Princeton Seminary Approves New Curriculum

This year, Princeton Theological Seminary has approved a new curriculum that builds on a decades-long commitment to intellectual excellence to also emphasize emotional, social, and spiritual development. One of the notable changes is an emphasis on how students can enhance their communities with gospel-infused leadership. The result is a program truly dedicated to holistic formation.

The two-year curriculum development process was defined by comprehensive research and study, drafting and testing ideas, prayer, and gathering feedback via regular discussions with faculty members and students. In the end, says Biblical Studies faculty member and task force co-chair Eric D. Barreto, this revised curriculum lifts up traditional strengths of Princeton Seminary like academic excellence, disciplinary rigor, and the richness of a residential theological education. “It also brings those strengths to the central questions the church faces today,” he adds, “which include the pursuit of racial justice, the formation of grace-filled inclusive communities of faith, innovative imaginations for new forms of ministry, and generous care for God’s creation.” The new curriculum will officially launch in fall 2021, though a newly designed course has received positive student feedback (view comments below).

“Our goal is to form leaders within a flourishing Princeton Seminary community, who will pass along these attributes to their future communities and congregations.”

Differentiating this curriculum from previous iterations are its five unique core commitment areas, beginning with a Life Together course, a small, capped-enrollment course taught by a faculty member, with assistance from an administrator. A requirement for all incoming masters students, these courses vary in topic depending on the instructor but all include a mix of classroom teaching, service learning in the community, fellowship around meals, and chapel worship. “The idea is to leverage how we learn in different venues, whether that’s conversations on the sidewalks or meals shared in the cafeteria,” says Jacqueline Lapsley, dean and vice president of Academic Affairs and professor of Old Testament. “These courses provide a space for students to reflect together on those experiences.”

Other core commitment areas include spiritual practices of the faith (integrating those practices across disciplines); Theological Imagination courses (placing a theological lens on current topics and issues facing church and society); Christian leadership; and renewal of creation, self, and communities.

“God is interested in and cares deeply about flourishing communities,” says Lapsley. “Our goal is to form leaders within a flourishing Princeton Seminary community, who will pass along these attributes to their future communities and congregations. It is our belief that this new curriculum achieves this like never before.”