# Covenant Theological Seminary

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Seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America

Covenant Theological Seminary Motto Rooted in grace for a lifetime of ministry Type Private seminary Established 1956; 70 years ago (1956) Accreditation Higher Learning Commission, Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada Religious affiliation Presbyterian Church in America President Thomas C. Gibbs Students 300 FTE (2025)[1] Location Creve Coeur , Missouri , United States Campus Suburban Website covenantseminary.edu

- [Reformed Christianity portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Reformed_Christianity)

**Covenant Theological Seminary**, informally called **Covenant Seminary**, is the [denominational](/source/Religious_denomination) [seminary](/source/Seminary) of the [Presbyterian Church in America](/source/Presbyterian_Church_in_America) (PCA).[2][3] Located in [Creve Coeur, Missouri](/source/Creve_Coeur%2C_Missouri),[4] it trains people to work as leaders in church positions and elsewhere, especially as [pastors](/source/Pastor), [missionaries](/source/Missionary), and [counselors](/source/Pastoral_counseling). It does not require all students to be members of the PCA, but it is bound to promote the teachings of its denomination. Faculty must subscribe to the system of biblical doctrine outlined in the [Westminster Standards](/source/Westminster_Standards).[5]

## History

Covenant Theological Seminary

The seminary was established in 1956 as a sister institution to [Covenant College](/source/Covenant_College), founded the previous year in [Pasadena, California](/source/Pasadena%2C_California). Both were agencies of the [Bible Presbyterian Church](/source/Bible_Presbyterian_Church) (Columbus Synod). The institution's founders believed that their denomination needed a strong [theological](/source/Theology) school to resist [liberalizing influences](/source/Liberal_Christianity) in [American Evangelicalism](/source/Evangelicalism_in_the_United_States). The college and seminary shared the president and campus in St. Louis until the college outgrew its space and moved to [Lookout Mountain, Georgia](/source/Lookout_Mountain%2C_Georgia), in 1964. They formally became two separate institutions in 1966.[6]

Denominational mergers over the ensuing decades made the schools part of the [Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC)](/source/Evangelical_Presbyterian_Church_(established_1956)), then the [Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod](/source/Reformed_Presbyterian_Church%2C_Evangelical_Synod) (RPCES), and finally, in 1982—through what is known as the "joining and receiving" with the RPCES—the [Presbyterian Church in America](/source/Presbyterian_Church_in_America) (PCA), which elects and oversees the work of the seminary's board of trustees.[7][8]

On March 26, 1990, Covenant Theological Seminary student Elizabeth Mackintosh was murdered on the Seminary's campus.[9][10] The murder remains unsolved.[11][12][13]

Over its 65 years, the seminary has continued to grow in size and reputation, and is now home to a student body (both on campus and online) drawn from nearly every U.S. state and many other nations. More than 4,500 Covenant Seminary graduates now serve as pastors, church planters, missionaries, campus ministers, counselors, Bible translators, and educators, and in many other ministry and non-vocational ministry capacities in multiple denominations and in all 50 states and 100 countries.[14]

## Academics

The seminary is accredited by the [Higher Learning Commission](/source/Higher_Learning_Commission)[15] and [Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada](/source/Association_of_Theological_Schools_in_the_United_States_and_Canada).[16] It offers several [academic degrees](/source/Academic_degree), including the [Master of Divinity](/source/Master_of_Divinity) (MDiv), [Master of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts) (MA), [Master of Theology](/source/Master_of_Theology) (ThM), and [Doctor of Ministry](/source/Doctor_of_Ministry) (DMin).[16]

The seminary is doctrinally committed to the [Reformed faith](/source/Calvinism) and [Covenant theology](/source/Covenant_theology), and it believes the [Bible](/source/Bible) to be the [inspired](/source/Biblical_inspiration) and [inerrant](/source/Biblical_inerrancy) word of [God](/source/God).[5]

