Overview

Claremont School of Theology - on the vibrant edge of Christianity in the West, where opportunities for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and transforming the world abound!

Claremont School of Theology - where faith is in dialogue with the world in all its diversity and complexity, uniquely equipping UM leaders to serve the world from deep commitments to dialogue, understanding, bridge-building, and peace.

Claremont School of Theology - where emerging best practices in ministry for the 21st century focus on the changing faces of religion today, both as challenges and as opportunities, strengthening the church for witness and service, now and into God’s future.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why a UM Seminary on the West Coast?

The western U.S. remains a vibrant crossroads of cultures, races, languages, faiths and the group now called “Nones” - people with no faith affiliation. The West is a mission field as it always has been, exactly where Wesleyans should be.

Is CLAREMONT still United Methodist?

YES. As one of the 13 seminaries of The United Methodist Church, Claremont School of Theology continues its nearly 130-year heritage of educating Methodist ministers, scholars, educators and counselors for service to the church and the world, grounded in United Methodist theology and living out United Methodist ecumenical and interfaith commitments.

What is Claremont Lincoln University?

Claremont School of Theology is the founding institutional member of the Claremont Lincoln University Consortium. The seminary is the Christian member of this interreligious consortium, and CST and Claremont Lincoln each have their own Board of Directors.

The members of the Claremont Lincoln University consortium are:

• Claremont School of Theology: a UM seminary educating and forming faithful and prophetic clergy and lay leaders for the ministries and mission of the UMC as well as other Christian denominations.
• Academy of Jewish Religion, California (AJRCA): a trans-denominational graduate school that specializes in the education of rabbis, cantors, and chaplains.
• Bayan Claremont: the first American graduate school founded by Muslims for Islamic leadership (imams, chaplains, scholars and educators).

Why would a UMC seminary partner with non-Christian schools?

The United States is more religiously diverse than ever—nearly 40 percent of Americans are married to someone of a different religious tradition-and Southern California is a unique laboratory of life in all its complex diversity. Joining with professional schools in other traditions positions UM students to learn firsthand about the religious diversity in their local communities-and sometimes in their own pews-so that that they can minister most effectively to their parishioners and their communities.

Doesn’t this "water down" Methodist education?

Quite the opposite! Research shows that Christians who study and are exposed to other religious traditions in the classroom grow stronger in their own faith. This is because they must be able to clearly articulate their beliefs and explain their practices to those who do not understand them. What could be better preparation for discipleship and evangelism? Claremont is one of several UM seminaries engaged in this vital work of preparing UM leaders for making dynamic disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world into a place of understanding, reconciliation and peace.

For More Information

For further information on Claremont’s programs and faculty, please visit http://www.cst.edu.

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