View source for Berkeley School of Theology

{{short description|Theological school in California, US}}
{{Infobox university
| name                   = Berkeley School of Theology
| image                  = BBDS-pordo-1.jpg
| established            = {{Start date|1871}}
| type                   = [[Graduate School|Graduate]] [[Theological]] [[Seminary]]
| religious_affiliation  = [[American Baptist Churches USA]]
| president              = James Brenneman
| dean                   = LeAnn Snow Flesher
| academic_staff         = 12
| administrative_staff   =
| students               = 120
| address                = 2606 Dwight Way
| city                   = [[Berkeley, California|Berkeley]]
| state                  = [[California]]
| country                = United States
| campus                 = Urban
| other_name             = Hobart Hall
| former_names           = Berkeley Baptist Divinity School (1912–1968),<br/> American Baptist Seminary of the West (1968–2020)
| website                = {{URL|https://www.bst.edu/}}
| coordinates            = {{Coord|37.86502|-122.25575|region:US-CA_type:edu|display=inline,title}}
| academic_affiliations  = [[Graduate Theological Union]]<br />[[American Baptist Churches USA]]
}}
The '''Berkeley School of Theology''' ('''BST''') is a [[Baptist]] [[theological institute]] in [[Berkeley, California]], U.S.. It is affiliated with the [[American Baptist Churches USA]]. It is part of the [[Graduate Theological Union]], a consortium of theological schools and centers in the Berkeley area.
== History ==
The earliest roots of Berkeley School of Theology lie in the chartering of California College, [[Vacaville, California|Vacaville]], in 1871. In 1887,<ref>{{cite book |title=Where to educate, 1898-1899. A guide to the best private schools, higher institutions of learning, etc., in the United States |last=Thomas |first=Grace Powers |year=1898 |publisher=Brown and Company |location=Boston |page=12 |accessdate=August 17, 2012 |url=https://archive.org/stream/wheretoeducate1800thomrich#page/12/mode/1up}}</ref> the college moved to [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], and in 1912 to Berkeley, at which time it changed its name to Berkeley Baptist Divinity School (BBDS), keeping this name until 1968. In 1915, BBDS merged with the Pacific Coast Baptist Theological Seminary, which had begun in Oakland in 1890 and had moved to Berkeley in 1904.
In 1919, the school building Hobart Hall at 2606 Dwight Way, Berkeley was designed by architect [[Julia Morgan]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=American Baptist Seminary of the West Hobart Hall Historical Marker |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=50801 |access-date=2023-12-17 |website=Historical Marker Database (HMDB) |language=en}}</ref> Hobart Hall is a [[Berkeley Landmark]] since September 8, 1998, and has a historical plaque.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=January 2023 |title=List of Designated City Landmarks, Structures of Merit & Historic Districts |url=https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/COB%20Landmarks%20Updated%20Jan%202023_0.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630044415/https://berkeleyca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/COB%20Landmarks%20Updated%20Jan%202023_0.pdf |archive-date=June 30, 2023 |website=City of Berkeley}}</ref>
In 1968, BBDS merged with California Baptist Theological Seminary (founded in 1944 in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]], and located in [[Covina, California|Covina]] since 1951). To reflect the fact that the school was no longer wholly in Berkeley, it was renamed the American Baptist Seminary of the West, but six years later the Covina faculty moved to the Berkeley campus, effecting considerable cost savings and at the same time availing themselves of the resources of the Graduate Theological Union. In July 2020, ABSW changed its name again to Berkeley School of Theology. <ref>{{Cite web|last=emorrow|date=2020-07-24|title=American Baptist Seminary of the West Changes Name to Berkeley School of Theology|url=https://www.gtu.edu/news/american-baptist-seminary-west-changes-name-berkeley-school-theology|access-date=2020-08-17|website=Graduate Theological Union|language=en}}</ref>
==Academics==
BST offers a wide range of programs from specialized certificates, accredited Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Community Leadership (MCL), a fully-online Master of Theological Studies (MTS) and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degrees. Jointly with the Graduate Theological Union, BST offers an accredited Master of Arts (MA). BST also participates with the Graduate Theological Union in offering the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.absw.edu/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328114051/http://www.absw.edu/ |date=2019-03-28 }}
{{Graduate Theological Union}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Seminaries and theological colleges in California]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1968]]
[[Category:Baptist Christianity in California]]
[[Category:Graduate Theological Union]]
[[Category:Seminaries and theological colleges affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA]]
[[Category:Berkeley landmarks in Berkeley, California]]