Tag: commencement

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September 30, 2026

United Celebrates Largest New Class and Highest Enrollment in Its 65-Year History

Enrollment Has More than Tripled in Ten Years For the second consecutive year, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (United) is thrilled to welcome its largest-ever incoming class of degree-seeking students. With 85 new degree-seeking students, the seminary is celebrating a total fall term enrollment of 288 degree-seeking students and 7 certificate students, representing the largest total enrollment in United’s history. The seminary’s 65th academic year features: 25% year-over-year enrollment growth and a staggering 239% increase over fall 2016; 163 Master of Divinity (MDiv) students, an increase of 42% year-over-year; 63 Master of Arts (MA), Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL), and Master of Arts in Ministry (MAM) students; 62 Doctor of Ministry (DMin) students. Public theology, social transformation, interreligious engagement, and theology and the arts comprise the four foundational pillars of United’s curricula. They are unique among seminaries and divinity schools rooted in Christian traditions, cultivating an educational environment that practices ecumenism, religious pluralism, and social justice. The MDiv in Interreligious Chaplaincy is United’s largest degree program, with 73 students enrolled for the fall term. The concentration’s interfaith emphasis sets the school apart among its peers, drawing students from diverse backgrounds and faiths. Reflecting the program’s flagship status, the seminary marked a new milestone on July 1 when it welcomed Dr. Ginger Morgan as associate professor for Pastoral and Spiritual Care and program director for Interreligious Chaplaincy. United’s considerable ten-year growth can be credited to its leading-edge academic offerings, widely accessible distance education, and accomplished faculty. The seminary is a bold witness for the common good, preparing innovative leaders for myriad vocational and professional outcomes. From rural congregations to the city hospital’s ICU, United students and alums equip their communities for justice and peace. Mason Mennenga (’22), director of Admissions, leads a passionate and creative staff, all of whom are current students or alums. He reflects, “United’s growth in enrollment over the last number of years and our record for this year is truly a remarkable achievement in theological education. We’re showing what’s possible for progressive theological institutions!” Dr. Hillary Vamstad, director of Student Services, adds, “We’ve created an environment where students feel more than just a number, and I think students see that through the admissions and onboarding process. Feeling seen, heard, and supported while pursuing a seminary education is an important component to United’s growth.” Growth in student enrollment underscores the need to increase the number of core faculty members to continue to provide the quality of education for which United is well-known. Dr. Kyle Roberts, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, shares, “We are undertaking two faculty searches this year, which include an additional faculty role focused on Ministry Practices. This is a specialty we have been needing for some time on our core faculty to ground students in the practical elements of ministry leadership, such as preaching and liturgy, religious education, institutional leadership and administration.” Rev. Dr. Molly T. Marshall, who is beginning her final year as United’s beloved president, asserts, “I believe United’s remarkable growth is due to our progressive and relevant curriculum, our theological hospitality, and our accessible educational delivery.” She continues, “We delight in creating space (perichoresis) for everyone who desires formative theological education, a distinctive pursuit among seminaries.” United looks ahead to a historic 65th year of progressive theological education, and we give thanks for the students whose vocations, traditions, and unique perspectives enrich the life of our seminary. About United Founded by the United Church of Christ (UCC) as a welcoming, ecumenical school that embraces all denominations and faith traditions, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities has been on the creative edge of progressive theological thought and leadership since it was established in 1962. Today, United continues to educate leaders who, through the eyes of faith, engage in the dismantling of systems of oppression, explore multi-faith spirituality, and push the boundaries of knowledge. Media Contact Nathanial Green (he/him) Director of Marketing and Communications press@unitedseminary.edu • 651.255.6138 Admissions and Enrollment admissions@unitedseminary.edu

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January 20, 2026

2026 Commencement

You are invited to the 64th Commencement Exercises of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities Sunday, April 26, 2026 — 3:00 PM CT Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis Gathering Onsite and Online Commencement will be available in a hybrid format. Whether you plan to attend onsite or online, please sign up at the link below. Those who register to attend online will receive program and livestream links via email before the event. Those who attend onsite are invited to stay after to chat with our graduates at a reception. Commencement Speaker Rev. Dr. Amy Butler Rev. Dr. Amy Butler is the founder of Invested Faith, a nonprofit that identifies, resources, and networks faith-rooted social entrepreneurs who are reimagining the work of faith communities in the world. She currently serves as Pastor of the Community Church of Honolulu, bringing her visionary leadership to a diverse and dynamic faith community. She is the former Senior Minister of Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. and The Riverside Church in New York City, where she was the first woman to lead those historic congregations. She holds degrees from Baylor University, the International Baptist Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary.  A respected preacher, writer, and leader in progressive faith movements, Dr. Butler is the co-author of Holy Disruption: A Manifesto for the Future of Faith Communities (Chalice Press, 2025) and author of a memoir, Beautiful and Terrible Things: Faith, Doubt, and Discovering a Way Back to Each Other (The Dial Press, 2023). Throughout her ministry, she has been recognized for her commitment to justice, compassion, and building communities of radical welcome. For her commencement address, Rev. Dr. Butler will be drawing on scripture from John 21:1–14. The title of the address is “Deep Waters.” Register

