Calvin Theological Seminary is a private Christian Reformed Church

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 ...

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...

. It is closely tied to

Calvin University Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed (Calvinist) ...

, though each institution has its own board.

History

The seminary was founded in 1876 with the purpose of preparing ministers for the Christian Reformed Church. Originally it met on Spring Street in Grand Rapids, but in 1892 it was moved to Madison Avenue and Franklin Street. In 1917 it made the move to the Franklin Street location. It began holding classes on the Knollcrest Campus, its current location, in 1960. In 1894, the seminary began to offer eight literary courses for the preparation for seminary studies. In 1900 these courses were expanded and made open to non-seminary students. The school enrolled its first four female students in 1901. In 1908 the school expanded to include a full four years of high school education and two years of college, and in 1914 this was expanded to three years. In 1919 and 1920 respectively, a college president and a fourth year of college education were added, which led to the formation of

Calvin College Calvin University, formerly Calvin College, is a private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin University is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed (Calvinist) ...

Presidents

* Geert Egberts Boer *

Louis Berkhof Louis Berkhof (October 13, 1873 – May 18, 1957) was a Dutch-American Reformed theologian whose works on systematic theology have been influential in seminaries and Bible colleges in the United States, Canada, Korea and with individual Christian ...

Samuel Volbeda Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bibl ...

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

John H. Kromminga John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

James A. De Jong James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

* Cornelius Plantinga *

Jul Medenblik Jul most commonly refers to: * July, as an abbreviation for the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian calendar Jul or JUL may also refer to: Celebrations * ''Jul'', Scandinavian and Germanic word for Yule * ''Jul (Denmark)'', the Danish Yu ...

Academics

The seminary primarily prepares students for ordained ministry within the denomination through the

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 ...

degree, but also grants

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

s ( MA, MTS) in other subjects including worship, education, missions, and theological studies. The seminary also offers a

Th.M. 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 stand ...

with concentrations in Old Ancient Near Eastern Languages and Literature, New Historical Theology, Systematic Theology, Philosophical and Moral Theology, Pastoral Care, Church Polity and Administration, Preaching, Worship, Educational Ministry, and Missions, as well as the

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

degree in historical, systematic, and philosophical theology, and in ethics. In addition to formal degrees, the seminary offers

continuing education Continuing education (similar to further education in the United Kingdom and Ireland) is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada. ...

, including courses that are open to visitors, lectures, book discussion groups, and conferences for clergy and those in the community.

Notable alumni and faculty

* Clarence Bouma *

Gary M. Burge Gary M. Burge (born 1952) is an American author and professor. He is a New Testament scholar at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is also an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Early life and education ...

* Anthony Hoekema *

Herman Hoeksema Herman Hoeksema (13 March 1886 in Hoogezand – 2 September 1965 in Grand Rapids) was a Dutch Reformed theologian. Hoeksema served as a long time pastor of the First Protestant Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. In 1924 he refused to accept the thr ...

* James Kennedy, professor of the

history of the Netherlands The history of the Netherlands is a history of seafaring people thriving in the lowland river delta on the North Sea in northwestern Europe. Records begin with the four centuries during which the region formed a militarized border zone of the Ro ...

at the

University of Amsterdam The University of Amsterdam (abbreviated as UvA, nl, Universiteit van Amsterdam) is a public research university located in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The UvA is one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, the other bein ...

Barend Klaas Kuiper Barend Klaas Kuiper (July 16, 1877 – July 21, 1961) was a history professor and author who wrote about Dutch Calvinist church history and the Protestant Reformation. Personal life Kuiper was born in Oud-Loosdrecht in the Netherlands on Ju ...

, professor of history, who was dismissed after watching a movie."Saw movie, loses job"
''Kingsport Times'' from Kingsport, Tennessee . July 6, 1928 Page 1. via Newspapers.com (subscription required) * Rienk Kuiper * Richard Muller * James Olthuis * Cornelius Plantinga *

Lewis Smedes Lewis Benedictus Smedes (August 20, 1921 – December 19, 2002) was a renowned Christian author, ethicist, and theologian in the Reformed tradition. He was a professor of theology and ethics for twenty-five years at Fuller Theological Seminary in P ...

John Stek John Henry Stek (March 7, 1925 – June 6, 2009) was an American pastor, biblical scholar and translator, and Old Testament professor. Background and education Stek was born in Oskaloosa, Iowa, to William and Gertie Stek. His studies at Calvin Col ...

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 receiv ...

Geerhardus Vos Geerhardus Johannes Vos (March 14, 1862 – August 13, 1949) was a Dutch- American Calvinist theologian and one of the most distinguished representatives of the Princeton Theology. He is sometimes called the father of Reformed Biblical Theolo ...

* Jeffrey A. D. Weima

References

External links

Calvin Theological Seminary website''Kerux'', the online student publication of Calvin Theological Seminary
{{authority control Seminaries and theological colleges in Michigan Education in Grand Rapids, Michigan Reformed church seminaries and theological colleges in the United States Educational institutions established in 1876 Universities and colleges in Kent County, Michigan 1876 establishments in Michigan Christian Reformed Church in North America