Mission Statement

The Evangelical Theological Seminary is an international, interdenominational institution of higher education dedicated to training Christian workers to serve church and society in the post-communist world, particularly in Eastern and Central Europe and the former Soviet Union. We are dedicated to providing quality, Biblically based, theological education from an evangelical perspective. We are committed to training theologians, pastors, evangelists, teachers, missionaries and teachers of Christian education and theology. This is accomplished through classroom instruction, seminars, independent supervised study, development of community life, exercise of practical ministry, education by extension, specialized institutes, and sponsorship of conferences in partnership with existing and emerging Christian movements in these countries.

ETS Distinctives

Given our Evangelical and Biblical foundation, what distinguishes ETS? Our Seminary has the unique ability to develop an ethos that consists of five distinctives:

1.Transdenominational Awareness, Interdenominational Dialogue

While affirming our commitment to the Evangelical expression of our faith, ETS supports the process of students strengthening their denominational identities. Transdenominational awareness encourages the notion that differences among denominations are not qualitatively good or bad, but the differences are a reflection of the diversity within the Body of Christ.

When a subject has multiple understandings due to denominational differences, interdenominational dialogues highlight the common ground between denominational doctrines and acknowledge the differences. Interdenominational dialogue, done in a spirit of love, encourages critical reflection, which aids students in being more conscious of the theological assumptions that form their thinking.

2. Multicultural, Multi-ethnic Education

ETS is a very natural, fertile garden for multicultural and multiethnic education, which invites the discovery of the influence of our ethnicity and our religious commitments. As students from many different countries study and live together, a process of self-discovery and realignment is set into motion. We are intentional about supporting this process of self-discovery which is a natural byproduct of multicultural education.

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3. Relevance to Modern Society

Centered in Jesus Christ, believers are not removed from society and culture, but we are the avant-garde of God’s Kingdom. What makes the avant-garde of God’s Kingdom effective in the world is our understanding of the alienation of humankind and creation. Rightly placing our hope in Jesus Christ, we work towards finding solutions to heal and redeem a broken world. Our hope is that by integrating the observations made by other disciples with the understanding of our world, we will form leaders who are salt and light in their communities.

4. Academic Excellence

Through the academic curriculum at ETS, we encourage analytical and critical thinking, rather than a passive acceptance of knowledge. We uphold the standards of university culture concerning form and quality of research. We support the development and use of library and Internet connections which gives students the resources they need to produce academically excellent work. ETS promotes academic excellence through a faculty of quality academic achievement and creative teaching abilities. We also partner with other quality institutions in Western and Eastern Europe in order to continue in dialogue and to influence academia.

5. Christian Spiritual Formation

ETS provides an environment that supports those who desire to deepen their knowledge of the Bible. We promote Christian Spiritual Formation as a distinctive through service, attention to corporate and personal spirituality and servant leadership. We provide opportunities for our students to minister through a wide variety of practical ministry assignments during the school year and internships in the summer. Reflective components, such as written evaluation, small group discussion and interviews are built into the experience in order to hold in tension action and reflection. Professors have an open door policy, which makes them available to counsel and mentor students in their ministry.

Equal Opportunity Policy

The Evangelical Theological Seminary affirms that unity of purpose among all its employees and students are essential to the fulfillment of its mission. The Evangelical Theological Seminary further affirms that all people are created in the image of God, and therefore, are to be afforded equal opportunity in accordance with biblical standards. Because the Evangelical Theological Seminary is a Christian educational institution, it determines if each employee professes the Christian faith in word and reflects that faith in deed. The Evangelical Theological Seminary expects students to be committed to pursuing an education consistent with both the Statement of Faith and Standards of Personal Conduct. The Seminary administers these policies without regard to color or national or ethnic origins, recognizing that mankind is one human race, and without regard to gender, consistent with a scriptural family policy. Finally, the Evangelical Theological Seminary administers all of its policies based upon an assessment of each employee' or students qualifications for the position to be filled or for the benefit sought, without regard to age or physical or mental disability, unless such factors interferes with one's ability to fulfill a particular responsibility.