Faith Theological Seminary

Faith Theological Seminary is an unaccredited evangelical Christian seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. It was founded in 1937[1] in Wilmington, Delaware, moved to Philadelphia in 1952, and then moved to Maryland in 2004.[1]

Faith Theological Seminary
TypeUnaccredited seminary
Established1937 (1937)
Religious affiliation
Evangelical Christian
Location
Baltimore
,
Maryland
,
United States
Websiteftscatonsville.org/

History

In response to the Presbyterian controversies of the early twentieth century, in 1929, under the leadership of J. Gresham Machen, a group of scholars was organized to start a new institution. The original faculty consisted of Oswald T. Allis, Robert Dick Wilson, Allan A. MacRae, John Murray, Paul Woolley, Cornelius Van Til, Rienk Bouke Kuiper, and Ned Stonehouse. They found quarters for the new seminary (Westminster Theological Seminary) in two townhouses in Philadelphia, housing students in the Drake Hotel. John Gresham Machen died on Jan. 1, 1937, leaving behind a diverse movement of conflicting concerns and convictions that led to the founding of Faith Theological Seminary the following summer by Allan Alexander MacRae, Harold S. Laird, Carl McIntire, Roland K. Armes, and several other conservative Presbyterians who wanted to continue to distance themselves from the liberalization occurring in the Presbyterian Church (USA).[1] Allan MacRae served as the first president of FTS from 1937 until 1971.[1] FTS initially used the facilities of the First Independent Church of Wilmington (later Faith Bible Presbyterian Church), pastored by Harold Laird.[1][2][3] FTS grew in size and moved to Huston Hall in Wilmington in 1941,[3] then to Lynnewood Hall (the former Widener estate) in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, in 1952.[1] Carl McIntire served as president from 1972 until 2002, after which time Norman J. Manohar assumed the presidency. Since 2020, Jerry Harmon has been serving as President under the reincorporated Faith Theological Seminary, Catonsville (FTSOC).[1]

Faith Theological Seminary was officially independent (by the design of the "Certificate of Incorporation of Faith Theological Seminary, Inc." Feb 7, 1938) of any specific denomination's control. There was, however, considerable support from the Bible Presbyterian Church, which was also founded in 1937 by many of the same individuals who founded the seminary. FTS was at that time also "closely identified" with the American Council of Christian Churches and the International Council of Christian Churches.[3]

Academics

Faith Theological Seminary previously offered a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Religion, a Master of Divinity (M.Div.), a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.), and a Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) degree. The institution was accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) but lost accreditation in May 2020. When Faith Theological Seminary lost its accreditation from TRACS in May 2020, the state of Maryland also subsequently suspended its degree-granting privileges. It was closed with a teach-out plan implemented with Lancaster Bible College and Capital Seminary. Since that time, Faith Theological Seminary, Catonsville has reincorporated and received Religious Exemption Approval in 2021 to operate in the State of Maryland and to grant the Bachelor of Arts, the Master of Divinity, and the Doctor of Ministry degrees.[4]

Notable alumni

References
  1. "The Design and History of Faith Theological Seminary". Faith Theological Seminary. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  2. "Our History". Faith Presbyterian Church (PCA). Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  3. Harden, Margaret G. (1967). A Brief History of the Bible Presbyterian Church and Its Agencies. Bible Presbyterian Church. pp. 45, 134. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  4. "Faith Theological Seminary School Closure Information". Maryland Higher Education Commission. May 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  5. "Notable Alumni". Faith Theological Seminary. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  6. Wenig, Scott (November 2010). "A Man for All Evangelicals". Christianity Today. 54 (11): 50.
  7. Todd Hertz (June 1, 2002). "Influential Teacher and Leader Kenneth Kantzer Dies". Christianity Today. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  8. "Allan A. MacRae Papers". PCA Historical Society. Archived from the original on December 21, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
  9. "Francis Schaeffer". Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  10. Quek Suan Yew. "Our History". Calvary Pandan Bible-Presbyterian Church. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.

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