The methodist movement started by Charles and John Wesley has given rise to several denominations, including the United Methodist Church, African Methodist Episcopal Church and others. These denominations are served by many methodist seminaries, as well as some other seminary schools that offer accredited courses for methodist students.
Advertisement
African Methodist Episcopal Church Seminary
The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church) is a primarily African-American methodist denomination. It has the unique distinction of being the first denomination to arise not primarily out of doctrinal distinctions but for racial reasons.
There’s one official African Methodist Episcopal Church seminary:
- Payne Theological Seminary, a historically black AME seminary
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Seminary
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion Church) is another historically black methodist denomination. It formed in New York City a few years after the AME church. (The AME Church was founded in Philadelphia.)
There’s also one African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church seminary:
- Hood Theological Seminary, a historically African-American AME Zion seminary
Evangelical Congregational Church Seminary School
The Evangelical Congregational Church comes from the brethren tradition. Today, it has wesleyan and arminian leanings.
There is one Evangelical Congregational Church theology school:
- Evangelical Theological Seminary, an Evangelical Congregational Church seminary school that teaches methodist theology
Free Methodist Church Seminary
The Free Methodist Church traces its roots the holiness movement. The evangelical denomination is thoroughly wesleyan and arminian.
There is one Free Methodist Church seminary:
- Azusa Pacific Seminary, a wesleyan seminary in California
United Methodist Church Seminaries
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a mainline methodist denomination. The largest methodist denomination in the United States, the UMC is known for both its evangelicalism and liturgical commitment. The UMC participates in several ecumencial organizations, including the World Council of Churches and World Methodist Council.
There are many United Methodist Church seminaries:
- Boston University School of Theology, a United Methodist graduate theology school in Massachusetts
- Brite Divinity School, a United Methodist and Disciples of Christ divinity school
- Candler School of Theology at Emory University, a UMC theology school in Atlanta
- Central Baptist Theological Seminary, a United Methodist seminary that also serves many other Christian denominations
- Claremont School of Theology, a United Methodist theology school in California
- Drew University Theological School, a United Methodist theology school in New Jersey
- Duke University Divinity School, a United Methodist divinity school in North Carolina
- Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, a UMC seminary school in Illinois
- Iliff School of Theology, a seminary of the UMC and many other mainline denominations
- Methodist Theological School in Ohio, a United Methodist theology school in Ohio
- Pacific School of Religion, a school of religions that serves the UMC and many other denominations
- Perkins School of Theology of Southern Methodist University, a United Methodist theology school in Texas
- Saint Paul School of Theology, a United Methodist seminary school in Kansas
- United Theological Seminary, a UMC seminary school in Ohio
- Wesley Theological Seminary, a UMC seminary in Washington, D.C.
A few other schools aren’t officially United Methodist seminaries but offer courses for UMC students:
- Chicago Theological Seminary, a United Churches of Christ seminary that has a program for ordination in the UMC
- Eastern Mennonite Seminary of Eastern Mennonite University, a Mennonite Church USA seminary school that has United Methodist classes
- Luther Seminary, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seminary school that has courses for UMC students
Wesleyan Church Seminaries
The Wesleyan Church is an international denomination that comes from the wesleyan and arminian holiness movement.
There are two Wesleyan Church seminaries:
- Azusa Pacific Seminary, a wesleyan seminary school in California
- Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University, a wesleyan seminary school in Indiana
Advertisement
Other Methodist Seminaries, Theology Schools and Divinity Schools
Some seminaries aren’t formally affiliated with a methodist denomination, but still serve methodist students. They may be historically rooted in Wesleyanism and the methodist tradition, teach methodist theology, or offer courses or programs for students in methodist denominations. These other methodist seminaries include:
- Asbury Theological Seminary, a wesleyan seminary
- Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of Lenoir-Rhyne University, a lutheran seminary that offers a Methodist Studies program
- Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan College, a non-denominational seminary that’s unofficially methodist
- Oral Roberts University College of Theology and Ministry, a historically methodist ministry school
- Seattle Pacific Seminary of Seattle Pacific University, a wesleyan seminary school
- Vanderbilt University Divinity School, a divinity school that was historically affiliated with the UMC but is now non-denominational
- Wesley Biblical Seminary, a wesleyan and arminian seminary
Looking for more seminaries? Check out our lists of:
- historically African American seminary schools
- anglican and episcopal seminary schools
- arminian seminary schools
- ecumenical seminary schools
- lutheran seminary schools
Or, see all the different denominations we cover.