Academic Program

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In today's culture the call to serve God often comes late in life. Many men with a sense of vocation are married, have families, and work full time. To make it possible for them to attend seminary, the college offers three tracks: The Permanent Deaconate, the Regular Deaconate and the Priesthood. All three tracks require a prerequisite of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or transcripts from an accredited college confirming that the following courses have been completed: two semesters of Freshman English, one semester of Psychology, one semester of Speech and three semesters of World History, Western Civilization, Ancient History or Medieval History. These courses in lieu of a degree may be taken concurrently, and substitutions are at the discretion of the Provost.

The College believes that a sound theological education must be built upon the following three pillars: Academic preparation based upon a thorough knowledge of Holy Scripture, the apostolic Creeds and Sacraments, liturgical heritage, and Church history and theology; Worship in the Seminary chapel (when practicable), where the Postulant deepens his faith through encountering the infinite mystery of Our Lord Jesus Christ in meditation, the Daily Offices, and the Holy Eucharist; Internship (under a mentoring priest) in a parochial ministry or chaplaincy, where the Postulant prepares to minister to the faithful and to evangelize for the Faith.

All candidates must pass examinations administered by the Board of Examining Chaplains and be approved by the Standing Committee of their Diocese before they can be ordained. Although not required for ordination, only candidates for the priesthood may apply for a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree which requires at least one year of Ecclesiastical Latin or Biblical Greek, both courses in Church Music and an accredited bachelor’s degree.

Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are electives; courses unmarked are required for that specific track.

Permanent Deaconate

Old Testament I, II, III, IV
New Testament I, II, III, IV
Apocrypha I,* II*
Dogmatic Theology I, II
Moral Theology Church
History I, II*
General Liturgics*
Historical Liturgics*
Deacon’s Liturgics
Introduction to the Prayer
Book Spiritual Discernment
Spiritual Formation I, II*
Homiletics*
Pastoral Theology*
Canon Law*
Patristics I,* II*
Ecclesiology*
Ecclesiastical Polity*
Biblical Greek I*, II*, III*, IV*
Ecclesiastical Latin I*, II*, III*, IV*
Church Music I*,II*

In addition to the required coursework, candidates for the Permanent Deaconate should pass at least three electives.

Homiletics is necessary for license to preach.

Regular Deaconate

Old Testament I, II, III, IV
New Testament I, II, III, IV
Apocrypha I, II*
Dogmatic Theology I, II
Moral Theology Church
History I, II
General Liturgics*
Historical Liturgics
Deacon’s Liturgics
Introduction to the Prayer
Book Spiritual Discernment
Spiritual Formation I, II*
Homiletics*
Pastoral Theology*
Canon Law*
Patristics I, II*
Ecclesiology*
Ecclesiastical Polity*
Biblical Greek I*, II*, III*, IV*
Ecclesiastical Latin I*, II*, III*, IV*
Church Music I*, II*

In addition to the required coursework, candidates for the Regular Deaconate must pass at least six electives.

Homiletics is necessary for license to preach.

Priesthood

Old Testament I, II, III, IV
New Testament I, II, III, IV Apocrypha I, II
Dogmatic Theology I, II
Moral Theology Church
History I, II
General Liturgics
Historical Liturgics
Altar Liturgics (The Eucharist)
Introduction to the Prayer
Book Spiritual Discernment
Spiritual Formation I, II
Homiletics
Pastoral Theology
Canon Law Patristics I, II
Ecclesiology
Ecclesiastical Polity
Biblical Greek I*, II*, III*, IV*
Ecclesiastical Latin I*, II*, III*, IV*
Church Music I*, II*

In addition, all candidates for the priesthood must successfully pass an interview with the Executive Committee of the House of Bishops (Canon 18:01)