Why PLTS
PLTS’ location is vital to its success. Our aim is to develop leaders for ministry who are equipped to serve the church and the world in the twenty-first century. Two aspects of our location—the Graduate Theological Union and the San Francisco Bay Area—provide a context for theological education without rival.
The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the largest, most diverse, and most educated metropolitan areas in the country. Our campus in Berkeley is adjacent to the University of California, and minutes from the urban centers of San Francisco, Oakland, and the Silicon Valley, and from thousands of acres of regional parkland. Cultural and religious diversity are not just concepts at PLTS.
We are a founding member of the Graduate Theological Union—a consortium of 17 independent graduate-level theological institutions that are within walking distance of each other. Our 1350 students and 150 faculty members are Jewish, Muslim, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Baptist, UCC, Methodist, Catholic, Unitarian, Buddhist, and, of course, Lutheran. We offer 750 courses per year, from Biblical Studies, to Art and Religion, to Islamic Philosophy. We are not a loosely connected consortium, with schools that are miles and miles apart and requiring cross-registration for classes. Rather, we publish one course catalog and students register for classes in an open-registration process, meaning that students are welcome in classes offered across all schools.
At PLTS and the GTU Students find themselves in the position of putting their faith and theology into words that are accessible to people who have never heard it before. We think that is good practice for ministry. Theological education at PLTS is a model for the way religions and denominations can work together in a spirit of collaboration that doesn’t detract from their individual theologies. We prepare church leaders for the twenty first century. Here are 12 Reasons to Choose PLTS As Your Seminary!