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February 4, 2025

2025 Commencement

You are invited to the 63rd Commencement Exercises of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities Sunday, April 27, 2025 • 3:00 PM CT Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis Commencement Address [caption id="attachment_7874" align="alignleft" width="331"] Source: Union Theological Seminary[/caption] Rev. John J. Thatamanil, PhD—Professor of Theology & World Religions and Director of the Insight Project: Theology & Natural World at Union Theological Seminary—will serve as our 63rd Commencement speaker. Rev. Dr. Thatamanil teaches a wide variety of courses in the areas of comparative theology, theologies of religious diversity, Hindu-Christian dialogue, the theology of Paul Tillich, the theory of religion, process theology, and eco-theology. He is committed to the work of comparative theology—a theology that learns from and with a variety of traditions. A central question that drives his work is, “How can Christian communities come to see religious diversity as a promise rather than as a problem?” He is also committed to Dzogchen meditation and includes time for meditation in virtually all of his courses at Union. His first book is an exercise in constructive comparative theology. The Immanent Divine: God, Creation, and the Human Predicament. An East-West Conversation (Fortress Press, 2006) provides the foundation for a nondualist Christian theology worked out through a conversation between Paul Tillich and Sankara, the master teacher of the Hindu tradition of Advaita Vedanta. Circling the Elephant: A Comparative Theology of Religious Diversity (Fordham University Press, 2020), Professor Thatamanil’s second book, takes up the recent and extensive literature on the Western construction/invention of the category “religion” with the following questions in mind: If “religion” is a relatively recent invention of the modern West, then is the category applicable to non-Western cultures and traditions? Can we really divide the world up into a set of discrete world religions? Does it still make sense to ask if the world’s “religions” are paths up the same mountain or paths up different mountains? How should theologies of religious diversity be reconfigured in light of these new questions and challenges? A third book, provisionally titled Desiring Truth: Comparative Theology and the Quest for Interreligious Wisdom, is in the works. This book begins by interrogating our troubling post-truth moment: just how did we get here? Taking up an argument made by the late Foucault, Thatamanil argues that the answer partly lies in the modern commitment to separating desiring from knowing in the name of objectivity. By contrast, Buddhist and Hindu traditions insist that without rectifying our desires, there is no possibility of coming to the right knowing and genuine wisdom. Thatamanil turns to comparative theology as a resource for addressing a contemporary context rife with misinformation, conspiracy theories, and “alternative facts.” Professor Thatamanil is a past president of the North American Paul Tillich Society (NAPTS) and the founding (and current) Chair of the American Academy of Religion’s Theological Education Committee. He is a frequent preacher and lecturer in churches, colleges, and universities, both nationally and internationally. He also co-edits (with Dr. Loye Ashton) the “Comparative Theology: Thinking Across Traditions” book series for Fordham University Press. He blogs regularly for a variety of online publications and has published editorials in The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post. Gathering Commencement will be available in a hybrid format. Whether you intend to participate onsite or online, please sign up at the link below. Those who register to attend online will receive program and livestream links via email before the event. Those who attend onsite are invited to stay after to chat with our graduates at a reception. Questions? Contact Jen Bingen Buck via email or phone at 651-255-6162. Registration

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February 6, 2024

2024 Commencement

You are invited to the Annual Commencement Exercises of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities Sunday, April 28, 2024 • 3:00 PM CT Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis Commencement Address Rev. Dr. R. Mitch Randall will serve as our Commencement speaker. Rev. Dr. Randall is the chief executive officer of Good Faith Media and, in addition to pastoring for more than 20 years in churches throughout the Great Plains, previously served as executive director at the Baptist Center of Ethics. Rev. Dr. Randall holds an MDiv with a concentration in Biblical Languages from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and a DMin degree from George W. Truett Theological Seminary in Waco, Texas. Mitch is a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation and has ancestors reaching back to the McIntosh and Childers clans. Rev. Dr. Randall’s address is titled “Where the Buffalo Roam: Decolonization Sets Us Free.” Gathering Commencement will be available in a hybrid format. Whether you intend to participate onsite or online, please sign up at the link below. Those who register to attend online will receive program and livestream links via email before the event. Those who attend onsite are invited to stay after to chat with our graduates at a reception. Questions? Contact MJ Luna via email or phone at 651-255-6162. Registration

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