Claremont School of Theology
Seal of Claremont School of Theology
Seal
Former name
Maclay School of Theology[1]
TypePrivate graduate school
Established1956 (1956)[1]
AccreditationWSCUC,[2] ATS[3]
Religious affiliation
United Methodist Church
Endowment$10.1 million (2019)[4]
PresidentGrant J. Hagiya [5]
Academic staff
23[4]
Administrative staff
41[4]
Students467[4]
Location
Claremont
,
California
,
United States

34°06′29″N 117°42′59″W / 34.107989°N 117.716273°W / 34.107989; -117.716273
CampusSuburban
Colors   Red and White
Websitecst.edu
Red square with a white cross and the words "Claremont School of Theology"

Claremont School of Theology (CST) is a private graduate school focused on religion and theology and located in Claremont, California. It is an official theological school of the United Methodist Church.[6] Although it is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, it is accredited with a "notice of concern"; it is also accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS).[2][3]

History

Maclay School of Theology in San Fernando, c. 1890

Founded as the Maclay School of Theology in San Fernando, California, in 1885,[7] (and thus Claremont Lincoln University) the Methodist seminary was founded by Charles Maclay, founder of the town of San Fernando, former Methodist minister and state senator. The school became affiliated with the University of Southern California (USC) from 1900 to 1957, staying on the USC campus until it moved to its present location in Claremont. The school is one of thirteen seminaries affiliated with the United Methodist Church, though usually more than forty different denominations are represented in the student body in any given school term.

In a 2008 meeting, the board of trustees set in motion the Claremont University Project by approving the following mission statement: "As an ecumenical and inter-religious institution, Claremont School of Theology seeks to instill students with the ethical integrity, religious intelligence, and intercultural understanding necessary to become effective in thought and action as leaders in the increasingly diverse, multireligious world of the 21st century." On May 16, 2011, the University Project was officially named Claremont Lincoln University. In doing so, CST became a founding member of a new multireligious consortium - this was the original intent for Claremont Lincoln University (CLU).[8] On April 21, 2014, CST's board of trustees announced an official end to the relationship with Claremont Lincoln University. The mutual split resulted from an acknowledgement that both institutions' "fundamental philosophies have diverged" when "Claremont Lincoln decided to move away from its interreligious roots and become a secular-focused university" after CLU announced "a decision to discontinue several of its programs".[9] In the same announcement, CST's board of trustees affirmed a commitment to maintaining relationships with its partner schools (the Academy for Jewish Religion (California) and Bayan Claremont).

Claremont School of Theology, 2013

In July 2017, after failing to reach agreement with Claremont Graduate University about a land deal, CST began negotiations to merge with Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.[10] After the signing of a memorandum of understanding in May 2019, in July 2020, the school began the 2-3 year process of moving to and embedding with Willamette.[11][12] In 2021, following years of legal battles between the Claremont Consortium, the Claremont School of Theology decided to "maintain its presence in Southern California with its main campus located in Claremont, while also retaining a partnership in Salem with Willamette".[13]

CST is home to the Ancient Biblical Manuscript Center (ABMC),[14] a research center devoted to the documentary history of Judaism and Christianity. It also houses the Center for Process Studies (CPS),[15] a joint faculty center of Claremont School of Theology and the Claremont Graduate University. The CPS promotes a "relational approach" found in process thought, specifically process theology. CST also has a strong representation of students and faculty from all along the Pacific Rim. It houses the Center for Pacific and Asian-American Ministries (CPAAM), which provides ministerial education and other services to enhance ministry to Pacific and Asian American constituencies of all denominations.

Among the non-Methodist institutions sharing the CST campus are the Episcopal Theological School at Claremont and the Disciples Seminary Foundation.

Closure of Claremont Campus

Due to ongoing financial and legal difficulties, on March 15, 2023, CST announced that, after 66 years in its Claremont location, it will be relocating to Los Angeles, CA. CST will relocate to the campus of the Westwood United Methodist Church. CST, currently an affiliate of The Claremont Colleges, is disputing a 1957 agreement that stated that if CST ever sold its Claremont campus, The Claremont Colleges (TCC) would have the opportunity to purchase the property for pennies on the dollar. Based on an early 1980’s California law, CST believes this 1957 restriction is no longer applicable while TCC insists that it remains valid. Both parties entered litigation. As of March 2023, TCC and CST have entered arbitration which is expected to be completed later this year.[16]

Accreditation

The school is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. As of 2023, the commission had the Claremont School of Theology listed as "Accredited with Notice of Concern" related to a commission action from February 2020.[2] The school is also accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS).[3]

Notable faculty

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 "About CST". Claremont School of Theology. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Claremont School of Theology". wscuc.org. WASC Senior College and University Commission. 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "Member Schools: Claremont School of Theology". ats.edu. Association of Theological Schools. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Claremont School of Theology". IPEDS Data Center. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  5. ↑ "Staff Directory". Claremont School of Theology. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "United Methodist Seminaries". United Methodist Church. 2022-03-31. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  7. ↑ Grindeland, Keziah (6 December 2019). "How Did We Get Here: Part One". Claremont School of Theology. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  8. ↑ "Claremont Lincoln University - Online Master's Degrees for 21st Century Careers". Claremont Lincoln University. 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  9. ↑ "Board of Trustees Announces End of Relationship with Claremont Lincoln University - News & Events - Claremont School of Theology". Archived from the original on 2014-08-08. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
  10. ↑ Chang, Kristine (September 22, 2017). "Claremont School of Theology Pursues Move to Oregon". The Student Life. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  11. ↑ Kuan, Rev. Dr. Kah-Jin Jeffrey (May 22, 2020). "A Loving Farewell from the Claremont School of Theology". Claremont Courier. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Willamette/CST Partnership: Frequently Asked Questions". Willamette University. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  13. ↑ Hudson, Khimmoy (17 September 2021). "Following legal battle, Claremont School of Theology will stay local". The Student Life.
  14. ↑ "Ancient Biblical Manuscript Center". Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2020-07-23.
  15. ↑ "The Center for Process Studies". The Center for Process Studies. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
  16. ↑ "Claremont School of Theology Announces Relocation to Los Angeles". Claremont School of Theology. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  17. ↑ "Boston Collaborative Encyclopedia of Western Theology: Rosemary Radford Ruether". people.bu.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
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