Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1902 by Presbyterian ministers, Robert Lewis Dabney and Richmond Kelley Smoot.
It is one of the ten official PC(USA) seminaries. Its 12-acre (49,000 m2) campus is located near the University of Texas at Austin. The Seminary is approved by The University Senate of The United Methodist Church.
The school is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada and the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is a member of the Council of Southwestern Theological Schools, American Schools of Oriental Research, and the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education.
Austin Seminary currently offers four degree programs: a Master of Divinity (M.Div.), a three-year program designed to equip students for ordained ministry and other church work; a Master of Art in Ministry Practice (MAMP), a two-year program designed to equip students for Christian leadership in a variety of settings; a Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS), a two-year program more academically focused than the Divinity program; and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree.
Austin Seminary also offers a dual degree program that allows students to work towards the completion of two degrees. This three-year program allows students to earn both a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) through the University of Texas at Austin and an M.Div. through Austin Seminary at the same time.
The seminary has twenty-seven full-time faculty members who serve three main departments: the Theological-Historical Department, the Department of the Church's Ministry, and the Biblical Department.
Students in the MDiv program are required to attain language competency in both biblical Hebrew and Greek with the eventual goal enabling students to translate biblical texts. Students generally take Hebrew and Greek in the January and Summer terms, respectively. Additional requirements of the Divinity program include a semester-long practical internship (Supervised Practice of Ministry), courses in theology and church history, and a capstone course known as "Senior Preaching" in which the graduating student designs a chapel service and preaches a sermon before the student body.
The school's main buildings include Currie Hall (a co-ed dormitory), McCord Community Center, McMillan Classroom Building, Trull Administration Building, Stitt Library, and Shelton Chapel.
The current president is Theodore J. Wardlaw, who has held the position since 2002.
Famous quotes containing the words austin, presbyterian and/or theological:
“Certainly, then, ordinary language is not the last word: in
principle it can everywhere be supplemented and improved upon, and superseded. Only remember, it is the first word.”
—John Austin (1911–1960)
“He is a Presbyterian first and an artist second, which is just as comfortable as trying to be a Presbyterian first and a chorus girl second.”
—H.L. (Henry Lewis)
“As liberty and intelligence have increased the people have more and more revolted against the theological dogmas that contradict common sense and wound the tenderest sensibilities of the soul.”
—Catherine E. Beecher (1800–1878)