Columbia Theological Seminary

What is the history of Columbia Theological Seminary?

Columbia Theological Seminary is a graduate theological school founded in 1828 to educate Presbyterian ministers. It began in Lexington, Georgia, moved to Columbia, South Carolina, in 1830, and relocated to Decatur, Georgia, in 1927. Its name reflects the South Carolina city where it spent nearly a century, not its current location.

The move to Decatur placed the seminary in the Atlanta area while preserving its Presbyterian identity. Today, its degree programs extend beyond preparation for congregational ministry to theological study, practical theology, and advanced professional education. It is a seminary rather than an undergraduate college.

What are the faculties and departments at Columbia Theological Seminary?

Columbia Theological Seminary organizes its academics around graduate theological education, not a set of undergraduate colleges or majors. Its degree offerings include the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Practical Theology, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Ministry. Applicants should use the current academic catalog to confirm which programs and concentrations are admitting students.

Students encounter fields such as biblical studies, theology, church history, preaching, pastoral care, and Christian education. The Master of Divinity is the broad professional route commonly considered by people preparing for ordained ministry; a theology-focused master's or a practice-focused degree may serve a different goal. Ordination requirements are set by a student's denomination or other authorizing body, not by the degree alone. The seminary also offers continuing education for people already working in ministry.

What is the location of Columbia Theological Seminary?

Columbia Theological Seminary is in Decatur, Georgia, immediately east of Atlanta. Its campus offers a smaller, dedicated seminary setting within a metropolitan area, rather than the setting of a large undergraduate university.

Decatur's walkable downtown and MARTA rail access can be useful to students without a car. The Atlanta region also offers potential church, nonprofit, and community-based ministry settings, although travel time depends on the placement. Students considering a commute should check the location and schedule of their courses and any field-education assignment before choosing housing.

What is the mission and vision of Columbia Theological Seminary?

Columbia Theological Seminary describes its purpose in Christian theological terms: educating and forming people for leadership, service, and ministry. It is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), an identity that shapes its worship, academic study, and approach to ministerial formation.

That affiliation matters to applicants, but it does not mean every student is pursuing Presbyterian ordination. Prospective students should compare the seminary's educational aims with their own vocation and, if ordination is the goal, verify their denomination's separate educational and candidacy requirements. The institution's stated commitments describe what it seeks to do; they are not, by themselves, measures of individual outcomes.