CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRESIDENTIAL PROFILE THE PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH The Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee invite nominations and expressions of interest for the position of president of Christian Theological Seminary (CTS) in Indianapolis, Indiana. With a long history of agility of adapting to its changing environment, the CTS presidency offers the exciting opportunity to lead a theological school well-positioned to thrive in the years ahead. CTS is an ecumenical seminary related to the Disciples of Christ denomination. The next president will assume office on or around July 1, 2019.
ABOUT CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY The history of Christian Theological Seminary began with the founding of North Western Christian University in 1855, established by the Disciples of Christ to provide non-sectarian liberal arts education for clergy and teachers and committed to the abolition of slavery. The institution s name changed to Butler University in 1879. In 1924, the Butler School of Religion was founded as a school open to students of all religious faiths on equal terms, which meant different Protestant denominations, people of color, and women. It offered both undergraduate and graduate education and was, by design, virtually independent of Butler University with its own charter, board of trustees, faculty and endowment. The Butler School of Religion experienced significant growth through the revival of the 1950s with enrollment soaring to more than 500 students. In 1959, the school re-incorporated to become the free-standing Christian Theological Seminary committed to the progressive and social vision of the emerging progressive Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and offering only graduate education. Since that time, CTS faculty and administrators have been identified as leaders in the world-wide ecumenical movement. CTS moved to its present campus next to Butler University in 1966. Several nearby residences were acquired for the Counseling Center and for student housing and an apartment-style student housing was constructed. CTS Today Today, CTS is the oldest and largest accredited seminary in Indiana, allowing it to play an important role in convening and contributing to conversations regarding religion and public life. Continuing its historic emphasis on ecumenism, the students, faculty, and staff at Christian Theological Seminary now represent more than thirty denominations and religious bodies. Recent outreach includes progressive evangelical congregations as well as traditional protestant groups. Living into its historic commitments to racial and gender inclusivity, the Seminary inaugurated an institution-wide Anti-Racism/ Pro Reconciliation program that continued 2
through 2013. By official action of the board, administration and faculty in 2012, CTS is an open and affirming institution with a public record of fully supporting the LGBTQ community. In summary, CTS is widely recognized among free-standing seminaries for its efforts to build an inclusive community of faith and learning. CTS also has recently become a leader in the Green Seminary Initiative, a group of theological schools committed to environmental justice and sustainability. CTS strives to incorporate this as a foundational element of its academic programs and is integral to its institutional ethos. The leadership at CTS has been well aware of the dramatically changing theological school environment and has taken significant steps to position itself for a strong future. With a campus designed to support up to 1,000 students, in 2014 CTS entered into partnership discussions with Butler University that culminated in an agreement for Butler to purchase most of the CTS campus with a 100 year leaseback agreement for sufficient space for CTS operations. Butler is making major renovations to the main building for both CTS space and for housing its College of Education in the facility. CTS retains its newly improved space and its identity as a free-standing seminary able to invest even more resources into missionrelated priorities. With a healthy $120 million endowment, the Seminary is positioning itself uniquely well for the next phase of its history. The 2020 proposal, approved by the Board in 2014, affirmed three broad goals for which CTS will be nationally known: 1. study in preaching and worship, counseling and pastoral care, and Christian spirituality and service; 2. programs related to helping individuals and communities (churches, businesses, organizations) discern purpose of calling in light of Christian faith and life; and 3. its distinctive model of communitybased learning. CTS is poised for its next president to build on the 2020 vision and to further shape the Seminary s promising future. CTS is located on the north side of Indianapolis on a beautiful campus between Butler University and the expansive grounds of the Indianapolis Art Museum. Indianapolis is a growing city with a population of around 2 million in its metropolitan area. It has a thriving downtown, lively arts and music scene, as well as a range of sports teams. CTS has a long history of involvement in its broader community, including outreach through its counseling services and programs such its Faith and Action Project, which is designed to reduce the impact of poverty in the Indianapolis community. 3
Mission and Vision The mission of Christian Theological Seminary is to form disciples of Jesus Christ for church and community leadership to serve God s transforming of the world. Originally founded in 1855 as an abolitionist school for future generations of Christian leadership, CTS remains dedicated today to theological education for all those called to heal, lead and love the world. To that end, we equip pastors, counselors, chaplains and other community leaders putting faith into action for the sake of the Christian Gospel in the twenty-first century. We believe CTS is called to become a flagship North American seminary with a diverse and growing learning community, including degree-seeking students, certificate-seeking students and lifelong learners. In addition to sustainably stewarding our financial, human, and environmental resources, CTS s distinctive strengths will be in preaching and worship, counseling and pastoral care, and transformational leadership. The CTS Board recently affirmed, as part of this vision, that CTS represent God s transformative presence in the world by providing leadership for dialogue and action on the spiritual and moral issues that face both the church and the broader community. Degree Programs Christian Theological