When deciding on which graduate school to attend it is important to get a grasp of what each institution offers, as well as what each institution celebrates. Some key differences exist between the School of Theology and Ministry (STM) and other theological graduate schools. We believe these differences set the STM apart from all other institutions. In fact, it is at the STM where history is being made.
Faculty:
There are 25 full-time faculty members at the School of Theology and Ministry. The faculty at the STM are acknowledged for their scholarship, teaching, and commitment to the spiritual and pastoral formation of their students. In the past three years, STM faculty published 32 books and 244 scholarly articles. The STM publishes New Testament Abstracts, which each year summarizes nearly 2,150 articles from more than 500 periodicals in numerous languages. Boston College has an additional 33 faculty members in their department of theology which is part of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. STM students have full access to the faculty and course within the department of theology. The combined faculties are among the largest theology faculties in the country.
Community:
The community at the STM is one of the unique characteristics of the school. Composed of both domestic and international students, the STM is as diverse as the programs it offers. In the classroom you will be studying alongside other lay men and women, Jesuits preparing for ordination, and other vowed religious. It is truly unique to study in a place that embodies the universal Church. Nowhere else will you have such a variety of cultures and backgrounds. The STM celebrates the richness found in each person, and sees it as essential for the building of a united Church.
Boston Theological Institute:
The STM is a member of the Boston Theological Institute (BTI). The BTI is one of the largest theological consortium in the world, bringing together the resources of universities and divinity schools throughout the greater Boston area and some of the most prestigious educational institutions. Other member schools include the following:
- Andover Newton Theological School
- Boston College Department of Theology
- Boston University School of Theology
- Episcopal Divinity School
- Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
- Harvard Divinity School
- Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
- St. John's Seminary
STM students can take up to one-half of their coursework through other BTI institutions. Students also have full access to all the theological libraries of the BTI as well as a vast array of programming, lectures, certificate programs, study and service trips, and student fellowship opportunities.
Boston, founded in 1630, is the largest metropolitan areas in New England and one of the great cosmopolitan cities of the world, a center of trade and finance, education and research, art and culture. From its founding by religious dissenters, Boston has had a rich religious history and its houses of worship include those of every denomination and religion. The city is known for its medical facilities, high-tech companies, and for the educational institutions that support them. There are 43 colleges and universities in the metropolitan area whose faculties, students, and facilities contribute greatly to an extraordinary culture and intellectual environment. Cultural and recreational opportunities abound: the Boston Symphony Orchestra, world-renowned exhibits at the Museum of Fine Arts, one-artist shows at a Newbury Street gallery, Shakespeare, the Boston Pops, the Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, the Boston College Eagles, sailing, skating, or scuba diving. There are hundreds of bookstores, coffee houses, restaurants, and theaters. In the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts, as well as in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, visitors will find the full range of mountain and winter sports; on Boston’s North Shore the waves crashing against New England granite, and to the south the pristine beaches of Cape Cod. All of these, combined with an opportunity to meet the most diverse and fascinating mix of people in the world, make the City of Boston a truly unique place to learn and live.