John Leland Center for Theological Studies

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John Leland Center for Theological Studies
John Leland Center logo.png
Type Private
Established1998
Affiliation Baptist
President Rev. Dr. Kenneth R. Pruitt
Location
Arlington
,
Virginia
,
United States

38°53′08″N77°10′00″W / 38.8856°N 77.1668°W / 38.8856; -77.1668
Website http://www.leland.edu

The John Leland Center for Theological Studies is a Baptist theological institute in Arlington, Virginia, with several satellite locations elsewhere in Virginia. [1] Leland is partnered with the Baptist General Association of Virginia [2] and the District of Columbia Baptist Convention, [3] though the center has ties with a range of denominations and churches. [4] Leland is a member of the Washington Theological Consortium. [5]

Contents

The center's namesake, John Leland, was an 18th- and 19th-century Baptist minister in the United States who was a proponent of the separation of church and state [4] and an opponent of theological seminaries. [6] : 235 

History

At a 1997 Baptist World Alliance meeting, several Baptist leaders discussed developing the Washington Metropolitan Area's first Baptist seminary. [7] [8] These individuals resolved to create the center which began offering classes the next year. [7] [8]

Randel Everett, the center's first president, stepped down in late 2006. [4] [9] Mark J. Olson became Leland's second president in 2007. [10] In 2019, William H. Smith became Leland's president. [11]

Academics

The seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). [12] [13] The seminary offers the following ATS-approved degrees: Master of Divinity, Master of Christian Leadership, and Master of Theological Studies. [12] [14] The seminary also offers several graduate certificates. [15] [1]

Leland's School of Ministry offers the center's undergraduate-level courses, including a diploma in theology program. [16] Students seeking a bachelor's degree may be able to transfer credit from the School of Ministry into two Bluefield College Bachelor of Arts degree programs. [17] [18]

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James Brent Walker is the former Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, a leading church-state advocacy group. He holds professional designations as a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States and an ordained Baptist minister. After retirement from the BJC, he served as Interim President of the John Leland Center for Theological Studies in Arlington, Virginia, until the end of 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 "History". John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Mission & Ministry Partners". Baptist General Association of Virginia . Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  3. ↑ "Partnerships". District of Columbia Baptist Convention . Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Witham, Larry A. (2005). Who Shall Lead Them?: The Future of Ministry in America. Oxford University Press. p. 97. ISBN   978-0-19-516697-2 . Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Member Institutions". Washington Theological Consortium . Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  6. ↑ Butterfield, L.H. (1952). "Elder John Leland, Jeffersonian Itinerant" (PDF). Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society. 62. Worcester, MA: American Antiquarian Society: 154–252. ISSN   0044-751X.
  7. 1 2 Brackney, William H. (2008). Congregation and Campus: Baptists in Higher Education. Mercer University Press. pp. 310–11. ISBN   978-0-88146-130-5 . Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  8. 1 2 Witham, Larry (August 30, 2002). "Baptist seminary moves into new home". Washington Times . via Internet Archive. Archived from the original on April 7, 2003. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  9. ↑ Marus, Robert (August 1, 2006). "Randel Everett to resign from Leland Center in Va". Associated Baptist Press. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  10. ↑ Dilday, Robert (June 14, 2007). "North Carolina pastor named president of Leland Center". Religious Herald . Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  11. ↑ Francis, Barbara (January 31, 2019). "Transitions for the week of 2-1-19". Baptist News Global .
  12. 1 2 "Member Schools: John Leland Center for Theological Studies". Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada . Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  13. ↑ Elliott, Hannah (June 29, 2006). "Leland Center receives accreditation; faculty lauded for 'notable scholarship'". Associated Baptist Press. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  14. ↑ White, Jim (March 17, 2009). "John Leland center to offer leadership degree". Religious Herald . Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  15. ↑ "Graduate Programs Overview". John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  16. ↑ "About Leland School of Ministry". John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Educational Partnerships". John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  18. ↑ White, Jim (November 28, 2010). "Bluefield College, Leland Center to partner on theological training". Baptist News Global. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
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