Clusters and Cooperative Activities

Northside Chicago Theological Institute

The Northside Chicago Theological Institute (NCTI) was organized in 1971 for educational and ecumenical purposes by five theological schools: Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, North Park Theological Seminary, Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Mundelein Seminary and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

The activities of the NCTI are under the direction of a board of directors whose officers are elected biennially. From its beginning the NCTI has emphasized the importance of student representation on its boards and committees. The NCTI sponsors two academic courses each year.

“The Church and Its Mission,” a fall seminar, explores the views of several major Christian communions on this theme. The weekend sessions are held on the campus of Mundelein Seminary for a minimal fee. Credit hours are contingent on whether the school is on a quarter or semester system. The Fall 2005 program classes are listed in the participating schools' schedules. For further information call the Rev. Thomas A. Baima at MS: 947.970.4866; or Richard Carlson at NPTS: 773.224.6227.

The spring seminar, "Prayer and Life in the Spirit," has addressed various theological themes in Christian spirituality and practice and has focused on the diversity of ways in which Christians of many traditions understand prayer and life in the Spirit. In its present format the seminar includes two overnight intensive retreat experiences on the campus of Mundelein Seminary. Registration is limited. Student participants pay a minimal fee. For further information regarding the seminar, contact Professor Norma Sutton, coordinator, at NPTS: 773.244.6239.

Each member school of NCTI observes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity through activities appropriate to its own tradition. Exchange of pulpit speakers has proven enriching for the schools.

The Hyde Park Cluster of Theological Schools

The five ACTS schools located in Hyde Park (Catholic Theological Union, Chicago Theological Seminary, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, McCormick Theological Seminary, and Meadville Lombard Theological School) and the Divinity School of the University of Chicago identify themselves as the Hyde Park Cluster of Theological Schools. The cluster seeks ways to deepen academic cooperation and sharing beyond those made possible by the ACTS structure.

The purposes of the cluster are to (1) promote academic cooperation among the schools in Hyde Park; (2) foster dialogue and scholarship among its faculties through support of discipline groups and interdisciplinary colloquies; (3) develop support for academic programs through cooperative student services, recruitment and language programs; and (4) aid in communication and planning among the member institutions.

A committee consisting of the chief academic officers of the six schools administers the Hyde Park Cluster of Theological Schools. The chief executive officers of the cooperating institutions serve as an advisory board to the committee, especially in areas related to institutional planning.

ACTS Doctor of Ministry in Preaching Program

Six seminaries in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS) jointly sponsor a program in preaching leading to a Doctor of Ministry degree. Faculty from the Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago Theological Seminary, McCormick Theological Seminary, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, North Park Theological Seminary, and Seabury-Western Theological Seminary participate in teaching this program, as well as renowned preachers and teachers from across the country. The program involves three annual summer residencies in Chicago, two projects in the participant’s ministry site and a thesis project.

During each Summer Residency, participants take a Core (required) course, an elective course relevant to the participant’s learning goals, and participate in a Colloquy. During Colloquy, advisory groups consisting of peers working together to assess homiletic theology, develop group and individual learning goals and design a “Preaching Ministry project.” For the Preaching Ministry project, participants conduct an independent project at their ministry site between September and March following the first two residencies. After the third residency, participants develop a final project resulting in a thesis.

A separate ACTS D.Min in Preaching application is required and may be obtained from the Program Coordinator. The application process is a two-step process. Participants first apply through one of the six partnering schools and once admitted, are brought to a joint D. Min in Preaching Program Committee, where a final determination of candidates is made. Total enrollment each year is 32 participants.

Interested persons should contact Danna Gobel, Program Coordinator, ACTS D.Min. in Preaching Program, 5460 S. University, Chicago, IL 60615; phone: 773.947.6270.

ACTS Travel Study Opportunities

Opportunities to travel and study outside Chicago are offered for course credit by several ACTS schools; they are listed below by geographic area. Students from CTU, LSTC, and MTS may contact the office of the Chicago Center for Global Ministries for full details about programs and funding.

