Western Theological Seminary and the Reformed Church in America

Theological education is in the midst of a transition that will continue to accelerate through the end of the decade.

We are also living in a time of denominational unfamiliarity. The perception of denominational seminaries is that they primarily employ ordained faculty only from within that denomination and focus on training students for that denomination.

By becoming “officially related” rather than “owned and operated” by the RCA, Western Theological Seminary will better recruit and foster relationships with a broader prospective student pool, including students from other denominations and church networks.

Our goal is to ultimately place the seminary in a position that will allow us to respond to the changing demands for theological education with agility and creativity so that Western Theological Seminary can be increasingly sustainable for the future.

The WTS Board of Trustees would govern the seminary. WTS would become “officially related” to the RCA in the same way Hope College, Northwestern College, and Central College are “officially related” to the RCA.

General Synod would officially designate three members to Western’s board of trustees, and should Western cease operations, all assets would revert to the RCA.

Absolutely! The WTS faculty and Board of Trustees unanimously affirmed the Theological Identity Statement in 2019. This statement has become one of our guiding documents for the institution, along with our Statement on Women in Ministry and Statement on Racial and Ethnic Diversity.

The Theological Identity Statement affirms our commitment to the historic Christian faith as well as our Reformed Theological Tradition, specifically naming the Belgic Confession, the Heidelberg Catechism, the Canons of Dort, and the Belhar Confession as sources of authority. WTS always has and will continue to be rooted firmly in her Reformed Identity.

Absolutely! We cherish our relationships with the RCA and the greater RCA community. We believe that we are one of the best Reformed seminaries in the country. Eight of our faculty members are Ministers of Word and Sacrament in the RCA and two more are ordained elders. Although only about 35% of our students enter as RCA students, 70% of our MDiv graduates pursue ordination in the RCA. Put another way, students who would never have considered the RCA before attending WTS find their home in the RCA because of their experience at Western Theological Seminary. And we see that continuing and increasing in the future. We are proud to call many pastors in the RCA our alumni, and we trust that will continue into the future.

No. We cherish our relationships with the RCA and the greater RCA community. We believe that we are one of the best Reformed seminaries in the country. Eight of our faculty members are Ministers of Word and Sacrament in the RCA and two more are ordained elders.

Although only about 35% of our students enter as RCA students, 70% of our MDiv graduates pursue ordination in the RCA. Put another way, students who would never have considered the RCA before attending WTS find their home in the RCA because of their experience at Western Theological Seminary. And we see that continuing and increasing in the future. We are proud to call many pastors in the RCA our alumni, and we trust that will continue into the future.

Should this request be approved, the RCA can continue to expect the following from Western Theological Seminary: 

• We will continue to affirm the WTS “Statement of Theological Identity,” which was unanimously approved by the WTS Board of Trustees in 2019 and affirms the RCA’s creeds and confessions.
• Per the Book of Church Order (Chapter 1, Part IV, Article 7, Section 5 [2019 edition, p. 72]), the WTS Board of Trustees will continue to include three trustees officially designated by the General Synod as General Synod representatives. 
• Western Theological Seminary will continue to provide all required courses so that candidates for the ministry of the Word and Sacrament can meet their ordination requirements. 
• All students from RCA churches will receive a 25 percent tuition discount.  Students currently in ministry or with significant ministry experience can receive additional scholarships up to 40 percent off tuition.  Simply put, any RCA members serving in an RCA church can expect to receive discounts off Western’s tuition, which we steadfastly strive to make affordable. 
• We regularly see students not previously affiliated with the RCA begin an ordination path with the RCA during their time at WTS.  In this way, by reaching a broader base of potential students, we can be a front door for the RCA in recruiting new pastors and ministry leaders.

Absolutely! Should our request be approved, students who enroll at WTS would be supported by the Ministerial Formation Certification Agency (MFCA) in their ordination process and will receive a Certificate of Fitness for Ministry (CFM) from the MFCA.

Furthermore, the MFCA Board has also agreed to grant a CFM to all any student of whom WTS approves through the typical process and who has submitted a Form V to WTS before the end of the academic year (June 30, 2022). 

Regardless of this, Western Theological Seminary is committed to providing all courses required by the MFCA so that candidates for the Office of Minister of Word and Sacrament in the RCA can meet their ordination requirements. We will also continue to support students as they walk through the ordination process.