We are in a season of growth at The General Theological Seminary. We have just completed our August intensives, we have welcomed our largest incoming Master of Divinity class since 2008, and the New York State Attorney General has approved our lease with Vanderbilt University. The Seminary is thriving.

This May, we celebrated the first graduating class from our hybrid MDiv program. These pioneers worked hard, studied deeply, and managed to navigate both theology and technology with grace. They leave us ready to serve and to transform the Church – armed with good liturgy, solid theology (after all, they had former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Rowan Williams teach them), strong resilience, and a deep affection for the Close.

One of the highlights of our May intensive week was a visit to the Seamen’s Church Institute in Port Newark. There’s nothing quite like discussing incarnational theology beside massive shipping containers. Ministry takes many forms, and our students are seeing that firsthand.

We had the joy of welcoming alumni back to the Close during Alumni Week in June. It was a time of reconnection, celebration, and shared memories. As we plan for future gatherings, please let us know what kind of programming you would like to see.

In August, the Close was abuzz with the excitement of a new cohort, with 24 students joining us from 21 different dioceses from across the U.S. On Sunday August 10, we held the traditional Matriculation service, and the incoming students signed their names in the same book that you, and indeed all General students, signed.

Meanwhile, we have received approval from the New York State Attorney General to lease the Close to Vanderbilt University. This approval was necessary to close on the lease agreement, which will now happen within 30 days. Soon, we’ll be sharing the Close with a prestigious institution and looking forward to a renovated chapel and expanded support for our intensive weeks.

Finally, mark your calendars for September 25 for an evening of “Divine Rhythms: Jazz and the Sacred” at GTS, with live jazz performed by students from Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music, and a panel discussion featuring General’s Assistant Professor of Bible Eric Thomas and Artist-in-Residence Buck McDaniel. Further details are in this newsletter.

Thank you for your ongoing support. General is thriving. I am deeply grateful to be on this journey with you.

Yours as always in Christ,

The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.

President of The General Theological Seminary