Theology of Ethics at the Baylor University. Biography Personal life Olson was born on February 2, 1952, in Des Moines, Iowa. He is married and he and ...

, Westminster has had an influence on

evangelicalism 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 ...

far beyond its size. Beyond Westminster's impact in the theological realm, the pioneering work of J. Alan Groves and his students has produced the codification of the Westminster Leningrad Codex, which underlies all modern Bible software.

People

Leadership

* Edmund Clowney (1966–1984) * George C. Fuller (1984–1991) * Samuel T. Logan (1991–2005) *

(2005–present)

Notable faculty (past and present)

* Jay E. Adams * Oswald Thompson Allis * Gregory Beale * Harvie M. Conn * Ray Dillard * William Edgar *

Sinclair Ferguson Sinclair Buchanan Ferguson (born 21 February 1948) is a Scottish theologian known in Reformed Christian circles for his teaching, writing, and editorial work. He has been Chancellor's Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Sem ...

* John Frame * Richard Gaffin * Richard Gamble *

John Gerstner John Henry Gerstner (November 22, 1914 – March 24, 1996) was an American Reformed and Presbyterian theologian and professor of Church History at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He was an expert on the life and th ...

* Robert Godfrey * J. Alan Groves * R. Laird Harris *

D. G. Hart Darryl G. Hart is a religious and social historian. Hart is Distinguished Associate Professor of History at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. He previously served as dean of academic affairs at Westminster Seminary California from 2000 ...

Philip Edgecumbe Hughes Philip Edgcumbe Hughes (1915–1990) was an Anglican clergyman and New Testament scholar whose life spanned four continents: Australia, where he was born; South Africa, where he spent his formative years; England, where he was ordained; and the ...

* Kent Hughes *

Rienk Kuiper Rienk Bouke Kuiper (January 31, 1886 – April 22, 1966)
at Westminster Theological Seminary was a pastor and prof ...

* Tremper Longman *

John Gresham Machen John Gresham Machen (; 1881–1937) was an American Presbyterian New Testament scholar and educator in the early 20th century. He was the Professor of New Testament at Princeton Seminary between 1906 and 1929, and led a revolt against modernist ...

Allan MacRae Allan Alexander MacRae (February 11, 1902 – September 27, 1997) was an evangelical Christian scholar who, with Harold S. Laird, Carl McIntire, Roland K. Armes, and several other conservative Presbyterians, helped found Faith Theological Seminary ...

* Jack Miller * John Murray * Manuel Ortiz * Vern Poythress * O. Palmer Robertson *

Moisés Silva Moisés Silva (born September 4, 1945) is a Cuban-born American biblical scholar and translator. Biography Silva was born in Havana, Cuba, and has lived in the US since 1960. He has taught biblical studies at Westmont College (1972–1981), W ...

* Ned Bernard Stonehouse * Carl R. Trueman * Chad Van Dixhoorn *

* Bruce Waltke * Robert Dick Wilson * Paul Woolley * Edward Joseph Young

Notable alumni

Greg Bahnsen Greg L. Bahnsen (September 17, 1948 – December 11, 1995) was an American Reformed philosopher, apologist, and debater. He was a minister in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and a full-time Scholar in Residence for the Southern Californi ...

* Susan Wise Bauer * Joel Beeke *

Alistair Begg Alistair Begg (born May 22, 1952) is the senior pastor of Cleveland's Parkside Church (located in Bainbridge Township, Geauga County, Ohio), a position he has held since 1983. He is the voice behind the Truth For Life Christian radio preaching ...

* Ralph Blair * Robert M. Bowman, Jr. *

Anthony Bradley Anthony B. Bradley is an American author and professor of religion, theology and ethics at the King's College in New York City, where he also serves as the chair of the Religious and Theological Studies program and directs the Galsworthy Criminal ...

* Eugene S. Callender * Edward John Carnell *

Stafford Carson John Stafford Carson (born 29 May 1951) was Principal and Professor of Ministry at Union Theological College, Belfast, and a former Moderator of the General Assembly, moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. He took office as moderator on ...

* Edmund Clowney * Harvie M. Conn *

Jack Cottrell Jack Cottrell (April 30, 1938 - September 16, 2022) was a Christian theologian, philosopher and author in the Christian churches and churches of Christ, which are part of the Restoration Movement which also includes the Disciples of Christ and t ...

