Two hundred years in the making

Andover Newton Theological School

By Matt Forster

T he oldest independent theological school in board of Christians, Muslims, and Jews.“We’re

the United States has much to celebrate. exploring the resources of the three Abrahamic
In early 2007, Andover Newton Theological faiths to address some of the most difficult public
School will celebrate its 200th anniversary and open issues of our time,” said Dr. Carter.
the doors to the new Wilson Chapel.The school’s
leadership is also looking to launch a new strategic Wilson Chapel
plan that will continue to emphasize ecumenical Symbolic of that school’s new direction is the new
initiatives. chapel, the first new construction on campus in 45
years.The school chose a decidedly modern design
Hebrew College and the Interreligious for Wilson Chapel.“It will be a dramatically modern
Center on Public Life building in a traditional New England campus, which
For a number of years, Andover Newton was a significant move on the part of the trustees
Theological School has been nurturing a relationship and faculty here,” said Dr. Carter.“The point was that
with Hebrew College, an interdenominational school we may be the oldest school, but we want to have a
that prepares undergraduate and graduate students symbol about being the newest.We want to tell the
to become rabbis, cantors, and Jewish educators. story about the future of theological education, not
In 1999, Hebrew College purchased seven acres just a story about the past.”
from Andover Newton Theological School to build Much of the funding for the new chapel was
a campus.“Increasingly, we’re developing a joint provided by longtime board member Albert O.Wilson
approach to our campus use,” said the Rev. Nick Jr., and it is being named in honor of his wife, Carol
Carter, an American Baptist who has been president Wilson.The chapel will sit prominently at one end
since 2004.“It’s not just cohabitating — they do of the school’s quadrangle in the center of campus.
their thing, we do ours — but we’ve begun, with Construc-tion began earlier this year.
the trustees’ involvement, a major border-crossings
program where our students meet together and
our faculty meet together.”
Students have also embraced
the relationship.“Our students
have created a program called
JOTH,“Journeys on the Hill,”
and they meet and participate
in pretty in-depth dialogue,” said
Dr. Carter.“They worship togeth-
er and explore different aspects
of congregational leadership
together.”
In 1999, the schools created
the Interreligious Center on
Public Life, which now has a

WWW INTRUST ORG

■ ■

7
 Anniversary celebrations
Many events throughout the 2007–08 school year
will mark the school’s 200th anniversary.Andover
Newton is sponsoring a series of lectures on the
state of theological education, and they will host a
dialogue on the future of missions. In addition, a
history of Andover Newton Theological School is
being written that will be published in January
2008.
Andover Newton is affiliated with both the
American Baptist Churches and the United Church
of Christ, and leaders see this not just as a time to
commemorate the past, but as an opportunity to
launch a new strategic plan for the school.
“I think the significant thing for our board at this
moment in Andover Newton’s history is that this
anniversary is coupled with a brand new strategic
plan for the school,” said Dr. Carter.“The board has
taken this occasion to assess where the school’s
going. So it’s an exciting and vibrant time here
on campus.”
WWW INTRUST ORG
■ ■
Historical contribution
Andover was created in 1807, and the first class
entered in the fall of 1808. Originally formed as
a divinity department of Phillips Academy in
Andover, the school merged with Harvard in
1910, only to separate in 1926. In 1965, Andover
Theological Seminary merged with Newton Baptist
Institute (founded in 1825) to form Andover
Newton Theological School.
The modern missionary movement originated at
the school. Adoniram Judson, the first missionary
from the United States, graduated from Andover
Theological Seminary in 1810.
A pioneer in graduate theological education,
Andover Newton created the now conventional
model of seminary education — moving prepara-
tion for ministry from undergraduate schools and
apprenticeships to graduate-level institutions.
They also created the traditional three-year
graduate program emphasizing the four traditional
disciplines (theology, biblical studies, church
history and pastoral ministry). IT ■ ■
Matt Forster, a freelance writer, lives in Goodrich, Michigan.