Bangor Theological Seminary

Bangor Theological Seminary is an ecumenical seminary, founded in 1814, in the Congregational tradition of the United Church of Christ. It is located in Bangor, Maine and Portland, Maine. It is the only accredited graduate school of religion in Northern New England. The seminary has campuses in Bangor and Portland, Maine. Its primary mission is preparation for Christian ministry. Graduate programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts and Doctor of Ministry degrees. The school is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and Maine Board of Eucation.

History

Bangor Theological Seminary was originally of a much more conservative tradition/philosophy than it is today. Led by a group of Congregational ministers and lay leaders who wanted to create a center of theological study in northern New England, the Society for Theological Education met on July 27, 1811 in Portland to establish a school. Jonathan Fisher, a founding trustee, described the urgency and importance of the school's mission:

:"I am strongly adverse to an unlearned ministry, but if in this district we wait to be supplied from other institutions, I am fully persuaded that the ground would be preoccupied by Sectarians, many of whom will not only be unlearned, but very unlearned."

Granted a charter on February 25, 1814, by the Great and General Court of Massachusetts, the seminary briefly found a home in Hampden before moving to its present Bangor location in 1819. The seminary began to assume its present shape under the leadership of the Reverend Enoch Pond. A noted scholar and writer, Pond joined the faculty in 1833, became president in 1856, and remained in that capacity until his death in 1882.

Today, Bangor Theological Seminary has academic programs leading to the Master of Divinity degree, the Master of Arts degree, and the Doctor of Ministry degree. The seminary is ecumenical in nature, with over a dozen religious traditions represented among students and faculty. It is one of the seven United Church of Christ seminaries in the United States, and is the only accredited theological institution in northern New England. [From the 2007-2008 Catalog http://catalog.bts.edu]

One school, two campuses

Since 1991, Bangor Theological Seminary has been a school with two locations. The Portland campus serves commuter students in the rapidly expanding population of southern Maine and New Hampshire, and attracts students from Massachusetts. The Bangor campus continues to serve commuter students in the northern regions of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Each campus is fully accredited and work toward degree programs may be completed solely at one campus, or in combination with the other.

Bangor Campus: Bangor is Maine’s third largest city and is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of eastern Maine. Easy access is provided by I-95 and Bangor International airport, and following Union Street toward the center of town. The seminary is located on the right, near the intersection of Hammond and Union Streets. The seminary now follows a more liberal philosophy than in its earliest years. Today it offer the personal attention of a smaller school with all the conveniences and resources of a much larger campus.

Classrooms and most faculty and administrative offices are located in Peabody Hall. Additional resources in Peabody Hall include the library, chapel, art gallery, computer lab, student center, and snack bar. The seminary shares library, dining commons, athletic facilities and other resources with Husson College and the New England School of Communications. Current plans call for the seminary to design and construct its own separate building in the near future.

Portland Campus: The seminary in Portland is located at State Street Congregational Church, UCC, the home of one of Portland’s historic congregations. Maine’s largest city, Portland is located on a peninsula surrounded by the waters of Casco Bay. Easy access is provided by I-295 and the Portland International Jetport. Modern office buildings amidst nineteenth century brick structures make Portland a city of architectural contrasts. The seminary facilities include the library, the Abigail Bayley Commons, the Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Classroom, and faculty and administrative offices.

References

External links

* [http://www.bts.edu/ Bangor Theological Seminary]
* [http://catalog.bts.edu Bangor Theological Seminary catalog]