Eastern Mennonite Seminary teams up with Wesley Theological Seminary

Eastern Mennonite Seminary and Wesley Theological Seminary are teaming up to provide more opportunities for United Methodist students at both schools.

“Eastern Mennonite Seminary seeks to be fully accountable to the United Methodist University Senate, which has asked that non-Methodist seminaries approved to teach Methodist students either enter in partnership with a Methodist seminary or hire a full-time Methodist faculty member,” said Michael A. King, EMS dean.

This year EMS has done both. In two separate processes, EMS has entered into a partnership with Wesley Theological Seminary and hired David Evans, PhD, a United Methodist and Wesley graduate as assistant professor of history, mission, interfaith and intercultural studies.

“We’re pleased that the formal signing of a partnership agreement with Wesley Theological Seminary was quickly followed by confirmation that Dr. David Evans, a Methodist, would join our faculty,” said King. “We believe this combination holds unusual potential to enable EMS simultaneously to meet Senate expectations and provide a rich and flexible range of resources to our students.”

United Methodist students at EMS will have the opportunity to take some of the required courses for ordination through WTS, either online, on the EMS campus, or on the WTS campus in Washington, D.C. WTS is providing a United Methodist advisor who will help students navigate between the two schools and manage the requirements for ordination.

Julie Nitzsche has taken an online class from WTS already.

She said, “As a mother of 2 small children I appreciate the opportunity to take online classes from Wesley to supplement my classes at EMS. This partnership allows me to continue to take classes at EMS, which is closer to home, while helping me get the credits I need for ordination in the United Methodist church.”

WTS students will have the opportunity to work with EMS and the world-renowned Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University, taking peace studies courses, such as, “Managing Congregational Conflict” and “Theology and Peacebuilding.”

“Both schools agree that Dr. Evans and the partnership activities hold potential to create exciting bridges across EMS and Wesley resources for Methodist students, and the rich range of denominations both seminaries serve.”

Currently 33 of the 131 students at EMS are United Methodist.