Type Private Students 812 Undergraduate tuition and fees 11,960 USD (2010) Total enrollment 767 (2010) Founded 1956 | Established 1956 Campus Suburban President Mark Dalbey Phone +1 314-434-4044 | |
Affiliation Presbyterian Church in America Location St. Louis, Missouri, United States Address 12330 Conway Rd, Creve Coeur, MO 63141, USA Motto Rooted in grace for a lifetime of ministry Notable alumni Ligon Duncan, Nancy Pearcey, Todd Akin, Darrin Patrick, Nicholas Perrin Similar Westminster Theological Seminary, Covenant College, Trinity Evangelical Divinity S, Concordia Seminary, Eden Theological Seminary | ||
Covenant Theological Seminary, sometimes known as Covenant Seminary, is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). It is located in the St. Louis, Missouri suburb of Creve Coeur, and its purpose is to train leaders for work in the church and the world — especially as pastors, missionaries, and counselors. It does not require all students to be members of the PCA, but it is loyal to the teachings of its denomination. Faculty must subscribe to the system of doctrine as outlined in the Westminster Standards.
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History
The seminary was established by Christians in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, (which later merged with the Reformed Presbyterian Church, General Synod to form Reformed Presbyterian Church-Evangelical Synod), who believed that their denomination, born out of resistance to rising liberal influences, needed a strong theological school of its own. In 1956, Covenant College and Seminary began with eleven students on a plot of land a few miles west of St. Louis, Missouri (having split from Faith Theological Seminary). The seminary continued to grow in both size and reputation in the years that followed. In 1964, having outgrown its space, the liberal arts undergraduate school, Covenant College, along with its students, faculty, and staff, moved to Lookout Mountain, Georgia to the site of a former luxury hotel. In 1966, the two institutions formally divided. In 1982, following another denominational merger (known as the "joining and receiving") between the Reformed Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church in America, Covenant Seminary became the national seminary of the PCA, which elects and oversees the work of the seminary's Board of Trustees.
Academics
As a fully accredited seminary by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in 1973 and Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada in 1983, Covenant offers several academic degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts (in Educational Ministries, Theological Studies, Counseling, or Exegetical Theology), Master of Theology, and Doctor of Ministry.
The seminary is doctrinally committed to the Reformed faith and Covenant theology, and it believes the Bible to be the inspired and inerrant word of God.
The seminary is also home to the Francis Schaeffer Institute, which encourages Christians to engage contemporary culture in a compassionate way with the truth-claims of the gospel.
Covenant also publishes an annual theological journal, Presbyterion.
Head of Covenant Theological Seminary
As of 28 April 2012, Mark Dalbey was the Acting President of Covenant Theological Seminary. On this date his office announced the decision by the Board of Trustees, that Bryan Chapell, the current President of Covenant Seminary, would be transitioning from sabbatical to a newly created position of Chancellor on 1 June 2012. On that date Dalbey would assume the position of Interim President. 1 February 2013 brought the announcement that Chappell had taken a pastoral call in Illinois with resignation as Chancellor effective 15 April 2013. On September 26, 2013, Dalbey was inaugurated as President.