Union Presbyterian Seminary facts for kids
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| Type | Private |
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| Established | 1812 |
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Religious affiliation
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Presbyterian Church (USA) |
| President | Jacqueline Lapsley |
| Location |
,
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United States
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| Website | |
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Union Seminary
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| Location | 3401 Brook Rd., Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Area | 12 acres (5 ha) |
| Built | 1896 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003309 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 14, 1983 |
Union Presbyterian Seminary is a special school. It trains people to be leaders. These leaders often work in churches. The school is in Richmond, Virginia. It also has a campus in Charlotte, North Carolina. It's connected to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Students can study in person, online, or a mix of both.
Contents
History of the Seminary
How It Started
Union Presbyterian Seminary began a long time ago. It was founded in 1812. Back then, it was part of another school. This school was called Hampden–Sydney College. It was located near Farmville, Virginia.
Moving to Richmond
In 1895, a kind person named Lewis Ginter helped the school. He gave the school land in Richmond. So, in 1898, the school moved to its current home. This new campus was on the north side of Richmond.
Growing and Changing
Another school started in Richmond in 1914. It was called the Training School for Lay Workers. This school trained people for church jobs. These jobs were not for ordained ministers. In 1959, this school changed its name. It became the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (PSCE).
PSCE offered a special degree. It was a master's degree in Christian Education. PSCE was located across the street from Union Seminary. In 1997, Union Seminary and PSCE joined together. They became Union-PSCE.
New Campus in Charlotte
In 2002, Union-PSCE opened a new campus. This campus was in Charlotte, North Carolina. It offered degrees for students who studied part-time. In 2012, the Charlotte campus moved. It went to a new building on Sharon Road.
A New Name
In 2009, the school's leaders voted for a new name. They changed it to Union Presbyterian Seminary. This new name helped people know it was different. It also showed the school's Presbyterian identity.
Teachers and Experts
Union has many smart teachers. They are experts in different subjects. These subjects include the Bible and Christian education. They also teach about theology and ethics. Other topics are preaching and worship. They also teach church history and how to lead churches. These teachers come from many different church backgrounds.
Students at Union
About 180 students attend Union. Around 90 students are at the Richmond campus. The other 84 students are at the Charlotte campus. Most students are from the Presbyterian tradition. But students also come from over 20 other Christian groups. These include Baptist and Methodist churches.
Students also come from other countries. Some are from Ghana and South Korea. Others are from Switzerland and other nations. Students at Union take part in many activities. They do mission and service projects.
School Campuses
Richmond Campus
Union's Richmond campus has two chapels. One is the historic Watts Chapel. It is inside Watts Hall. This building also has classrooms and offices. The other is the Lake Chapel. It is in the Early Center building. This building was finished in 2008.
The Richmond campus also has a student center. It has dorms and apartments for students. There is also guest housing. You can find recreation fields and tennis courts too. The William Smith Morton Library was built in 1996. It has over 900,000 books. It adds about 5,500 new books each year.
Charlotte Campus
The school's Charlotte campus is on Sharon Road. This building opened in 2012. It has a chapel and a library. There are also classrooms. It has a special center for Christian Education resources.
What You Can Study
The seminary offers different types of advanced degrees:
- Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.)
- Master of Arts in Public Theology (M.A.P.T)
- Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
- Dual Degree Programs: These let you earn two degrees at once.
- Master of Divinity / Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.Div./M.A.C.E.)
- Master of Arts in Christian Education / Master of Arts in Public Theology (M.A.C.E./M.A.P.T.)
- Master of Divinity / Master of Arts in Public Theology (M.Div/M.A.P.T)
- Master of Theology (Th.M.)
- Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
The school also offers shorter study programs called certificates:
- Certificate Program in Christian Education (C.C.E.)
- Certificate Program in Public Theology (C.P.T.)
Famous People Who Attended
Many notable people have studied at Union Presbyterian Seminary:
- John M. P. Atkinson: A minister and president of Hampden–Sydney College.
- John Bright: A well-known expert on the Bible.
- Bob Childress: A church planter and Presbyterian minister.
- Erskine Clarke: A historian and author who won a major award.
- Jill Y. Crainshaw: A professor of religion at Wake Forest University.
- Frances Taylor Gench: An expert on the New Testament.
- T. David Gordon: A theologian and professor.
- Graeme Goldsworthy: An Australian evangelist and author.
- Leontine T. Kelly: The first black woman to become a bishop in a major Christian church.
- Katherine Paterson: A famous author of children's books. She wrote Bridge to Terabithia. She won the Newbery Medal twice.
- William D. Reynolds: A missionary who helped translate the Bible into Korean.
- W. Taylor Reveley IV: A political scientist and president of Longwood University.
- Holmes Rolston III: A philosopher who won the Templeton Prize.
