The Seminary was founded by George Leslie Mackay, a missionary teacher despatched to Taiwan by the Canadian Presbyterian Church. Teacher under Dr Mackay began in Tamsui in 1872, and was geared towards the formation of ministers. By 1882 construction of the Seminary's first building had been completed. The building was named "Oxford College" after Mackay's hometown in Oxford County, Ontario. In 1901 the deanship of the Seminary was transferred to Rev. William Gauld. Under new leadership the school moved its premises to Shuanglian, Taipei, in 1914, and was eventually accredited according to the 'Private School Rules' promulgated by the Governor's Office in 1992. The Seminary was briefly closed during the Japanese occupation, and its premises were used by Japanese military from 1944 until 1945.
Post-war
After the war, Taishen was led by Rev. James Ira Dickson who was committed to improving the school’s infrastructure, standards for incoming students, and the granting of academic degrees. At the 7th Taiwan Presbyterian General Conference of 1954, the seminary trustees were authorized to sell the old school premises and purchase a piece of approximately sixty thousand square feet of land perched on the lower part of the Yangming Mountain as the new campus site. Upon the completion of the William Gauld Memorial Hall, currently the administrative building, and the male dormitory on September 21, 1956, the seminary was ready to relocate from Shuanglian to Lingtou and begin classes. During the following year, the Christian Education Department was added, followed by the Church Music Department. Evening seminars also started to be held. In 2004, the Legislative Yuan revised the “Private Schools Law” to include a “Religious Training College” clause. In view of this new law, Taiwan Theological College and Seminary could allow graduates of Taishen to obtain a degree recognized by the Ministry of Education and also be able to create connections with other religious institutions and seminaries at home and abroad. Taishen then set out to begin discussions for registering the school with the Ministry of Education. In 2010, a “Taiwan Theological College and Seminary Consortium” was established to prepare for the process. On June 15, 2015, the “Taiwan Graduate School of Theology” was approved for accreditation and enrolment began under the new accredited school during the 2016 academic year.
In addition to the School’s center for the promotion of education, TGST has two graduate teaching units: the Christian Institute and the Theological Institute. Students of the Christian Institute study a holistic applied theology, with three directions of development: leading church congregations, developing missionary ministry, and serving society. Students enrol in one of two programs, either the Master of Arts, or the Master of Science in Christian Studies. Students of the Theological Institute study taught and research-based theological programs, with four directions of development: cultivating theological academic research ability; promoting locally-grounded theological study, and reflection on contemporary social problems within Taiwan; the translation, editing, and publishing of theological works; and the expansion and promotion of international academic training and service work. Students enrol in one of two programs, either the Master of Theology, or the Master of Science in Taoist Studies. Students of the School are encouraged to engage with the broader Presbyterian tradition. TGST’s north American Presbyterian heritage endures through the institution of initiatives such as the annual Excellence in Preaching award, named in honor of the Presbyterian theologian and author Frederick Buechner.
Within the School’s Research Unit there are several centers dedicated to research in specific areas. In addition to the Intercultural Research Center, the School is also home to a center for the study of Christian history in Taiwan, and the research center for Christian thought. The Center for the Study of Christian Thought is chiefly dedicated to the history of reformation thought and the Protestant tradition. The Historical Materials Center collects and preserves relevant information and data regarding Taiwan’s church history, with the twin purposes of further research and teaching. The collections held at the Center include documents and publications created by early Taiwanese churches and institutions of the Northern Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, including: the General Assembly, Northern Conference, Taipei Central Conference, Seven Stars Association, Hsinchu Zhonghui, and the Central Eastern Committee.
