New Brunswick Theological Seminary is a Christian seminary affiliated with the Reformed Church in America (RCA), a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States that follows the theological tradition and Christian practice of John Calvin.Reformed Church in America. Educational Institutions – Seminaries. Retrieved August 24, 2013. The seminary offers that offers professional and graduate degree programs for candidates for ministry and those pursuing careers in academia. The seminary also offers certificates and training programs to lay church leaders seeking advanced courses. For over 240 years, the seminary's faculty and alumni have taken key roles in the ministry of the Reformed Church and other Christian denominations, in academia, and in the professional world.
Founded in 1784, New Brunswick Theological Seminary is the oldest seminary in the United States and one of seminaries operated by the Reformed Church in America. It currently has two campuses: Its main campus was built in 1856, in New Brunswick, New Jersey adjacent to the campus of Rutgers University. While rooted in the Reformed faith, the seminary is dedicated to providing a comprehensive Christian education as "an inter-cultural, ecumenical school of Christian faith, learning, and scholarship committed to its metro-urban and global contexts."New Brunswick Theological Seminary. "Our Mission" . Retrieved 11 August 2013.
Leaders of the seminary The board of trustees appoints a president to serve as the seminary's chief administrative and executive officer. The current seminary president is Rev. Micah L. McCreary, M.Div., Ph.D., who has served in that capacity since 2017. The current vice president and dean of academic affairs is Rev. Charles Rix, Ph.D.
The seminary's first leader was the Rev. John Henry Livingston, who was appointed in 1784 to start instructing candidates for ministry. He began to do so in his New York City home, and a few years moved the seminary to Flatbush. In 1810, Livingston accepted the presidency of Queen's College in New Brunswick, New Jersey (now Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), and moved the seminary to that city.
The title of "president of the seminary" was first used with regard to the administrator of the school in 1923. The role was known as "dean of the seminary" from 1883 to 1888, and was filled by the oldest professor in years of service who would be entrusted with the management of the seminary. That title became "president of the faculty" from 1888 to 1923.New Brunswick Theological Seminary. "NBTS Presidents" in New Brunswick Theological Seminary: In Focus - 225th Anniversary Celebration Vol. 3, Issue 1 (Fall 2009), 4. Today, the president of the seminary is simultaneously appointed to the John Henry Livingston Professor of Theology, created upon the recommendation of outgoing president M. Stephen James. In 1959, James was appointed to the chair in an emeritus capacity, and the chair was first occupied by the seminary's eight president, Justin Vander Kolk.Hageman, Howard G. Two Centuries Plus: The Story of New Brunswick Seminary (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1984), 171.
#PortraitPersonTook officeLeft officeCareerNotes - John Henry Livingston(1746–1825) 1784 1825 Education: Yale College (A.B., 1762); University of Utrecht (Th.D., 1770) Ordained as Dutch Reformed minister by Classis of Amsterdam, appointed professor of theology by Synod of New York Demarest, David D. Centennial of the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church in America, formerly the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, 1784-1884. (New Brunswick, New Jersey: Board of Publication of the Reformed Church in America, 1885), 83–91.Frusciano, Thomas J. "Leadership on the Banks: Rutgers' Presidents, 1766–2004", in The Journal of the Rutgers University Libraries LIII(1) (June 1991). 1 Samuel Merrill Woodbridge(1819–1905) 1883 1901 Education: New York University (A.B., 1838); New Brunswick Theological Seminary, (A.M., 1841) Reformed minister, taught at Rutgers as professor of metaphysics and mental philosophy (1857–1864), and at seminary as professor of church government, ecclesiastical history, and pastoral theology (1857–1901) appointed dean of the seminary (1883–1887) and president of the faculty (1887–1901) Alumni Catalogue of New York University, 1833–1905: College, Applied Science and Honorary Alumni. (New York: General Alumni Society of New York University, 1906), 8.Raven, John Howard (Rev.) (compiler). Catalogue of the Officers and Alumni of Rutgers College (originally Queen's College) in New Brunswick, N.J., 1766–1916. (Trenton, New Jersey: State Gazette Publishing Company, 1916).Raven, John Howard (compiler), Biographical Record. Theological seminary, New Brunswick, 1784-1911 (New Brunswick, New Jersey: New Brunswick Theological Seminary, 1912). 2 - John Preston Searle(1854–1922) 1902 1922 Education: Rutgers College (A.B., 1875); New Brunswick Theological Seminary (1878) professor of systematic theology (1893–1922) appointed president of the faculty in 1902 until his death 3 - John Howard Raven 1922 1924 Rutgers College (A.B., 1891); New Brunswick Theological Seminary (1894) professor of Old Testament languages and exegesis appointed president of the faculty 1922, president of the seminary 1923 4 - William Henry Steele Demarest(1863–1956) 1925 1935 Rutgers College, (A.B., 1883); New Brunswick Theological Seminary (1888) Appointed as seminary president in 1925 previously professor of church government and ecclesiastical history, president of Rutgers College (1906–1924) President of the General Synod, RCA, 1909 5 - John Walter Beardslee Jr.