The seminary is also home to the [Francis Schaeffer](/source/Francis_Schaeffer) Institute,[17] which encourages Christians to engage contemporary culture in a compassionate way with the truth-claims of the gospel.[18]

Covenant publishes *Covenant* magazine annually and *Presbyterion,* an academic theological journal, semiannually.[19]

## President

In July 2021, Thomas C. Gibbs became the sixth president of Covenant Seminary,[20] After graduating from Auburn University, Gibbs served as a youth director at Faith Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama. After earning a Master of Divinity degree from Covenant Seminary in 1997, he started a new Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) chapter at Baylor University, then served as senior pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, Texas, for 19 years.

Previous Covenant presidents include: [Robert G. Rayburn](/source/Robert_G._Rayburn) (1956–1977), William S. Barker (1977–1985), Paul Kooistra (1985–1994), [Bryan Chapell](/source/Bryan_Chapell) (1994–2010; chancellor, 2011–2012), and Mark Dalbey (interim president, 2012–2013, permanent, 2013–2021).[21]

## Notable alumni

- [Kenneth Bae](/source/Kenneth_Bae), US missionary, author, activist[22]

- [William S. Barker](/source/William_S._Barker), theologian, educator[23]

- [Anthony Bradley](/source/Anthony_Bradley), theologian, educator, author[24]

- [Bryan Chapell](/source/Bryan_Chapell), theologian, educator, pastor[25]

- [Ligon Duncan](/source/Ligon_Duncan), pastor[26]

- [Taek Kwon Lim](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Taek_Kwon_Lim&action=edit&redlink=1), Former President of [ACTS University](/source/ACTS_University) in Korea.[27][28]

- [Matt Morginsky](/source/Matt_Morginsky), Christian singer[29]

- [Nancy Pearcey](/source/Nancy_Pearcey), Christian author[30]

- [Bong Rin Ro](/source/Bong_Rin_Ro), missiologist, former executive secretary of [Asia Graduate School of Theology](/source/Asia_Graduate_School_of_Theology)[31]

- [Phillip Sandifer](/source/Phillip_Sandifer), singer/songwriter[32]

- [Gavin Ortlund](/source/Gavin_Ortlund), theologian, author, apologist

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [https://www.ats.edu/member-schools/covenant-theological-seminary](https://www.ats.edu/member-schools/covenant-theological-seminary). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-PCA_Historical_Center_2-0)** ["Covenant Theological Seminary, Records"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161018214616/http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/cts/ctsindex.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/cts/ctsindex.html) on 2016-10-18. Retrieved 2012-05-09.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** American Council on Education, *American Universities and Colleges*, 15th ed., Walter de Gruyter, 1997, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [3-11-014689-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/3-11-014689-4), p. 885.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CreveCoeurmap_4-0)** ["Zoning Map"](https://www.crevecoeurmo.gov/DocumentCenter/View/560/Zoning-Map?bidId=). Creve Coeur, Missouri. Retrieved 2022-07-23.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Doctrine_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Doctrine_5-1) ["Doctrine"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120511110206/http://www.covenantseminary.edu/whycovenant/doctrine/). Archived from [the original](http://www.covenantseminary.edu/whycovenant/doctrine/) on 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2012-05-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** David B. Calhoun, *By His Grace, For His Glory: Celebrating 50 Years of God's Faithfulness*, (St. Louis, Missouri: Covenant Theological Seminary, 2006

