Garrett–Evangelical Theological Seminary is a graduate school of theology of the United Methodist Church. It is located in Evanston, Illinois. The seminary offers a number of masters and doctoral-level degree programs in theology and is actively engaged in outreach to congregations focusing in the Midwest but with influence around the world.
History
Founded in 1853 by Mrs. Eliza Garrett, Garrett-Evangelical is the result of the interweaving of three institutions:
Garrett Biblical Institute, the first Methodist seminary in the Midwest, was established in 1853 by largely the same church people who founded Northwestern University. Its founders hoped that the school would shape mind and spirit toward an educated ministry.
The Chicago Training School, established in 1885, was an important force for women in ministry and for developing service agencies throughout Chicago. Chicago Training School merged with Garrett Biblical Institute in 1934.
Evangelical Theological Seminary, located in Naperville and founded as a seminary of the Evangelical Church in 1873. Garrett-Evangelical was formed in 1974 when the Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston merged with the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, Illinois. The merged school occupied the Garrett campus.
Garrett-Evangelical is on the campus of Northwestern University and continues many associations with the university. The school was a pioneer institution in preparing women for ministry. The Chicago Training School for Home and Foreign Missions for women was merged into Garrett Biblical Institute in 1930. Dr. Georgia Harkness was the first woman to hold the post of professor of theology at any seminary in the United States. The Center for the Church and the Black Experience was one of the earliest centers focusing on ministry and the African American experience.
Collaborations
Northwestern University
Garrett-Evangelical and Northwestern University have a relationship that is almost a century and a half old. Common founders established both institutions to provide an educated ministry for an educated church. Over the decades, the institutions have shared numerous resources, including courses, buildings, faculties, libraries, parking, and technology. Today, the Garrett-Evangelical learning community is deeply enhanced through its relationship with Northwestern:
Library resources and access ;
E-mail and other forms of information technology;
Ph.D. coursework and dissertation advising;
Recreational facilities and opportunities;
International student assistance;
Many cultural events and special lectures and programs.
The Association of Chicago Theological Schools
The Chicago area boasts the greatest concentration of seminaries per capita of anywhere in the U.S. The Chicago area schools are organized into a cluster called The Association of Chicago Theological Schools. Garrett-Evangelical is one of the 11 member schools. The ACTS website states:
Garrett-Evangelical cooperates with the Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit in a program that enables students to take up to half of their work toward a master's degree in Detroit.
Garrett-Evangelical and the School of Social Work of Loyola University of Chicago have a cooperative agreement for a dual degree program leading to the MSW at Loyola and the MDiv at Garrett-Evangelical. Selected courses may be applied to the respective degrees at each school. Students must be admitted to both schools.
Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education
Garrett-Evangelical has historically collaborated with SCUPE, which used to exist as a program to empower seminarians for urban ministry. In February 2017, SCUPE underwent restructuring and became OMNIA Institute for Contextual Leadership, which is now focused on global training in all walks of life. As OMNIA moves its mission away from the seminary focus, it has maintained its relationship with Garrett-Evangelical, but classes no longer count for credit. In place of the SCUPE classes, Garrett-Evangelical has worked to offer more contextually appropriate and public theology-focused classes.
Garrett-Evangelical and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary have partnered to provide students at AMBS seeking ordination in the United Methodist Church the opportunity to earn a certificate in United Methodist Studies from Garrett-Evangelical. In return, AMBS will provide a set of courses for a concentration and/or certificate in Peace Studies for Garrett-Evangelical students. Some of these courses will be made available online, some by intensive courses in January and the summer, and some during regular semester terms on the campuses in Evanston or Elkhart. Another component of the partnership is that each school will also provide staff to advise students in fulfilling the expectations for these certificates.
Jonathan D. Keaton - Graduate Teaching Assistant in Communications, Ethics and Society, and Church and the Black Experience
Daniel Parish Kidder - Professor of Homiletics. Editor, and Author of Mormonism and the Mormons, Sketches of Residence and Travel in Brazil, The Fratricide "Reminiscences of The West India Islands, Treatise on Homiletics, The Christian Pastorate ; He also edited THE SUNDAY-SCHOLAR'S MIRROR: A Monthly Magazine for Children.
