CTS 100th Anniversary
Christian Theological Seminary announces the celebration of its 100th anniversary during the 2024-2025 academic year, marking a century of dedication to theological education, social justice, and community leadership.
In its first 100 years, Christian Theological Seminary has been at the forefront of integrating counseling education with theological training. Since the establishment of the Pastoral Care and Counseling programs in 1971, CTS has consistently advanced the field of mental health and counseling education and offers two counseling degrees, The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT) and The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MACMHC). The CTS Counseling Center, opened in 1967, continues to serve the public by offering accessible counseling services and a hands-on training environment for students and graduates. CTS has also become a central convener of like-minded citizens and organizations through the Faith & Action Project. Since 2017, the Project has worked to mitigate poverty and address systemic social justice issues by holding conferences open to the public, fostering coordination and collaboration to leverage community impact, and providing grants to nonprofit organizations working to break the cycle of poverty.
Historic Timeline
1855
Indiana Disciples establish North Western Christian University to provide education for school teachers and ministers, specifically with a commitment to the abolition of slavery.
1877
North Western Christian University is renamed Butler University.
1910
The College of Missions is established to offer graduate degrees in the discipline of “missiology.”
1924
The Butler School of Religion opens, offering theological education to “all students on an equal basis,” including women, students of color, and those of varied theological worldviews.
1926
Rabbi Morris Feuerlicht of the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation joins the faculty, initiating the ongoing commitment of the seminary to Jewish-Christian relations.
1927
The College of Missions closes, and many of its resources are integrated into the Butler School of Religion.
1930s
The Butler School of Religion succeeds in admitting women, students of color, and those of varied theological worldviews.
1958-59
The School of Religion and Butler University enter into a separation agreement, but maintain continued cooperation in some academic programs. Butler School of Religion reincorporates as Christian Theological Seminary (CTS).
1968
CTS launches its Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree program, one of the first seminaries in the U.S. to do so.
1970s
A “new ethos” develops at CTS, emphasizing the church’s active engagement with contemporary issues and social scientific approaches to the study of religious faith.
1971
- CTS begins offering graduate degree programs in pastoral care and counseling.
- Methodist theologian Willie White becomes the first African American appointed to the regular, full-time faculty.
1979
Sue Webb Cardwell is appointed the first woman to serve on the regular, full-time faculty of CTS. The appointment of Nelle Slater follows in 1980.
1980s
CTS re-casts itself as an ecumenical seminary with an historic and on-going relationship with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
1988
CTS sets goal to diversify the administration, faculty, staff and student body by 2000.
1997
Edward Wheeler—an African American Baptist churchman and educator—is appointed as president of CTS.
2003
CTS reaches goals of diversifying the administration, faculty, staff, and student body.
2012
The Trustees adopt a resolution making CTS “open and affirming,” committed to the full inclusion of the LGBTQ community.
2016
CTS launches the first-of-its-kind PhD degree program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric.
2019
United Church of Christ pastor and theologian David M. Mellott is named CTS president.
2023
CTS announces the formation of the School of Theology and the School of Counseling.
2024
Christian Theological Seminary celebrates its 100th Anniversary – a century of offering theological education to “all students on an equal basis.”
Testimonials
Testimonials
“I’m a trans, queer, gender fluid, polyamorous, neurodivergent, disabled, PTSD having non-Christian… I wanted something to change my mind. I wanted to be moved… Queerness saved my life. Seminary saved my faith. God is at work here.”
-Tyne Parlett
“Being exposed to so many different people with so many different perspectives on what God is like, how God interacts with us, and what God calls us to do was very helpful. CTS was a wonderful environment for me.”
-Rev. Judith A. Culpepper, MD
“I came in as what might be called a fundamental Christian… I was challenged. My fundamentalism was challenged, and I’m grateful for that.”
-Rev. Dr. Preston T. Adams, III
“CTS has traction for a meaningful future that will help Christian and other communities learn how to live in mutual support in the increasingly diverse culture in which we live.”
-Rev. Ronald J. Allen, PhD
“I felt perfectly comfortable at CTS because there was not any requirement or expectation that people identify with any particular religion. What we had in common was that we had a shared understanding of deeper meaning in life and a spirituality that is not just a surface-level thing, but these deeper drivers of what we are and who we are.”
-Christine Greenwald, LPCC
“CTS has prepared me for life outside of CTS. I recently just discovered how to find my voice and how to take space—whether it be a classroom, a clinical setting, working with my supervisors, or some other space.”
-Andrea Espinoza Cruz
“Matriculating at CTS was not always easy; the community and care made it easier and reminded me that I was not alone. The deep theological engagement and critical reflection required me to bring my full authentic self to my studies; it was an emotional, physical, and spiritual journey for me.”
-Rev. Anastasia Holman
“The greatest impact that CTS continues to have on me is that it forced me to realize that we have different ways that we think about the same God. We each have a theos, and we have to learn how to respect and honor everybody’s theos.”
-Rev. Dr. Preston T. Adams, III
“CTS is helping bring an awareness of God’s love, God’s will for healing, God’s longing for justice, and God’s desire for all to live in mutuality, support, and abundance.”
-Rev. Ronald J. Allen, PhD
Events
As part of this year’s 100th anniversary celebration, visitors to the CTS campus can enjoy self-guided tours of the historic building prior to specific on-campus events. Stay tuned for information on our Centennial Service Projects this spring. Merchandise bearing the 100th anniversary logo will be available for a limited time in the online CTS Swag Shoppe.
“Those who have gone before us have done incredible things, and they have laid a foundation for us. We are here because of the legacy they left.”
– President David M. Mellott, PhD
Supporting CTS During the Centennial Celebration
Centennial Endowed Scholarship Fund
The Centennial Endowed Scholarship Fund presents a special opportunity for benefactors of Christian Theological Seminary to contribute to students’ growth while celebrating the Seminary’s centenary milestone. The initiative goal is to raise $100,000 by the end of the 2024-2025 academic year.
The Centennial Endowed Scholarship Fund represents a testament to the commitment of CTS’ community, including its alumni and friends, to the growth and development of students. By supporting the Fund, donors contribute not only to the educational journey of individual students but also to the broader goal of furthering the Seminary’s 100-year legacy of excellence.
Endowed Chair in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric
Rev. Dr. Frank A. Thomas has left an indelible mark on preaching, pastoral ministry, and the Academy. In honor of his inimitable work, CTS is raising $3M to establish the Frank A. and Joyce S. Thomas Endowed Chair to publicly acknowledge, celebrate, and resource Thomas’ commitment to developing practitioner scholars and advancing scholarship on the beauty, depth, creativity, imagination, and power of African American preaching. By supporting research and teaching in this area, the chair aims to foster a deeper understanding of how preaching can serve as a catalyst for social change and community empowerment and will ensure the sustained viability and continued impact of Dr. Thomas’ legacy for generations to come.