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Coalter, Milton J.; Mulder, John M.; Weeks, Louis (1990). ["The Tie That No Longer Binds: The Origins of the Presbyterian Church in America."](https://books.google.com/books?id=vlYPZu8KX10C&pg=PA253). *The Confessional Mosaic: Presbyterians and Twentieth-century Theology*. Westminster John Knox Press. pp. 236–256. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-664-25151-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-664-25151-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["The Presbyterian Church in America: Taking the Reformation into the 21st Century"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120505122607/http://www.pcanet.org/general/century21.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.pcanet.org/general/century21.htm) on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2012-05-08.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [https://www.covenantseminary.edu/news/seminary-statement-on-elizabeth-mackintosh](https://www.covenantseminary.edu/news/seminary-statement-on-elizabeth-mackintosh). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [https://www.bagpipeonline.com/news/2024/2/20/new-podcast-on-covenant-seminary-student-murder-victim-elizabeth-mackintosh](https://www.bagpipeonline.com/news/2024/2/20/new-podcast-on-covenant-seminary-student-murder-victim-elizabeth-mackintosh). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/cold-case-police-identify-suspect-in-nurses-killing-p9t2mvq3k?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfe5FndhDKfggzK7ggef2ZqslvXashMwkS9r1JQ7XZ12v_d9HQ6SFwR8iXpiRM%3D&gaa_ts=69a8b654&gaa_sig=XrW88emuwCFFL4KRo_ujmgW6mGfop9o7W6nsK_m1J1XVLtJd8q3203pf50UsO6jiQmJFsqWcf3zfzUJYfY2OKw%3D%3D](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/cold-case-police-identify-suspect-in-nurses-killing-p9t2mvq3k?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfe5FndhDKfggzK7ggef2ZqslvXashMwkS9r1JQ7XZ12v_d9HQ6SFwR8iXpiRM%3D&gaa_ts=69a8b654&gaa_sig=XrW88emuwCFFL4KRo_ujmgW6mGfop9o7W6nsK_m1J1XVLtJd8q3203pf50UsO6jiQmJFsqWcf3zfzUJYfY2OKw%3D%3D). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [https://www.oxygen.com/cold-justice/crime-news/elizabeth-mackintosh-case-explored-recap](https://www.oxygen.com/cold-justice/crime-news/elizabeth-mackintosh-case-explored-recap). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/1990-murder-of-seminary-student-featured-on-oxygen-network/](https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/1990-murder-of-seminary-student-featured-on-oxygen-network/). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** [Covenant Theological Seminary](https://www.covenantseminary.edu/support/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** [Covenant Theological Seminary](http://www.ncahlc.org/index.php?option=com_directory&Action=ShowBasic&instid=1424)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ATS_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ATS_16-1) [Covenant Theological Seminary](http://www.ats.edu/MemberSchools/Pages/SchoolDetail.aspx?ID=59), [Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada](/source/Association_of_Theological_Schools_in_the_United_States_and_Canada).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Burson, Scott R.; Walls, Jerry L. (2009-09-20). [*C. S. Lewis & Francis Schaeffer: Lessons for a New Century from the Most Influential Apologists of Our Time*](https://books.google.com/books?id=in4SzrxviCYC&pg=PA14). InterVarsity Press. pp. 14–15. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8308-7464-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8308-7464-4).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** [Francis A. Schaeffer Institute](http://www.covenantseminary.edu/academics/institutesinitiatives/francisaschaefferinstitute/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110925072515/http://www.covenantseminary.edu/academics/institutesinitiatives/francisaschaefferinstitute/) 2011-09-25 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Publications"](https://www.covenantseminary.edu/publications). *Covenant Theological Seminary*. Retrieved 2024-01-30.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Introducing the Sixth President of Covenant Theological Seminary the Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Gibbs"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210722220801/https://www.covenantseminary.edu/sixth-president/). [Creve Coeur](/source/Creve_Coeur%2C_Missouri), [MO](/source/Missouri): Covenant Theological Seminary. 1 July 2021. Archived from [the original](https://www.covenantseminary.edu/sixth-president/) on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Robert A. Peterson and Sean Michael Lucas, eds., *All for Jesus: A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Covenant Theological Seminary* (Fearn, Ross-shire, United Kingdom: Christian Focus, 2006).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["Kenneth Bae"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210722220547/https://www.faithgateway.com/author/kenneth-bae/). *faithgateway*. Archived from [the original](https://www.faithgateway.com/author/kenneth-bae/) on 22 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["William S. Baker"](https://almanac.logos.com/William_S._Barker,_II).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Anthony_Bradley_24-0)** ["Anthony B. Bradley, PhD"](https://www.acton.org/about/staff/anthony-b-bradley). *Acton Institute*. 10 June 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bryan_Chapell_25-0)** ["A Message From Dr. Bryan Chapell"](https://www.pcaac.org/bryan-chapell-message). *PCA Administrative Committee*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Ligon_Duncan_26-0)** ["Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III"](https://rts.edu/people/dr-j-ligon-duncan-iii/). *rts.edu*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** [https://www.acts.ac.kr/design/contents10.asp?code=151313&left=acts4_4](https://www.acts.ac.kr/design/contents10.asp?code=151313&left=acts4_4). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-28)** [http://samonews.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=5110](http://samonews.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=news&wr_id=5110). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: Missing or empty |title= ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#citation_missing_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Matt_Morginsky_29-0)** Moring, Mark (November 12, 2012). ["Does the World Really Want a New Supertones Album?"](https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/november-web-only/does-world-really-want-new-supertones-album.html). *Christianity Today*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Nancy_Pearcey_30-0)** ["Nancy R. Pearcey"](https://www.discovery.org/p/pearcey/). *Discovery Institute*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-31)** ["Dr. Bong Rin Ro '62"](https://magazine.wheaton.edu/stories/alumni-profile-dr-bong-rin-ro-62-billy-graham). 12 September 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Phillip_Sandifer_32-0)** Keetch, Nancy L., ed. (March 2017). ["Introducing Phillip Sandifer"](https://lakewaychurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Lakeway-Church-Newsletter-MARCH-2017.pdf) (PDF). *The Lakeway Church Newsletter*. Vol. 47, no. 3. The Lakeway Church. p. 3.

