ASSOCIATION OF THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS

The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) is a voluntary association of graduate level theological schools committed to promoting the improvement of theological education. Membership is open to schools that offer graduate theological degrees, that are demonstratively engaged in educating professional leadership for communities of the Jewish and Christian faiths, that meet the standards and criteria of the Association, and that have been elected in accordance with stipulated procedures.

Origins . ATS has its origins in the Conference of Theological Seminaries and Colleges that met biannually to address the special needs of churches for ministry after World War I. In 1936 it became a formal association and adopted standards and procedures for judging quality. In 1938 it adopted the name of the American Association of Theological Schools and established a list of accredited schools. In 1956 it incorporated and secured full-time staff and offices in Dayton, OH, before moving to Pittsburgh, PA, in 1990. In the early 1970s the name was changed to the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada to emphasize its original binational character.

Until 1966, the membership was composed entirely of Protestant schools. In 1966 four Roman Catholic Schools were admitted: Maryknoll School of Theology, Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Mount Saint Alphonsus Seminary, and Woodstock College. Within a decade most of the Catholic theological schools had joined, expanding the base of the Association and the scope of the dialogue among them. Roman Catholic schools were moved to seek membership by the statement in the original edition of the Program of Priestly Formation (1971) of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, which encouraged theological schools to seek accreditation from appropriate accrediting agencies [no. 92]. Other groups whose membership developed at the same time were the Evangelical schools, the Eastern Orthodox schools, and some Jewish theological schools. With this ATS became representative of the full range of theological schools in the U.S. and Canada. In accordance with the guidelines of ATS, Roman Catholics are represented on all major commissions and committees as well on the professional staff. The first Catholic to serve as ATS president was Vincent Cushing, OFM, (1980–84), president of the washington theological union.

Policy . ATS respects the denominational differences and relations of its member schools and does not address doctrinal isues proper to any tradition. In 1990 the members approved a Policy Statement that described as clearly as possible the relationship between theological schools and the churches ["The Accreditation of Theological Schools and Ecclesiastical Assessment of Schools," ATS Bulletin 41 (1994) 45–49]. The purposes of ATS as stated in the ATS Constitution are:

1. To provide a continuing forum and entity for its members to confer concerning matters of common interest in the area of theological education;
2. To consider issues that may arise as to the relations of such institutions to one another, to other educational institutions or associations, or to ecclesiastical or governmental authorities;
3. To establish standards of theological education and to maintain a list of institutions on the basis of such standards;
4. In general, without limitation as to the foregoing, to promote the improvement of theological education in such ways as it may deem appropriate.

The third purpose was added in 1936 to accommodate accreditation as the principal means for supporting and monitoring the quality of degree programs.

The Association is recognized by the Commission on Recognition of Post Secondary Accreditation for the accreditation of graduate professional theological education. It is also a recognized accrediting agency for the U.S. Department of Education and works cooperatively with regional accrediting associations, other professional associations, state departments of education, the National Catholic Education Association, and other allied organizations in Canada and the United States. The Association also maintains relationships with various ecclesiastical boards and committees dealing with ministry and higher education.

The several sections of the ATS Bulletin published biannually provide detailed information about the Association, its requirements for membership, its members and officers, its constitutional structures, its policy statements about the work of theological education and its list of accredited institutions.

Bibliography: ATS Bulletin 41: Part 1, Constitution; Part 3, Procedures, Standards and Criteria; Part 5, Policy Statements; Part 7, Membership List (Pittsburgh 1994). national conference of catholic bishops, Program of Priestly Formation (Washington, D.C. 1971; 4th. ed. 1992). j. h. ziegler, ATS Through Two Decades 1960–1980 (Dayton 1984).

[w. baumgaertner/eds.]