The worldwide Anglican Communion has historically been organized geographically. In recent years, though, new Anglican denominations and dioceses have arisen around common theology. The United States has seen the greatest amount of change. It now has a large liberal Anglican denomination and a sizeable conservative one, along with several other, smaller groups. The U.S. is not the only country to have both liberal and conservative Anglicans, however. Nor, is it the only country to have several Anglican denominations.
Many historically Anglican seminaries serve both liberal and conservative Anglicans. The changes within the tradition have also given rise to Anglican studies and certificate programs at seminaries that have similar beliefs but haven’t offered such tracks until recently.
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Anglican Church in North America Seminaries
The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) was founded in 2009, in response to The Episcopal Church’s increasing liberalism. Since then, several other groups that left The Episcopal Church have joined ACNA. Today, ACNA is the largest conservative Anglican denomination in the United State, and it has churches in Canada, Mexico, and Cuba.
The Anglican Church in North America relies on several seminaries:
- Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a reformed seminary offering an Anglican Studies Certificate
- Nashotah House, an anglo-catholic, conservative seminary of The Episcopal Church
- Trinity School for Ministry, an evangelical seminary of The Episcopal Church
- Reformed Episcopal Seminary, the seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church (a founding member of ACNA)
Anglo-Catholic Seminary
Anglo-catholics are Anglicans that have much in common with Roman Catholicism. They tend to be high church, appreciating the traditions and vestments of the Church, and have a high regard for much Roman Catholic theology. They remain, however, within the Anglican Communion and not the Roman Catholic Church.
There is one Anglican seminary school that is particularly anglo-catholic:
- Nashotah House, an anglo-catholic, conservative seminary of The Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church Seminaries
The Episcopal Church (TEC) was long the main Anglican denomination in the United States. It’s considered a mainline protestant denomination. Over the past few decades, conservative Anglican churches have split off from the denomination to form new, conservative Anglican denominations. The departures have made TEC more liberal, although there remains great theological diversity within the denomination.
The Episcopal Church has official affiliations with ten seminaries and theology schools:
- Berkeley Divinity School, which is affiliated with both TEC and Yale Divinity School
- Bexley Hall Seabury – Western Theological Seminary Federation, a TEC seminary that has several ecumenical relationships
- Church Divinity School of the Pacific, the only TEC divinity school on the West Coast
- Episcopal Divinity School, a progressive divinity school of TEC that has a longstanding relationship with Harvard Divinity School
- General Theological Seminary, a moderate TEC seminary
- Nashotah House, an anglo-catholic, conservative seminary school of TEC
- University of the South School of Theology, a TEC theology school in Tennessee
- Seminary of the Southwest, a TEC seminary school in Texas
- Trinity School for Ministry, an evangelical seminary of TEC
- Virginia Theological Seminary, the largest TEC seminary
Two seminaries aren’t officially affiliated with The Episcopal Church but offer Anglican studies courses catered to the denomination’s needs:
- Iliff School of Theology, a United Methodist Seminary offering an Anglican Studies Certificate
- United Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Seminary offering an Anglican Studies Certificate
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Episcopal Missionary Church Seminary
The Episcopal Missionary Church (EMC) was formed in the 1990s by members of The Episcopal Church who feared that their denomination had been too influenced by humanism. The EMC has about 30 congregations.
The Episcopal Missionary Church primarily works with:
- Nashotah House, an anglo-catholic, conservative seminary of The Episcopal Church
While each denomination generally relies on the above-listed seminaries, most of the seminaries mentioned above accept students from other episcopal and Anglican denominations, as well as from other Christian traditions.
Looking for more seminaries? We also have lists of Arminian, Roman Catholic, mainline protestant, Methodist, and reformed seminaries. Alternatively, check out a complete list of the denominations we cover.