Well Annie and I have just returned from our visit to Virginia Theological Seminary, it was a wonderful weekend and just like I did after we got home from SSW I will write up my thoughts per some things that I decided were important to me.
Spirituality (Celtic, Taize, Emergent): There are a lot student led groups that explore different forms of spirituality, outside of the classroom. Chapel team time allows a chance to explore this in a worship setting.
High Church/ Low Church: My personal feeling was that the reputation of being super low church isn’t true today. It most certainly isn’t high church, but felt very broad church.
Chapel: There currently isn’t one. The chapel caught fire and burned last October. They are beginning the process to renovate an auditorium into a temporary chapel, that shouldn’t feel like it used to be an auditorium at all. The design process for the new chapel is starting; they are talking to current/ former students, spouses and visitors to design the new building.
Academics: There are 22 full time professors and 64 adjunct faculty members. They are very respected in there fields, not only in the ECUSA, but in the Anglican Communion as well. It is a group that possesses a lot of parish experience and the list of books that they have written is far too long to mention. The mock classroom experience was good, even Annie stayed interested.
City: Alexandria… The history in the area is amazing. Cost of living is a little higher than Indianapolis. D.C. is right across the river; culture, food and lot’s of great things to do. It is also within driving distance of home.
Financial Aid: Wow! Not only can they help with tuition expenses, they can offer help with living costs, book, etc…
Open Idea Exchange/ Outside the Box: The setup of class, chapel, lunch; leads to a lot of idea exchange it seems. There are chances to tailor the classes I take to what is important to me. Also chances to take classes at 9 other seminaries, more on that later. In talking to students, they seemed to really love and challenge each other, making the whole stronger through their differences.
Housing: No on campus housing for married students. But the school has agreements with three apartment complexes, that are close, one within walking distance. They also subsidize the cost of the housing.
Study Abroad: VTS is huge on study abroad. There are chances to go abroad during the school year and the summer, as well as one student a year getting the chance to study in Oxford for a semester. The school is also able to fund most of the trips through grant money!
Interfaith: The Washington Theological Consortium allows you to take classes at eight other seminaries Protestant, Catholic and Jewish (and maybe Muslim, can’t remember). There is a certificate of Muslim/ Christian studies available. The Jewish Temple across the road offered it’s worship space after the chapel burnt, so that speaks loads for the schools interfaith relationships.
Worship: I don’t think that we got the full worship experience. Friday night the Eucharist was held at the Episcopal High School Chapel, it is absolutely beautiful. Saturday morning we had Morning Prayer in the temporary prayer hall. Each week there is a chapel team that plans the worship services for the week, giving that team the chance to influence the type of worship. Friday Evening Prayer is in a foreign language. Wednesday noon is the community Eucharist. Tuesday mornings you meet in small groups at professor’s homes for prayer. So there is a lot of variance to the worship schedule.
Community feel: It really felt like a family, they truly seemed to care for each other and it didn’t feel like we were being sold. We got to interact a lot with current and prospective students and it felt like a group that we could be a part of, very homey.
Annie Work: Lot’s of opportunities within the area.
A Chance to be me: I didn’t meet two students current or prospective that thought the exact same way and everyone coexisted happily. There will be a chance to be me at VTS.
Financial Situation: Very Strong.
Gym: Access to the High School gym next door, it was as nice as the gym at Hanover.
Access to Outside Libraries: Huge campus library, as well as access to the libraries of the seminaries of the Consortium.
Field Education: Big focus. Three semesters at one place or two each at two places. Lot’s of Episcopal churches to choose from. There are a multitude of locations available for CPE.
Preaching Faculty: Didn’t get a chance to interact with them as much as at SSW, but both are Priests with Ph.Ds and parish experience.
Spousal Integration: Seems really strong. Annie said that she enjoyed the interaction with the spouses. They have book club and a retreat. The Dean is also having a spouses only meeting about what they want in the new chapel.
It was a great visit. Before we went I really had the opinion that I was going because I felt like I needed to visit another seminary, but I was really surprised at home much it spoke to me. Like SSW it felt like home. There were a lot of little things about VTS that tugged at my heart. Annie is leaning SSW and I am leaning VTS, but we loved both schools. We have a lot of prayer and discernment ahead of us, but I know that we will end up where God wants us to be.
