Mainline Protestant Seminaries - SaBC (Seminaries and Bible Colleges)

Mainline protestant denominations are some of the most historic denominations in the United States and Canada. Most are ecumenical and in full communion with each other, and they share many resources — including seminaries. Mainline protestant seminaries are frequently affiliated with several mainline denominations. Even accredited mainline seminaries that have official ties with just one denomination often offer graduate theology courses for students in other mainline traditions.
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American Baptist Churches USA Seminary Schools

The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) is a diverse denomination that comes from the baptist tradition. It’s a mainline protestant denomination, but there are evangelical and charismatic congregations within the denomination. The ABCUSA is a member of the Baptist World Alliance, National Council of Churches, and World Council of Churches.

There are ten official American Baptist Church USA seminary schools:

American Baptist Seminary of the West, a Progressive National Baptist Convention and ABCUSA seminary
Andover Newton Theological School, a United Churches of Christ and ABCUSA theology school
Baptist School of Theology, a Progressive National Baptist Convention, National Baptist Convention, and American Baptist theology school
Central Baptist Theological Seminary, a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and ABCUSA seminary school that’s highly ecumenical
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, a progressive ABCUSA seminary
Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico, an American Baptist seminary in Puerto Rico
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, a conservative ABCUSA seminary
Palmer Theological Seminary, an American Baptist seminary in Pennsylvania
Shaw University Divinity School, a historically black General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and ABCUSA divinity school
Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology of Virginia University, a historically African-American American Baptist graduate theology school

Disciples of Christ Theology Seminaries

The Disciples of Christ (or The Christian Church) has relationships with protestant denominations in the United States and throughout the world. The Disciples of Christ is part of the National Council of Churches and World Council of Churches.

There are several disciples of Christ seminaries:

Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, a seminary of the Disciples of Christ and United Methodist Church
Central Baptist Theological Seminary, a Disciples of Christ seminary school that’s connected with a number of other denominations
Christian Theological Seminary, Disciples of Christ seminary in Indiana
Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan, a Churches of Christ and Disciples of Christ seminary school
Lexington Theological Seminary, a Disciples of Christ graduate theology school in Kentucky
Pacific School of Religion, a United Methodist Church, United Churches of Christ, and Disciples of Christ religious school
Phillips Theological Seminary, a Disciples of Christ seminary in Oklahoma

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Seminary Schools

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is the United State’s largest lutheran denomination. The ELCA is in full communion with lots of mainline protestant denominations, and it’s part of the Lutheran World Federation and World Council of Churches.

There are eight Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seminary schools:

Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of Lenoir-Rhyne University, an ELCA seminary school in South Carolina
Luther Seminary, a seminary school of the ELCA in Minnesota
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, an ELCA seminary in Pennsylvania
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, an Evangelical Lutheran seminary school in Pennsylvania
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, an ELCA theology school in Illinois
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Lutheran University, an Evangelical Lutheran seminary in California
Trinity Lutheran Seminary, an Evangelical Lutheran seminary in Ohio
Wartburg Theological Seminary, an Evangelical Lutheran graduate theology school in Iowa

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America also works with another mainline protestant seminary:

Iliff School of Theology, a United Methodist seminary that offers classes for Evangelical Lutheran students

Presbyterian Church USA Theology Schools

The Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA) is the lagest presbyterian denomination in the United States. The denomination has over 1 million members and almost 10,000 congregations. The PCUSA is a member of Christian Churches Together, the World Communion of Reformed Churches, the National Council of Churches, and the World Council of Churches.

There are several Presbyterian Church USA theology schools:

Several other mainline seminaries are have connections with the Presbyterian Church USA or offer classes on presbyterian theology:

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a PCUSA seminary in Texas
Central Baptist Theological Seminary, an ecumenical baptist seminary that has ties with the PCUSA and many other mainline protestant denominations
Columbia Theological Seminary, a PCUSA seminary school in California
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a PCUSA seminary in Kentucky
McCormick Theological Seminary, a seminary of the PCUSA in Illinois
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, a PCUSA seminary in Pennsylvania
Princeton Theological Seminary, a PCUSA seminary in New Jersey
San Francisco Theological Seminary, a PCUSA seminary in California
Union Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a PCUSA seminary in Texas
University of Dubuque Theological Seminary, a PCAUSA theology school in Iowa

Another seminary is no longer affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA but used to be:

Union Theological Seminary, a non-denomniational seminary with historic presbyterian ties

Reformed Church in America Seminaries

The Reformed Church in America (RCA) is one of the oldest mainline denominations in the United States and Canada. The denomination’s historically rooted in the Dutch reformed movement. Today, the RCA is part of many ecumencial organizations, including the National Council of Churches, Christian Churches Together, National Association of Evangelicals, Canadian Council of Churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches, and World Council of Churches.

