In his book Fling Open the Doors of the Church, Paul Nixon states that he “graduated from seminary in 1986 equipped to do ministry in 1976…The trouble was that we were now racing toward 1996.” Such an outcome is a waste of time and money because outdated seminary training did not equip him to do ministry in the world today. The German theologian, Paul Tillich while speaking specifically about preaching, made an observation that applies just as well to all forms of Christian ministry: “Preaching must always be done with an awareness of the present moment.”

Graduates from Ashland Theological Seminary are equipped to do just that: engage in ministry with an awareness of the present moment. The lectures, reading assignments, class discussions, chapel services, and informal student interactions work together to shape the hearts and minds of students. Whether you go on to become a pastor, denominational leader, chaplain, head of a non-profit agency, or committed lay leader, we equip you to serve as salt of the earth, light in the world, and a prophetic presence in this country at a time when the call for justice and righteousness is sorely needed.

How does such equipping occur? The answer comes in the form of a curriculum designed to offer broad training in a variety of academic disciplines. As a result, graduates are thoroughly prepared for the work ahead. Take the image of the apostle Paul sitting in prison in the city of Ephesus while guarded by a Roman soldier. Paul observed the various items designed for physical warfare worn by that soldier, and he adapted them into weapons of spiritual warfare. There was the belt, the breastplate, the sword, the shield, the helmet, and the shoes. Paul then added the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. When taken together, Paul said that Christians have everything they need to live faithfully in the world.

Students at Ashland Theological Seminary learn to shape and form their faith first by studying biblical texts proficiently like the one in Ephesians 6. Students learn to read a biblical text in its original, historical, and cultural context. They learn to place one text in the context of the whole Bible. Students also learn how to use the biblical languages, Hebrew and Greek, to more accurately understand the messages of Scripture. In addition, they learn how to adapt those ancient texts into sermons, Bible studies, denominational literature, and other forms of communication that are challenging and relevant for their unique church settings in the 21st century.

Seminaries like Ashland Theological Seminary equip students to think critically about matters of faith. The very best seminaries do not tell their students WHAT to think. Instead, they train and equip students HOW to think in ways that are informed by scripture, theology, church history, ethics, and pastoral care. The very best seminaries are also places where racial, gender, denominational, and age diversity are present in the classroom, on the faculty, on the list of assigned readings, for students, in the administration, and on the Board. At Ashland Theological Seminary, we equip our students with the tools they need to take informed theological positions.

The Association of Theological Schools, an external accrediting agency, regularly monitors our school to ensure we are properly equipped to teach with excellence. This means we are accountable to an outside organization to properly govern our school with input from alumni, donors, current students, faculty, trustees, and community partners. Working with this accrediting agency also ensures we have a solid financial base to provide financial support for students and competitive salaries for faculty and staff. In order to uphold high accreditation standards, our library and technology resources provide students access to cutting-edge scholarships on campus or through distance-learning platforms. In light of our accreditation, you can be confident that attending, providing financial support, or hiring Ashland graduates is a worthwhile investment. 

Ashland Theological Seminary is equipped so it can equip students to go into the world and equip other people to become faithful followers of Jesus Christ in ways that are always mindful of the present moment.