About
Union Presbyterian Seminary prepares people to be leaders of gospel-inspired transformative change in pursuit of a more just and compassionate world.
Since its formation in 1812, the seminary has sustained the intention of its founders to provide education for Christian ministry that is scholarly, pastoral, and engaged with contemporary life. Steeped in Christian traditions, yet equipped to innovate for changing contexts, Union Presbyterian Seminary is moving boldly into the new creation to which God is calling. Our graduates serve as pastors of Christian congregations, directors of Christian education, chaplains, non-profit leaders, social workers, and professors of Bible, theology, or religious studies at colleges, universities, and seminaries.
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Jacqueline Lapsley
President, Professor of Old Testament in the Walter W. Moore and Charles E. S. Kraemer Presidential Chairs
Union Presbyterian Seminary provides a variety of degree programs for those seeking to serve the church of Jesus Christ. Both our Charlotte and Richmond campuses offer the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), the Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.), a dual degree option (M.Div./M.A.C.E), and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) degree. Both campuses also offer the Master of Theology (Th.M.) degree and a Master of Arts in Public Theology (M.A.P.T.) to deepen the capacity of individuals engaging in public theology, a field that draws on biblical, historical, theological, ethical, and practical resources of the Christian faith in order to serve the common good of society.
Our faculty has given our institution a reputation for excellence. These scholars, teachers, and preachers express a profound and vital Christian faith and have written hundreds of books, articles, and curricula that continue to strengthen the life of the contemporary Christian church. Jacqueline E. Lapsley, the seminary’s president, is a leading scholar of the Old Testament. Union Presbyterian Seminary has approximately 180 students enrolled in programs to prepare for ministry as pastors, educators, and scholars in service to the church.
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Vision
As one seminary with two campuses, and ever being reformed, we aspire to be a vibrant, diverse, and engaging Christian community dedicated to serving one another, the church, and the world in the spirit of Christ. We commit to:
Engage the Depths of Christian Traditions
- Delve into the witness of the Scriptures and the Reformed as well as ecumenical traditions to nourish and empower our community's dynamic participation in God's New Creation.
Offer Compelling and Accessible Theological Education
- Craft and deliver educational programs of the highest quality that empower and support a diverse range of learners called to serve God, neighbor, church, and world.
Equip Individuals with Transformational Pedagogies
- Extend our rich history of excellence in Christian Education to foster the formation of disciples and communities for lives of faith and witness.
Emphasize Hermeneutical, Prophetic, and Pastoral Skills
- Equip learners with essential skills to address conflict, promote justice and reconciliation in broken and hurting communities, and preach and teach the gospel with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love.
Cultivate Resilient Leadership
- Develop innovative and resilient leaders capable of nurturing and guiding robust and diverse communities, whether in congregations, varied ministry contexts, or the public sphere.
Convene Critical Conversations
- Serve as a central hub for critical conversations about the relevance of the Reformed and other Protestant traditions for faithful life and service in the world; and through dialogue with both Christian and other religious traditions, work in concert with the Spirit in forming flourishing communities congruent with a joyful and compassionate gospel.
Union Presbyterian Seminary participates in God’s New Creation, the liberation, wholeness, and flourishing that God reveals in Jesus Christ and intends for all.
“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?”
Isaiah 43:19
We acknowledge that the land where we gather at our Charlotte campus is on the traditional territory of the Cheraw, Sugaree, and Catawba nations. Our Richmond campus is on the traditional territory of the Powhatan and Youghtanund nations. We strive for a respectful partnership with God’s creation, all lands,
and all peoples.