Meadville Lombard Theological School, located in Chicago, Illinois, stands as a beacon of progressive theological education, preparing religious leaders to navigate and address the complexities of the modern world. Rooted in the Unitarian Universalist tradition, the institution offers a range of degree programs, including the Master of Divinity (MDiv) and Doctor of Ministry (DMin), designed to cultivate compassionate, thoughtful, and intellectually engaged leaders.
At the heart of Meadville Lombard’s mission is a commitment to social justice, diversity, and interfaith dialogue. The curriculum integrates scholarly excellence with practical ministry experience, ensuring that students are not only well-versed in theological concepts but also equipped to lead with empathy, vision, and integrity in diverse settings.
The school’s innovative Contextual Learning model allows students to engage in mentored internships and supervised site placements, bridging the gap between academic study and real-world application. This approach ensures that graduates are prepared to lead with moral imagination and faithful discernment, addressing both historical and present injustices.
As a Unitarian Universalist identity institution, Meadville Lombard embraces students from all cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds, fostering a learning environment that values every voice and promotes mutual respect. This inclusive approach empowers students to become ethical leaders who are equipped to build the Beloved Community and inspire positive change in their communities and the world.
We integrate scholarly excellence and interculturality to shape spiritually grounded, emotionally intelligent leaders with moral imagination and faithful discernment. By reimagining tradition and embracing accountability, we address historical and present injustices.Our mission empowers ethical leadership to foster innovative ministries and build the Beloved Community.
MLTS will be an institutional frontrunner in meeting students where they are by offering multi-platform degree and certificate
programs for progressive leaders seeking spiritual growth and social transformation.
Our concern with social justice isn’t treated as an add-on—it is integrated into our entire curriculum. At Meadville Lombard, we believe that to be an effective faith leader, one must understand interlocking oppressions and have concrete skills in working for justice in complex ways.
Based on our understanding that justice-making and spiritual growth are bound together, our curriculum emphasizes leadership in communities engaged in social movements and prepares students to be effective and accountable leaders in our multiracial, multicultural, global world. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. often paraphrased Unitarian theologian Rev. Theodore Parker by saying, “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” Our philosophy is that liberal faith leaders are called to actively help that arc bend.
Low-residency intensive coursework enables students to have heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul, in-person interactions with faculty and other students three to four times a year, without needing to relocate. Students come to our Chicago campus twice a year for Convocation and a week of intensive coursework.
Lessons are enriched through learning with dedicated student cohorts, as well as co-curricular activities that allow students to contribute their diverse experience and wisdom to the worship and governance life of the school. Our students come from a variety of vocational paths and educational environments, bringing a diversity of experience and wisdom. We ensure that our students learn as much from one another as they do from their coursework.
Meadville Lombard is one of only two Unitarian Universalist seminaries and is home to the only UU library and archives in the world. We nurture our students to live out the UU values of justice, equity, and compassion.
Our UU identity creates a welcoming environment for students from all religious and spiritual traditions. We honor and draw on the wisdom of the many philosophical, ethical, scientific, and religious traditions that are also concerned with love, justice, and peace, preparing our students to be uniquely situated as leaders in interfaith work. In addition, because we are affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association, credentialing requirements for UU ordination are knitted into the fabric of our MDiv curriculum.
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