Virginia Theological Seminary
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| Type | Private seminary |
|---|---|
| Established | 1823 |
| Affiliation | Episcopal Church |
| President | Ian Markham |
| Dean | Ian Markham |
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Academic staff
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17 full-time faculty and numerous adjunct professors |
| Students | 216 |
| Location |
Alexandria, Virginia, United States 38°49′12″N 77°05′32″W / 38.82000°N 77.09222°WCoordinates: 38°49′12″N 77°05′32″W / 38.82000°N 77.09222°W |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Website | vts |
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Virginia Theological Seminary
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Location in Virginia
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| NRHP Reference # | 80004166 |
| Designated NHL | May 16, 1978 |
Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), formally called the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, is the largest and second oldest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States.
Established in 1823, VTS is situated on an 80-acre (320,000 m2) suburban campus in Alexandria, Virginia, close to downtown Washington, DC and adjacent to the campus of Episcopal High School. The seminary's notable alumni have taken leadership roles in the Episcopal Church, other Christian denominations in the United States, and overseas.
VTS is a member of the Washington Theological Consortium and since 1938 has been an accredited member institution of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS),
The seminary's foundation in 1823 was the result of the efforts of small group, led by the Reverend William Holland Wilmer, who committed themselves to the task of recruiting and training a new generation of church leaders following the Revolutionary War. Francis Scott Key was a prominent member of this group supported by the vestry of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Alexandria, which in 1818 formed a "Society for the Education of Pious Young Men for the Ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Maryland and Virginia".
In 1821 the Virginia convention of the Episcopal Church pledged its support for the establishment of a regional seminary. Acquiescing to lobbying by the College of William and Mary since at least 1815, the Virginia convention recommended the seminary be located in Williamsburg, to involve the Diocese of North Carolina, as well as those men from the District of Columbia and Diocese of Maryland who had been working together through the Education Society. However, the convention of the Diocese of Maryland failed to concur. The committee appointed by the Virginia convention changed its mind about the proposed seminary's location and accepted Alexandria after Congressman Hugh Nelson arranged significant funding and Wilmer offered space and a lecture room at St. Paul's Church.
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