(1879–1962) 1935 1947 Education: Hope College (1898), Western Theological Seminary (1903) taught at Hope College and Western Theological Seminary before coming to New Brunswick as professor of New Testament Hope College, Collection Registers and Abstracts, Archives and College History, W88-0009.1. Beardslee, John W., Jr. (1879-1962). Papers, 1917-1962. 1 folder. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 6 - Joseph R. Sizoo(1885–1966) 1947 1952 Education: New Brunswick Theological Seminary (1910) Pastor at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington DC and St Nicholas Collegiate Church in New York City - 7 - M. Stephen James 1953 1959 Professor of practical theology; president of the RCA General Synod (1944–1945) - 8 - Justin W. Vander Kolk 1959 1963 - - 9 - Wallace Newlin Jamison(1918–2010) 1963 1969 Education: Westminster College (B.A., 1941); Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.B. 1943); University of Edinburgh (Ph.D., 1948) World War II Navy chaplain and Presbyterian minister; professor of history at Westminster College and later Illinois College; professor of church history and dean of the seminary Staff. Obituary for Wallace Newlin Jamison, The Jacksonville Journal-Courier (Illinois), 17 October 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2014.Illinois College. "Illinois College mourns the loss of beloved professor and dean emeritus" (2010). Retrieved 5 February 2014. 10 - Herman J. Ridder(1925–2002) 1969 1971 Education: Hope College (1949); Western Theological Seminary (1952); Chicago Theological Seminary (M.Th. 1967) Reformed minister serving congregations in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and California. Served as president of Western Theological Seminary (1963–1971) and attempted to unify curriculums and administration at NBTS and WTS. Hope College, Collection Registers and Abstracts, Archives and College History, W88-0100. Ridder, Herman J. (1925-2002). Papers, 1956-1992. 15.50 linear ft, 3 July 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2014."Seminaries Merge for Top Theological Training", The Holland Evening Sentinel, 13 May 1970, 12. — - Lester J. Kuyper(1904–1986)(interim) 1971 1973 Education: Hope College (B.A., 1928); Western Theological Seminary (B.D., 1932); Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Th. 1937); Union Theological Seminary (D.Th., 1939) professor of Old Testament at Western Theological (1939–1974); president of RCA General Synod (1970); interim president of both New Brunswick and Western Hope College, Collection Registers and Abstracts, Archives and College History, W88 0068. Kuyper, Lester J. (1904-1986). Papers, 1694, 1908 1981. 3.50 linear ft. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 11 - Howard G. Hageman(1921–1992) 1973 1985 Education: Harvard University (A.B., 1942); New Brunswick Theological Seminary (B.D., 1945); attended Princeton Theological Seminary, Central College (D.D., 1957) Hope College, Collection Registers and Abstracts, Archives and College History W95-1190. Hageman, Howard G. (1921-1992) Papers, 1946-1992. 0.50 linear ft., 25 October 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2014. 12 - Robert A. White 1985 1992 - - 13 - Norman J. Kansfield(1940–2024) 1993 2005 Education: A.B. Hope College (A.B., 1962); Western Theological Seminary (B.D., 1965), Union Theological Seminary (S.T.M., 1967); University of Chicago (M.A., 1970, Ph.D., 1981) New Brunswick Theological Seminary, The Faculty: Norman J. Kansfield, President, The John Henry Livingston Professor of Theology . Retrieved 5 February 2014. — - Edwin G. Mulder(born 1929)(interim) 2005 2006 Education: Central College (1951); Western Theological Seminary (1954) served as minister to congregations in New Jersey, New York, and Michigan; president of RCA General Synod (1979–1980); third general secretary of the Reformed Church (1983–1994); prominent in the civil rights advocacy to end Apartheid in South Africa Reformed Church in America, "Mulder Appointed Interim NBTS President", 8 March 2005. Retrieved 5 February 2014.McMullin, Sara, "Dr. Edwin G. Mulder: A Life Dedicated to Christ", The Joint Archives Quarterly (Hope College, Western Theological Seminary), 22(1) (Spring 2012). 14 - Gregg A. Mast 2006 2017 Education: Hope College (B.A., 1974); New Brunswick Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1976); Drew University (M.Phil., 1981, Ph.D., 1985) President of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America (1999–2000) As minister, served congregations in Johannesburg, South Africa, New Jersey and New York New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Faculty Directory: Gregg Alan Mast, President (curriculum vitae). Retrieved 13 August 2013.Reformed Church in America "News: NBTS Graduate Returns as President" (news release) (3 February 2006). Retrieved 13 August 2013. 15 Micah L. McCreary 2017 Incumbent Education: B.S. University of Michigan; M.Div. Virginia Union University; M.S. Virginia Commonwealth University; Ph.D. Virginia Commonwealth University Faculty profile - Micah L. McCreary. Faculty Directory: Micah L. McCreary, President.
Faculty Faculty members listed below in bold text were also alumni of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. William Henry Campbell, (1808–1890), professor of Oriental Languages, later eighth president of Rutgers College (1862–1882) David D. Demarest (1819–1898), professor of Pastoral Theology and Sacred Rhetoric William Henry Steele Demarest (1863–1956), professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Government, eleventh president of Rutgers University (1906–1924), president of NBTS (1925–1934) Philip Milledoler (1775–1852), professor of didactic theology, fifth president of Rutgers College (1825–1840)
Alumni B.D. = Bachelor of Divinity M.Div. = Master of Divinity M.A. or A.M. = Master of Arts D.Min = Doctor of Ministry