Graduate programs will prepare ministers, expand university's focus on servant leadership
Contact: Bob Romantic, Grand Canyon University, 602-639-7611
PHOENIX, June 6, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Grand Canyon University will launch a Theological Seminary in the fall of 2016 that incorporates all of its graduate theology programs and prepares the next generation of ministers for the church.
Grand Canyon Theological Seminary, like the University itself, will be interdenominational and evangelical in nature, and will be distinguishable in two ways.
First, in addition to teaching sound doctrinal principles and Biblical truths, the Seminary will be mission-oriented – a pillar for which GCU is known.
"This brings ministry to the graduate level and incorporates what we're already doing," said Brian Mueller, president of GCU. "Jesus' ministry should be the model for ministry today – to love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. At GCU, we strongly believe it is our purpose to expand servant leadership into our community and to extend prosperity beyond our walls in lasting and meaningful ways. Grand Canyon Theological Seminary will be another extension of that. What we hope to do here is raise a generation of pastors who will go out and reflect what we are as a university."
Second, the Seminary will be housed within the framework of a rapidly expanding university.
"This is now a major, comprehensive university with 75,000 students studying in nine colleges across 200 academic programs," said Jason Hiles, dean of GCU's College of Theology. "We have an incredibly vibrant ground campus, and now we have a seminary right in the middle of that. You're learning to be a pastor in an environment where you have opportunities for transformative ministry on our campus and in the nearby neighborhood. It's going to be pretty special in terms of the experience for students."
The Seminary, which will be located on the second floor of the College of Theology, is uniquely positioned to serve a wide array of churches and denominations that embrace the central tenets of the Christian faith. Specifically, it will meet the needs of underserved groups such as denominations that do not have a seminary, ethnic churches, bi-vocational ministers, and ministers who can't easily relocate to complete their seminary education.
"The Seminary will be interdenominational in nature but will be adaptable to meet the needs of specific churches," Hiles said. "Our goal is to make Grand Canyon Theological Seminary the premier interdenominational, evangelical seminary in the Southwest by forming Christian leaders theologically, spiritually and professionally while equipping them to minister faithfully and effectively within a challenging cultural context."
Another attractive aspect of the new program is affordability. The accelerated program will help students complete their graduate work in less time and at a reasonable cost.
"Our price point is very appealing," Hiles said. "This makes us very affordable for students who will serve others after graduation, and serving others doesn't normally pay much."
GCU has offered master's-level theological curriculum for the past six years, including a Master of Divinity program. The Seminary offers 12 graduate degree programs, available in three modalities: full-time daytime, full-time evening and online. On-campus housing will be available for a limited number of full-time daytime students.
About Grand Canyon University: Grand Canyon University was founded in 1949 and is Arizona's premier private Christian university. GCU is regionally accredited and offers more than 200 academic programs across nine colleges for both traditional undergraduate students and working professionals. The University's curriculum emphasizes interaction with classmates, both in-person and online, and individual attention from instructors while fusing academic rigor with Christian values to help students find their purpose and become skilled, caring professionals. For more information, visit gcu.edu.
