About the Seminary
Here are some brief responses to questions you may be asking about Wesley Seminary. Browse the rest of the Wesley Seminary website, as well as imbedded links below, for more information...
A Seminary of the Wesleyan Church
The Wesleyan Church is an Evangelical Protestant denomination with approximately 475,000 people in 5,000 churches and missions, in 90 countries of the world. Founded in 1968 through a merger between the Wesleyan Methodist Church and the Pilgrim Holiness Church, its roots are in the abolitionist and holiness revival movements of the nineteenth century. Its twenty-first century emphasis is on exalting Christ through worldwide missions, compassion ministries, and concern for social justice that reaches out to all people.
Embedded in Indiana Wesleyan University
The term “embedded” means that a seminary is affiliated in some way with a larger institution, typically a college or teaching university. The Association of Theological Schools reports that approximately 36% (and growing) of its member institutions are embedded. There are many benefits that Wesley Seminary receives as embedded into Indiana Wesleyan University, including access to the resources of the largest member school of the Counsel for Christian Colleges & Universities, and largest private university in the state of Indiana.
History of Wesley Seminary
For many years the leaders of both The Wesleyan Church and Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) had prayed about the need for a seminary. With 85% of Wesleyan ministers not possessing a seminary degree, leaders felt the time had come to step out on faith. In April, 2009 the commitment was made to launch a seminary that would maintain high academic standards while also being inexpensive, accessible and very practical. The following September, 30 new Master of Divinity students joined 170 students enrolled in the existing Master of Arts in Ministry degree at IWU. Since its first class in 2009, Wesley Seminary enrollment has zoomed to the top 10% of theological schools in North America.
Degrees through Wesley Seminary
Students may select four different degrees, seven specializations and four certificates, among them are: Doctor of Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Practical Theology, and Masters of Arts. Within these degree programs students can specialize in: Leadership, Youth and Family Ministry, New Church Planting, Church Revitalization, Pastoral Care, Worship Arts, and Pastoral Ministry.
Accreditation
The degree programs of Wesley Seminary are accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. ATS is a membership organization of more than 270 graduate schools that conduct post-baccalaureate professional and academic degree programs. Wesley Seminary is also fully accredited with the Higher Learning Commission. The HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region of the United States.
Faculty
The full-time professors at Wesley Seminary represent a wealth of wisdom and experience in local church and denominational leadership, church planting, theology, worship, consultation, and church revitalization. Faculty members have written many books, articles and blogs, as well as led worship experiences, conferences, and consultations in their particular areas of expertise.
Diversity
Equipping church leaders throughout the human mosaic is a priority for Wesley Seminary. We offer a Master of Divinity in Spanish (and are working toward a degree in French). The school offers an M.Div. specializing in ministry for the inner-city. Of our 500+ students, 62% are male, 38% are female, including 42% who identified themselves as being ethnically diverse. We have students from 10 different countries, including Jamaica, Columbia, New Zealand. While the Seminary is sponsored by the Wesleyan Church, we have students from 38 other denominations plus many from non-denominational background.
Multi-site
Many local churches offer multi-site worship services in more than one location in order to minister to a greater number of people. Wesley Seminary applies a similar philosophy by offering Masters degree courses in more than one location. Host churches provide a meeting site in which students take courses both onsite and online. Wesley Seminary is also experimenting with “cyber-synchronous” classes, which combine simultaneous classroom and online experiences.
Unique Educational Philosophy
The early architects of Wesley Seminary’s instructional design committed to bringing together three unique ingredients:
- an integrated curriculum-traditional topics of church history, theology, and Bible are interwoven into the core courses of missional, preaching, worship, congregational relationships, and leadership
- truly practical application-course topics and assignments are geared toward content that makes sense in the real world
- cohort based-students start together, study together, and graduate together
By the time they receive their degree, students in their respective cohorts are friends for life.
Online and Onsite
The early architects of Wesley Seminary’s instructional design knew that the old academic paradigm of living on a seminary campus for 2-4 years while studying for a degree was simply not practical in our fast-paced 21st century world. So, students take anywhere from 75% - 90% of their classes online. At the same time, the value of face-to-face interaction between professor and student, as well as cohort connection with fellow students, have great value. And so students are required to have at least one onsite experience with Wesley Seminary full-time professors in the new state-of-the-art Seminary building.