## External links

- [Official website](http://www.covenantseminary.edu)

v t e Covenant Theological Seminary Presidents Robert G. Rayburn William S. Barker Paul Kooistra Bryan Chapell Mark Dalbey Tom Gibbs Publications Presbyterion Covenant Related Denominations Bible Presbyterian Church Evangelical Presbyterian Church Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod Presbyterian Church in America Institutions Faith Theological Seminary Covenant College

v t e Reformed seminaries in the United States Presbyterian Church (USA) Austin Columbia Dubuque Louisville McCormick Pittsburgh Princeton San Francisco Union Presbyterian Other Presbyterian denominations Covenant Erskine Geneva Memphis Reformed Presbyterian Western Reformed Whitefield United Church of Christ Chicago Eden Lancaster United (Twin Cities) Continental Reformed denominations Calvin New Brunswick Puritan Western Reformed, no denomination Faith Greenville Knox Mid-America Reformed Sacramento Westminster (California) Westminster (Pennsylvania) Ecumenical, historically Reformed Hartford Harvard Union Yale

v t e Creve Coeur, Missouri Public school districts Parkway C-2 School District Ladue School District Pattonville School District Private schools Chaminade College Prep De Smet Jesuit HS Saint Louis Priory Whitfield Tertiary Covenant Theological Seminary Missouri Baptist University Healthcare Mercy Hospital St. Louis This list is incomplete. There are areas which have "St. Louis, MO" postal addresses but in fact are in the Creve Coeur city limits.

