Belonging
Mission & Context
Union Presbyterian Seminary prepares people to be leaders of gospel-inspired transformative change in pursuit of a more just and compassionate world. Union Presbyterian Seminary participates in God’s New Creation, the liberation, wholeness, and flourishing that God reveals in Jesus Christ and intends for all. As witnesses to this New Creation, we are called to respond to a suffering world struggling to address multiple interlocking crises, from epidemic violence to systemic oppression to the climate emergency. Steeped in Christian traditions, equipped to innovate for changing contexts, and in discernment of where the Spirit of God is already at work, we form leaders who will nurture in people an unquenchable longing for—and prepare them to work toward—a more just, faithful, and compassionate church and world. Read about our Mission & Vision here.
Belonging
A key part of our 2024-2029 strategic plan calls us to continue to build an increasingly diverse faculty, staff, and student body. UPSem seeks to prepare leaders to reflect the diversity of the world God so loves. We continue to strive for a just institutional culture in which all community members feel a powerful sense of belonging and inclusion. Union Presbyterian Seminary is an inclusive and welcoming community.
Ecumenical
While we are historically Presbyterian, and rooted in Reformed theology, we have always and continue to train leaders from many different backgrounds and denominations. UPSem believes that different theologies, backgrounds, and cultures enhance theological education and prepare students to serve the church in the world.
Roughly half our student body comes from denominations other than Presbyterian. Our student body is made up of 17 different protestant denominations. In 2024, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) students comprise 48% of the student body, followed by Baptist, United Methodist, Episcopal, United Church of Christ, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and international Presbyterian students.
Denominations Represented
|
African Methodist Episcopal |
Disciples of Christ |
PC(A) |
|
Assemblies of God |
ELCA |
PC(K) |
|
Baptist |
Episcopal |
Reformed |
|
Baptist Missionary Association of America |
Inter/Multidenominational |
Unitarian Universalist |
|
Christian & Missionary Alliance |
Mennonite Church |
United Church of Christ |
|
Church of the Bethren |
Nondenominational |
United Methodist Church |
|
Cumberland Presbyterian |
PC(USA) |
Unity Church |
Baptist House of Studies
The Baptist House of Studies at Union Presbyterian Seminary was created in collaboration with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia (CBFVA) and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global to offer high quality theological education to Baptist students in a residential setting on UPSem’s Richmond campus. In addition, students working toward a Master of Divinity can earn a concentration in Baptist Studies by completing the following courses offered on the Richmond campus: Baptist Theology, Baptist History, Baptist Polity, and an internship in a Baptist setting.
United Methodist Applicants
We strongly encourage UMC applicants pursuing ordination to be in conversation with their ordaining body as they are considering educational institutions.
Please check with the appropriate United Methodist conference office for the specific requirements of your conference and UMC Advisor, Dorothee Tripodi for more information.