ACTS Urban Clinical Pastoral Education Program

Six schools (Chicago Theological Seminary, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, McCormick Theological Seminary, Meadville Lombard Theological School, and the Divinity School of the University of Chicago) and one hospital system (Advocate Health Care, related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ) sponsor the ACTS Urban Clinical Pastoral Education Program in the summer and during the academic year. Accredited by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, the program offers a nontraditional CPE experience with a focus on urban and public ministry. It brings together the CPE methodology of integration of personal and professional attributes with the practice of ministry in urban agencies, parishes, and community organizations. The goals of the program are to enable students:

To experience ministry in a cross-cultural setting
To learn how to enter into an ongoing community organization, agency, or parish
To develop the ability to do social analysis
To discern and maintain a balance between ministry to individuals and ministry to structures
To develop an awareness of the important linkages and connections necessary in public ministry settings
To develop an awareness of different approaches to public ministry and to define an approach that is consistent with their own theological tradition
To gain a sense of hope regarding involvement in the public sector
To develop an ability to reflect on their own learning process and to include others in that process

The summer intensive program runs full time from mid-June through late August, and the yearlong program for 30 weeks, 15 hours per week, in coordination with the seminary calendars. Applicants should complete the standard ACPE application, have an admission interview with a CPE supervisor, and meet with the director of the program. Applications submitted by December 20 (for the summer) or May 1 (for the fall) will be given first priority. There is a $25 application fee. For further information contact Barbara Sheehan, S.P., Director, ACTS Urban CPE Program, c/o CTS, 5757 South University Ave., Chicago, IL 60637; phone: 773.322.0266; e-mail b-sheehan@msn.com.

The Center for Ethics and Values

The Center for Ethics and Values at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary offers seminars, lectures, and conferences for students, faculty, professionals, religious communities, and the public. Recent events have focused on stem cell research; war, peace, and terrorism; and theology, ecology, feminism, and forbidden knowledge.

ACTS faculty and students are invited to attend lectures of interest or to become involved as scholar-participants in any of the topics. For more information, contact the Center for Ethics at 847.866.3915 or ethics.center@garrett.edu.

Chicago Center for Global Ministries

To meet the growing challenges to preparation for ministry posed by globalization trends today, Catholic Theological Union, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and McCormick Theological Seminary established the Chicago Center for Global Ministries (CCGM) in 1993. The purpose of the center is to coordinate more effectively current resources and to build upon those resources to meet the globalization challenge for ministry, especially in regard to world mission, cross-cultural ministries, interreligious dialogue, urban ministries and issues of justice, peace and ecology.

CCGM serves as a focus point for these areas of ministry by coordinating course offerings, offering a forum where concerned faculty may meet to discuss these issues, and providing a locus for new research efforts in these areas of globalization. At a time when theological education is becoming more international and multicultural, and the world itself manifests simultaneously a new concern for particularity and greater possibilities for communication, the work of the Chicago Center for Global Ministries embraces these paradoxes and complexities as the location for training ministers for the 21st century.

For additional information, contact Mark Thomsen, director, or Daniel Rodríguez-Díaz and Charles Walter, MCCJ, associate directors, at the CCGM office at CTU; phone: 773.363.1342; fax: 773.363.1343; e-mail: ccgminstry@aol.com.

Hispanic Ministries Programs

Hispanic Ministries programs, offered by McCormick Theological Seminary and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, offer a concentration within the course of study of the regular M.Div. and M.A.T.S. degrees. The purpose of the programs is to prepare Hispanics and other bilingual persons to serve effectively in Hispanic communities. The programs offer courses in all fields of the seminary curriculum and in the practice of ministry in local Hispanic settings. In addition to the instruction provided by their own faculties, MTS and LSTC invite outstanding Hispanic theologians and ministerial practitioners to their campuses to expand the resources available.

Language Program of the Hyde Park Cluster of Theological Schools

Noncredit courses in French, German, Spanish, Latin and Greek are available to graduate students (and others) in the Chicago area through the Language Program of the Hyde Park Cluster of Theological Schools. Designed to help students develop the language skills necessary for academic research, these courses emphasize grammar and translation practice. Hundreds of university and seminary students have taken these courses in order to prepare for their graduate language examinations or otherwise to fulfill their graduate language requirements. Courses are taught throughout the four quarters of the academic year, and are generally held at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, 1100 East 55th Street (at University Avenue) or on the University of Chicago campus. Moderate fees are charged. For further information, please see the Web page at http://divinity.uchicago.edu/hpclp.html or contact Celia Brickman phone: 773.324.9383; e-mail cbrickma@sbcglobal.net.

World Mission Institute

The World Mission Institute (WMI) is an annual three-day conference held on the last weekend in April every year. The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and Catholic Theological Union with other ACTS member schools have sponsored WMI since 1970. In addition, other educational and mission organizations help support the WMI each year. Today, the WMI is organized and administered by the Chicago Center for Global Ministries (CCGM). Each year outstanding international speakers and resource persons deal with a significant aspect of Christian mission. All students and faculty of ACTS schools are invited to participate in the WMI without registration charges. Inquiries regarding WMI should be addressed to the Chicago Center for Global Ministries, 5401 South Cornell Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615; phone: 773.363.1342; e-mail: ccgminstry@aol.com.