v t e Education in St. Louis County, Missouri This includes institutions outside of the city limits of St. Louis which have "St. Louis, MO" postal addresses. Note multiple places with "St. Louis, MO" postal addresses are not in the St. Louis city limits. K-12 School districts Affton Bayless Brentwood Clayton Ferguson-Florissant Hancock Place Hazelwood Jennings Kirkwood Ladue Lindbergh Maplewood Richmond Heights Mehlville Meramec Valley R-III Normandy Collab Parkway Pattonville Rittenour Riverview Gardens Rockwood University City Valley Park Webster Groves Closed Wellston Special district Special School District of St. Louis County Public high schools Affton Clayton Eureka Fern Ridge Hazelwood Central Hazelwood East Hazelwood West Kirkwood McCluer McCluer North Melhville Normandy Parkway Central Parkway North Parkway South Parkway West Pattonville STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley University City Valley Park Closed Berkeley Douglass Kinloch Private high schools Barat Acad Chaminade College Prep CBC HS Cor Jesu Acad De Smet Jesuit HS Incarnate Word Acad John Burroughs Logos HS Lutheran North Lutheran South Nerinx Hall HS Notre Dame HS Principia St. John Vianney HS St. Joseph's Acad Saint Louis Priory Ursuline Acad Villa Duchesne Visitation Acad Westminster Christian Acad Whitfield School Closed Trinity Catholic Tertiary institutions Four-year Maryville University Missouri Baptist University Washington University in St. Louis Webster University Closed Fontbonne University Community college St. Louis Community College Seminaries Concordia Seminary Covenant Theological Seminary Supplementary education Weekend schools St. Louis Japanese School This list may be incomplete

v t e Colleges and universities in Missouri Public institutions University of Missouri System University of Missouri Missouri University of Science and Technology University of Missouri–Kansas City University of Missouri–St. Louis Central Missouri Harris–Stowe State Lincoln Missouri Southern Missouri State Missouri Western Northwest Missouri State Southeast Missouri State Truman State Private institutions A.T. Still Avila Central Christian Central Methodist College of the Ozarks Columbia Conception Seminary Concordia Seminary Cottey Covenant Cox Culver–Stockton Drury Evangel Hannibal-LaGrange KCAI Kansas City University Kenrick-Glennon Lindenwood Logan Maryville Midwest University Midwestern Baptist Mission Missouri Baptist Missouri Valley Nazarene Ozark Christian Park Rockhurst Saint Louis University Southwest Baptist Stephens UHSP in St. Louis Urshan Washington University in St. Louis Webster Westminster William Jewell William Woods Nursing schools Chamberlain Goldfarb Research College of Nursing Saint Luke's Sinclair Two-year colleges Crowder East Central Jefferson Metropolitan CC Mineral Area Missouri State University–West Plains Moberly Area CC North Central Missouri Ozarks TCC Ranken TC State Tech St. Charles CC St. Louis CC State Fair CC Three Rivers Defunct institutions Central Bible Central Female Fontbonne Lincoln and Lee Marion St. Louis Christian St. Paul's College Tarkio Tech Wentworth Military

v t e Colleges and universities in Greater St. Louis Two-year colleges East Central College Jefferson College (Hillsboro, Arnold, Northwest & Imperial) Lewis and Clark Community College (Godfrey & N.O.Nelson) St. Charles Community College St. Louis Community College (Florissant Valley, Forest Park, Meramec & Wildwood) Southwestern Illinois College (Belleville, Granite City & Red Bud) Four-year colleges Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College Blackburn College Greenville University Harris–Stowe State University Kenrick–Glennon Seminary Lindenwood University Logan University Maryville University Midwest University Missouri Baptist University Principia Ranken Technical College St. Louis University St. Louis Christian College Stevens Institute of Business and Arts Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville University of Missouri–St. Louis Urshan University Washington University in St. Louis Webster University Closed Fontbonne University Professional/graduate schools Aquinas Institute of Theology Concordia Seminary Covenant Theological Seminary Eden Theological Seminary Urshan Graduate School of Theology Six-year colleges University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF National United States Israel Other Yale LUX

[38°38′37″N 90°27′08″W / 38.6437°N 90.4521°W / 38.6437; -90.4521](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Covenant_Theological_Seminary&params=38.6437_N_90.4521_W_type:edu_region:US-MO)

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