Philosophy of Education

Our philosophy of education undergirds the seminary’s mission of “glorifying the Triune God by training his servants to walk in God’s grace, minister God’s Word, and equip God’s people—all for God’s mission.” Our faculty of pastor-scholars is fully committed to this purpose, which is reflected not only in the scope and sequence of an integrated and seamless curriculum, but also in the lives and interactions of our faculty and students both in and out of the classroom (see Covenant Overview).

“Walking in God’s Grace”

We are committed to a grace-based, gospel shaping of students in the curricular and co-curricular aspects of seminary life. We view the classroom curriculum as formational, informational, and transformational, and we teach with the goal of Christ being formed in every student. Our desire is that the future ministries of Covenant Seminary students will be marked by a deeply held belief in the transforming power of the gospel of grace and a passion to equip and encourage Jesus’ people so that they might grow to be more and more like him.

“Ministering God’s Word”

As we respond to God’s call on our lives, we believe the inspired and inerrant Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are foundational to all that we do in the classroom. Studying the Bible in its original languages is crucial to ministering God’s Word effectively. Rightly interpreting the Bible means understanding it as a redemptive-historical and covenantal revelation from God that follows a creation-fall-redemption-consummation framework. . Covenant Seminary provides a strong foundation in biblical, historical, systematic, and practical theology that requires appropriate academic rigor in a community of grace-based relationships to prepare graduates to minister God’s Word effectively in a variety of settings.

“Equipping God’s People”

Our classroom education is designed to equip pastors and those who serve beside them with the knowledge and skills to help them equip God’s people as they follow Jesus and advance his Kingdom in their personal ministries and vocational callings. To enable graduates to do this well, we are committed to ensuring that students have practical hands-on experience through field education. Additionally, our focus on learning and building community is modeled and experienced through face-to-face time with faculty members in and out of the classroom, team-taught courses, collaboration with peers, small-group projects, case-study exercises, biweekly corporate worship at chapel, involvement in Covenant Groups to process what God is doing in students’ lives, and ministry lunches that provide exposure to ministry practitioners in a wide variety of fields. All of this provides a strong foundation of biblical and theological content coupled with real-life experience of the gospel at work in the world.

“All for God’s Mission”

What we are called to be and do as a seminary is in response to God’s worldwide mission of gathering a people for himself from every tribe and language and nation. We have a part to play in the drama of God’s redemptive story that includes and uniquely involves the people who come to Covenant Seminary. We desire to help students discover their gifts and callings while training and equipping them for what God has divinely designed them to be and do. This makes seminary life and the classroom experience dynamic and exciting as we offer all that we say and do for God’s use in his glorious mission of redeeming and renewing all things.

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