* Glenn Davies *

Stephen Dempster Stephen G. Dempster is a professor emeritus of religious studies at Crandall University. He previously held the Stuart E. Murray chair of religious studies, being succeeded by Keith Bodner. Early life and education Dempster has a Bachelor of Art ...

Mariano Di Gangi Mariano Di Gangi (23 July 1923 in Brooklyn – 18 March 2008 in Ottawa) was a minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Biography A native of Bushwick, Brooklyn, Di Gangi graduated from Brooklyn College in 1943 and earned a Bachelor o ...

* Ray Dillard * Chad Van Dixhoorn * William Edgar *

* John Frame * Bob Fu * Richard Gaffin *

Bruce L. Gordon Bruce L. Gordon is a Canadian philosopher of science (physics), metaphysician and philosopher of religion. He is a proponent of intelligent design and has been affiliated with the Discovery Institute since 1997. Biography Early life and educat ...

* Thomas David Gordon * J. Alan Groves * Wayne Grudem * Chulha Han *

Allan Harman Allan Macdonald Harman, (born 7 June 1936)Douglas J. W. Milne (ed.), ''Israel and the Church: Essays in Honour of Allan Macdonald Harman'' (2001). is an Australian Presbyterian theologian and Old Testament scholar. He has been described as a "w ...

Edward F. Hills Edward Freer Hills (1912–1981) was an American Presbyterian scholar, perhaps the most prominent 20th-century advocate of the Byzantine text-type and ''Textus Receptus''. Contribution Hills integrates his theological perspective alongside New T ...

* Paul King Jewett * Karen H. Jobes *

James B. Jordan James Burrell Jordan (born December 31, 1949) is an American Protestant theologian and author. He is the director of Biblical Horizons ministries, an organisation in Niceville, Florida that publishes books, essays and other media dealing with Bibl ...

* Gordon Keddie * Timothy Keller * John Euiwhan Kim *

Meredith Kline Meredith George Kline (December 15, 1922 – April 14, 2007) was an American theologian and Old Testament scholar. He also had degrees in Assyriology and Egyptology. Academic career Kline received his AB from Gordon College, Th.B. and Th.M. ...

* William L. Lane * Peter Leithart *

Robert Letham Robert Letham is Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at the Union School of Theology (formerly called Wales Evangelical School of Theology). He is also Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. ...

* Samuel T. Logan * Tremper Longman * George Marsden *

Taylor Marshall Taylor Reed Marshall (born March 29, 1978) is an American Catholic YouTube commentator, former Episcopal Church priest, and former academic, now known for his advocacy of traditionalist Catholicism. He is the author of multiple books, including ...

* Carl McIntire * J. Ramsey Michaels * Bruce Miller * C. John Miller * Robert Morey *

Harold Ockenga Harold John Ockenga (June 6, 1905 – February 8, 1985) was a leading figure of mid-20th-century American Evangelicalism, part of the reform movement known as "Neo-Evangelicalism". A Congregational minister, Ockenga served for many years a ...

* Deok-Kyo Oh * C. Herbert Oliver * Manuel Ortiz * Yun Sun Park * Vern Poythress * Richard L. Pratt, Jr. * H. Evan Runner *

Philip Ryken Philip Graham Ryken (born 1966) is an American theologian, Presbyterian minister, and academic administrator. He is the eighth and current president of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. Early life and education Ryken was born on September 2 ...

Francis Schaeffer Francis August Schaeffer (January 30, 1912 – May 15, 1984) was an American evangelical theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor. He co-founded the L'Abri community in Switzerland with his wife Edith Schaeffer, , a prolific autho ...

James Skillen James W. Skillen is a Christian political philosopher and author. He was the executive director and then president of the Center for Public Justice (a Christian policy thinktank) from 1981 to 2009, when he retired from the organization. He helped ...

* Bong-Ho Son *

Robert Sungenis Robert A. Sungenis (born ) is an American Catholic apologist and advocate of the pseudoscientific belief that the Earth is the center of the universe. He has made statements about Jews and Judaism which have been criticized as being antisemitic, ...

* Joni Eareckson Tada * Willem A. VanGemeren * Kevin Vanhoozer * Marten Woudstra

References

External links

* {{authority control Orthodox Presbyterian Church Presbyterianism in Pennsylvania Universities and colleges in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Educational institutions established in 1929 Seminaries and theological colleges in Pennsylvania 1929 establishments in Pennsylvania