Theological institutions face myriad challenges faced when educating multivocational ministers.

AI and Theological Education

PACE Academy offers accelerated tracks for pastors and congregational lay leaders, combining the depth and richness of traditional theological training with rigorous competency-based learning experiences and practical application training.

Specialized Formation for a Universal Church

The World Next Door: Increasing Capacity to Prepare Pastors for Immigrant and Ethnic Churches

Thanks to a Pathways grant, ICSST has created a series of initiatives focused on a renewed formation for pastoral leadership.

Through the support of a Pathways grant, Wake Forest University School of Divinity has energized relationships with the University’s online learning office as its faculty are working with online curriculum designers to create asynchronous courses.

The Jesuit School of Theology's Pathways project aims to unite various educational groups in the Western region by providing accessible, high-quality education and training for Latina/o pastoral ministers and those serving Latina/o congregations.

Duke Divinity’s Pathways project aims to create adaptable learning pathways that cater to a diverse range of degree-seeking and non-degree student populations.

Thanks to the support of a Pathways grant, the university aims to expand a Hispanic master’s program to develop Hispanic lay and clergy leadership while fostering cultural sensitivity and cooperation among leaders throughout the Southeast.

McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University’s three-year initiative, “Re-imagining Tomorrow Initiative,” aims to expand the school’s footprint across geographic, racial, vocational, and relational lines to address the church’s leadership needs.

GMUGS' 4-part initiative aims to improve students’ educational experience, provide multicultural leadership programs, and create a digital library and IT-related resources.

With any organizational plan, certain pivotal individuals – both internal and external – hold significant influence over our goals. To ensure the success of a program, initiative, or on-going strategy, we must prioritize these “Audiences of One” differently from larger audiences. Learn how the “Stakeholder Management Plan” tracks the status of these relationships to help boost overall success.

Dr. David Rowe, creator of TransformingCollege.com and former interim president of Lancaster Theological Seminary, will lead this series, helping participants turn mental models that explain how theological education is being disrupted into frameworks for overcoming that disruption.

Ted Smith leads a discussion on theological education as part of the Wise Stewards Initiative's Governance Between the Times Seminar.

This session, led by President of Winebrenner Theological Seminary, Brent Sleasman, invites conversation about an alternative to merging with or embedding within a larger institution: sharing organizational services.

Learn how this innovative and effective approach to problem solving will helpidentify challenges, gather information, and generate potential solutions.

Learn design strategies for launching online programs at your school.

Eden Theological Seminary President the Rev. Dr. Deborah Krause and Vice President for Institutional Advancement the Rev. Dr. Mary Schaller Blaufuss discuss how the 175-year-old seminary is moving into a new model of education. Using a Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant, the seminary has formed a network of other likeminded seminaries to offer classes to students, as well as provide a range of non-degree classes for ministers. They discuss how they do the work and how it's reaching new audiences.

The Rev. Dr. David Vásquez-Levy, president of the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, discusses how the school is using its Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant to create a new ecosystem that includes not just technology but also efforts to reconsider educational modes and methods. The school's programming includes a stackable curriculum and challenges traditional standards.

Rick Staisloff, a consultant with a long history in higher education, explores how theological institutions can thrive amid change by embracing strategic partnerships and shared services. He stresses the importance of aligning with student needs and maintaining a mission-driven approach while calling this a historic time that demands courage.

The Rev. Dr. Joanne Rodriguez, executive director of the Hispanic Theological Initiative, was honored with the 2024 Women in Leadership Trailblazer Award by the Association of Theological Schools. She didn't intend to go into theological education, but for a quarter of a century has helped create pathways for others in the field. She shared about dealing with a scarcity mindset, making room for others, and leading through difficult times.

At China Evangelical Seminary North America (CESNA), leaders are looking at ways to engage leaders and congregants of immigrant churches. They've done so with new programming aimed at helping congregations, including a Center for Public Theology. Drs. Frank and Anita Liu, leaders at CESNA, explain how they're doing that with a Pathways for Tomorrow grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

The Rev. Dr. David McAllister-Wilson, president of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., has been at the school for more than 40 years. Reflecting on his time, he considers the future to be among the constituencies that he serves, and in this episode, he considers what the way forward looks like for theological education.

In Trust Center President Amy Kardash and the Rev. Dr. Frank Yamada, executive director of the Association of Theological Schools, open a new series, "Inside Theological Education," discussing current trends and what schools can understand about the field from them.

Notre Dame's Department of Theology is using a Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant to create cross-cultural competency in students studying for vocational and lay ministry. Professor Stacey Noem, one of the grant project directors, discusses ways the school is creating space for cross-cultural ministry and how it prepares students.

Lexington Theological Seminary is using a Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative grant to help create ways students can gain access to a theological education. The Rev. Dr. Loida Martell, vice president for academic affairs and dean, discusses how LTS incorporates prior learning assessments and other means to help students.

For the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, part of the Pathways for Tomorrow grant is about reinvigorating community as well as addressing key issues ministers work on, including mental health, isolation, and trauma. Dr. Derek McNeil, the school's president and provost, discusses the need for leaders to be resilient, adaptable, and open to partnerships and mutual support.

Acadia Divinity College is experimenting and discerning future paths for the Church and theological education in its Pathways for Tomorrow grant, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. Acadia President Dr. Anna Robbins and Dr. Jodi Porter, the project director, talk about creating a "sandbox," what it means to experiment, and how they're looking forward to the future.

In 2018, the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab at Brandeis University opened to explore and support the role of chaplaincy. With a changing religious landscape, the role of chaplains can be a benefit. Theological schools, in their work to train chaplains, can benefit as well. Dr. Wendy Cadge, founder and director, of the lab, and Dr. Michael Skaggs, co-founder and director of programs, discuss the role of chaplaincy in shaping the Church.