There are three Reformed Church in America seminaries:

New Brunswick Theological Seminaries, an RCA seminary in New Jersey
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary, an RCA seminary school in Pennsylvania
Reformed Theological Seminary, an RCA theology school in Michigan

The Episcopal Church Divinity Schools

The Episcopal Church (TEC) has a long history of being the primary anglican or episcopal denomination in the United States. It remains the mainline anglican denomination within the country.

There are several Episcopal Church divinity schools:

Berkeley Divinity School, a TEC divinity school affiliated with Yale Divinity School
Bexley Hall Seabury – Western Theological Seminary Federation, a mainline divinity school that serves TEC and other mainline traditions
Church Divinity School of the Pacific, a TEC divinity school in California
Episcopal Divinity School, a progressive divinity school of TEC that’s affiliated with Harvard Divinity School
General Theological Seminary, a moderate TEC theology school
Nashotah House, a conservative TEC seminary school that serves other denominations as well
University of the South School of Theology, a Episcopal Church theology school in Tennessee
Seminary of the Southwest, an Episcopal Church seminary in Texas
Trinity School for Ministry, an evangelical TEC ministry school

United Churches of Christ Theology Schools

The United Churches of Christ (UCC) has nearly 1 million members and thousands of congregations. The denomination is well-known for its ecumenical efforts with both other mainline protestant denominations and non-Christian religious organizations. The UCC is in full communion with lots of denominations.

There are seven official United Churches of Christ graduate theology schools:

Andover Newton Theological Seminary, an American Baptist Churches USA and UCC theology school
Central Baptist Theological Seminary, a UCC theology school with many ecumencial ties
Chicago Theological Seminary, a UCC theology school in Chicago
Eden Theological Seminary, a UCC theology school in MIssouri
Lancaster Theological Seminary, a UCC seminary in Pennsylvania
Pacific School of Religion, a Disciples of Christ, United Methodist Church and UCC school of religion
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, a United Methodist Church and UCC seminary school

One theology school isn’t fully affiliated with the United Churches of Christ but offers graduate courses for students seeking ordination in the UCC:

Iliff School of Theology, a methodist seminary that offers courses for UCC students

Several theology schools are no longer part associated with the United Churches of Christ but were part of the denomination at one point:

Hartford Seminary, a non-denominational theology school with former UCC ties
Harvard University Divinity School, a divinity school with historic ties to the UCC
Howard University School of Divinity, a historically black divinity school with past ties to the UCC
Interdenomination Theological Center, a historically African American interdenominational theology school with former UCC ties
Vanderbilt University Divinity School, a divinity school with historic UCC ties
Yale University Divinity School, a divinity school with past ties to the UCC

United Methodist Church Seminary Schools

The United Methodist Church (UMC) races its history back to Charles and John Wesley, and the Great Awakening. It’s the largest methodist denomination today and the biggest mainline protestant denomination. The UMC is known for being both liturgical and evangelical. The denomination is a member of the World Methodist Council, World Council of Churches and many other Christian associations.

There are several official United Methodist Church seminary schools:

Boston University School of Theology, a UMC theology school in Massachusetts
Brite Divinity School, a Disciples of Christ and UMC divinity school
Candler School of Theology at Emory University, a United Methodist theology school in Atlanta
Central Baptist Theological Seminary, a UMC seminary school that’s affiliated with many other denominations
Claremont School of Theology, a UMC graduate theology school in California
Drew University Theological School, a UMC theology school in New Jersey
Duke University Divinity School, a UMC divinity school in North Carolina
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, a United Methodist seminary school in Illinois
Iliff School of Theology, a seminary school of the UMC and many other mainline denominations
Methodist Theological School in Ohio, a UMC theology school in Ohio
Pacific School of Religion, a United Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ and UMC school of religion that serves many other backgrounds and some other faiths
Perkins School of Theology of Southern Methodist University, a UMC theology school in Texas
Saint Paul School of Theology, a UMC theology school in Kansas
United Theological Seminary, a United Methodist seminary in Ohio
Wesley Theological Seminary, a United Methodist seminary school in Washington, D.C.

Some other mainline seminaries are affiliated with other mainline denominations but offer graduate courses for students pursuing ministry in the United Methodist Church:

Eastern Mennonite Seminary of Eastern Mennonite University, a Mennonite Church USA seminary that offers classes for UMC students
Luther Seminary, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seminary that offers UMC courses

Still other mainline seminary schools aren’t part of a mainline denomination but have historic roots in the United Methodist Church:

Chicago Theological Seminary, an ecumencial seminary that offers coursework for ordination in the United Methodist Church
Vanderbilt University Divinity School, a non-denominational divinity school with historic roots in the UMC

Looking for more seminaries and divinity schools? There are:

Or, check out all the different lists of seminaries by denomination.