In case anyone is interested to know a little bit about the Seminary where Chris will be studying, here's a brief history.
Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) was founded in 1823 to educate men for the ministry of Christ's church. It was born of the struggle which followed the Revolutionary War. During the early days of America's independence, the Episcopal Church was suffering under a double handicap: it was suspect because of its ties with the Church of England and it was virtually immobilized by the inertia which plagued all religious bodies of that time. Despite the bleakness of the situation, a small group of dedicated men committed themselves to the task of recruiting and training a new generation of church leaders. Francis Scott Key was one of this group which, in 1818, formed "An Education Society" and five years later opened the "School of Prophets," to become the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia.
When the school opened in Alexandria with two instructors, 14 students were enrolled. The Seminary was never a wealthy institution and the Civil War struck a harsh blow. After the war, two professors and 11 battle-weary veterans reopened the Seminary on a war-ravaged campus that had been used to house 1,700 wounded Federal troops and to bury 500 of their comrades. By 1923, the year of its Centennial, the Seminary had regained the resources, the certainty of full enrollment, and the invested funds that had characterized the institution in 1860. The years between 1923 and 1946 saw steady progress, but the end of World War II marked the advent of the present era of continuing expansion and improvements. On June 3, 1953, Virginia Seminary merged with The Bishop Payne Divinity School, a distinguished black institution started by Virginia Seminary in 1836. Since 1950, 22 new buildings have been added to the campus, including five dormitories, the refectory and Scott Lounge, 15 faculty homes, a recreation building, and a day-care center for young children.
Obviously, it's been around a few years. If you're really interested, check out their website: www.vts.edu. We should know more definitive information soon, such as where we'll be living, etc. We'll keep you updated!
