More than five decades ago, Methodist Church leaders began giving shape to a dream that would become Methodist Theological School in Ohio, a rigorous academic institution in an inspiring natural setting, where men and women with a commitment to ministry prepare for lives of religious leadership.
Following the 1956 General Conference of the Methodist Church, which authorized the establishment of a seminary in Ohio, a provisional organization was formed to raise funds for the school. The Rev. John W. Dickhaut was appointed director of the organization. Within a year, $4 million had been raised, and a campus site had been selected and purchased. Some of the 70-acre site was donated by Ohio Wesleyan University.
In
1958, Methodist Theological School in Ohio was incorporated and
the Rev. John Versteeg was commissioned by the provisional
organization to begin the task of assembling a library.
Construction of the first buildings began. In 1959, Dickhaut was elected the school’s first president. Also in1959, Van Bogard Dunn was appointed academic dean. The first class of students enrolled in 1960 and graduated in 1963. Two degrees were offered: the Master of Divinity and the Master of Arts in Christian Education. The first graduating class was all male, and included one African-American. The second graduating class included the first female graduate. MTSO has since sent more than 3,000 graduates into service to the church and the world.
Today, Methodist Theological School in Ohio serves 247 students in five degree programs: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Counseling Ministries, Master of Arts in Christian Education, Master of Theological Studies and Doctor of Ministry. The program central to the school’s identity, the Master of Divinity program, enrolls the largest number of students. The average age of MTSO students is 40. More than one-third of students are from out of state, with 24 states and two nations represented. Eighteen percent of students report that they are members of racial minorities. United Methodists make up 61 percent of the student body, but 22 denominations are represented.
Currently,
there are 18 full-time faculty members at Methodist Theological
School in Ohio, led by Interim Academic Dean Randy Litchfield.
All are well-credentialed and effective as classroom teachers.
Individually and collectively, they continue the school’s
tradition of a strong commitment to academic excellence. The
school has already demonstrated its ability to develop
significant institutional and theological responses to its
regional environment, and it clearly has the opportunity to be
one of the leading voices of mainstream theological education.
Since 1973, the three Columbus-area seminaries—Methodist Theological School in Ohio, the Pontifical College Josephinum and Trinity Lutheran Seminary—have worked in close cooperation with one another. Now incorporated as the Theological Consortium of Greater Columbus, the consortium facilitates ecumenism in a variety of ways. Students cross-register for courses in the other consortium schools. In what may be a unique arrangement, the consortium has jointly hired a faculty member in the area of World Religions and Interreligious Dialogue. The faculty member teaches a course at all three campuses and also provides leadership for public events.
The
libraries of the consortium schools share an electronic catalog,
and the collections of all three libraries are accessible to all
students on a next-day basis. The combined collection is among
the nation’s largest theological libraries. MTSO’s Dickhaut
Library offers 130,000 volumes and subscribes to roughly 250
periodicals. Its membership in the consortium as well as the
Ohio Private Academic Libraries and OhioLink networks gives
students convenient access to more than 360,000 volumes. Over the years, Methodist Theological the School in Ohio has established a solid record of financial stability. Supported in part by an endowment of over $25 million, the school maintains an operating budget of over $6 million and has no debt. Endowment earnings generate approximately $1 million in revenue annually; another $1 million comes from the United Methodist Church through its Ministerial Education Fund. Students benefit from a generous financial-aid program. One in five current MTSO students has earned a full-tuition scholarship.
The Rev. John W. Dickhaut guided MTSO for its first 22 years. During that time, the school established a legacy of deep concern for social justice issues through direct and sustained involvement in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The Rev. Buford A. Dickinson served as president for four years (1981-1985). The Rev. Dr. Norman E. “Ned” Dewire served as president for 20 years (1986-2006), and led three successful capital campaigns. Under his administration, new buildings were constructed, the grounds were upgraded and all existing buildings were fully renovated. State-of-the-art technology was introduced in classrooms. The endowment and the number of full-tuition scholarships grew dramatically.
The school’s fourth president, the Rev. Jay A. Rundell, assumed office on July 1, 2006. His tenure has been marked by the implementation of a strategic plan aimed at seizing new opportunities for growth, quality and institutional advancement.