Seminary offers five distinct master degree programs, three dual master degree programs (combinations of the master degree programs) and two doctoral programs. The traditional Master of Divinity (M.Div.) underwent significant redevelopment in 2016 to make it more flexible, affordable and accessible to distant students. Under the auspices of CTS s Center for Pastoral Excellence, a full-time cohort version of the M.Div. is also offered, admitting 12 fullyfunded students per year. Similarly, the recently revised Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.) offers students from any vocation a foundation in biblical, historical, theological and culture studies balanced with intensive study in a selected area. The new Master of Arts in Christian Ministry is for those wanting graduate theological education for ministry from traditions that do not require the M.Div. for ordination. It can be completed in two years and draws on coursework from the M.Div. CTS has long been known for the excellence of its counseling programs. The unique approach of its two counseling programs, among the largest of their kind in accredited theological schools, blends clinical and theological insights that prepare therapists who truly do ministry. The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling leads to careers as mental health counselors, pastoral psychotherapists or spiritual care specialists and boasts a 94% placement rate. The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy prepares students to work with individuals, couples, and families from a relational systemic perspective. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE), the program has a 99% placement rate. Both programs also are part of the CTS Counseling Center, an approved training program by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC). Dual degree programs combine the M.Div. degree with either of the two counseling programs or the M.T.S. degree. The two doctoral programs include a re-designed Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) degree for those already engaged in professional ministry and the recently launched the world s first Ph.D. program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric. The latter brings the tradition of African American preaching into dialogue with European American and other approaches with a focus on developing
practitioner-scholars. The program positions CTS as a center for the study of the subject, has garnered generous gift support, and attracts students to other CTS degree programs where they are eligible to take some of the Ph.D. courses. Certification and Other Programs In addition to its graduate degree offerings, Christian Theological Seminary offers a range of certification and lifelong learning options. Certification programs may be taken in a wide variety of areas and require six courses (including two from foundational courses in ministry degree programs) and four electives in the area of concentration. Additionally, lifelong learning opportunities, lay certificate and audit programs encourage individuals to explore and expand their faith experience without earning a full academic degree. CTS Centers Christian Theological Seminary is the home to two major centers. The Counseling Center, cited above, not only offers academic programs and coursework, but is a major resource to the greater Indianapolis community. In 2016-17, the Center offered mental health services to more than 1,000 clients and provides CTS students the opportunity to gain experience required for licensure. Services are offered at a reasonable cost and on a sliding scale for the uninsured. The second center is the Center for Pastoral Excellence. This Center is home to the M.Div. cohort program mentioned above and also the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Programs, which includes both a national and an Indiana program to support experienced pastors. The CTS Community CTS students speak of being attracted to the Seminary s mission, focus on students, strong faculty/student relationships and quality of educational experience. Students represent a wide range of denominations and expressions of the Christian faith with the top being Disciples of Christ, Non-denominational, United Methodist and Presbyterian. CTS commitment to diversity also is seen in the diversity of its student body; around 32% are students of color and 62% are women. Overall enrollment has seen a slow decline in recent years, mirroring the trends of many of its peers. While a number of new and/or revised programs show promise to stem this decline, broadening the base from which CTS draws its student body remains a high priority for the future. Faculty and staff are deeply committed to the CTS mission. The 13 regular faculty, most of whom also carry some administrative responsibility, are well-respected teachers and scholars. Each has significant ministerial experience in congregations and/or other expressions of the church. All hold earned doctorates with 12 having a Ph.D. or Th.D. CTS enriches its course offerings by drawing on the expertise of strong cadres of special faculty (visiting professors, affiliate faculty, clinical associates, lecturers and supervisors) who last year taught 40% of the course offerings. As one individual noted in response to a faculty survey, the CTS faculty are inspiring teachers, intelligent scholars, compassionate counselors and good colleagues who are devoted beyond what anyone would ever expect. Students echo these sentiments as well. CTS also benefits from its 29 Board of Trustee members who are knowledgeable about the institution and appropriately engaged in its oversight and success. They spent considerable time preparing for the presidential search and are eager to work with the next president in affecting a smooth transition and ensuring the next president s success. In summary, CTS has gone through significant changes in the last ten years. Although some of these changes have resulted in uncertainty and even pain, they have positioned CTS to move forward together into the future with the resources needed to be successful. The most important of these resources are the talented staff with a commitment to the CTS mission; a faculty who offer the highest quality teaching and learning in service of the church and community ministries; wise and discerning trustees and administrative leadership; and students who bring amazing gifts to ministries of all kinds. 5
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES: AN AGENDA FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT The past 8-10 years represent a period of significant change at Christian Theological Seminary. In 2014, a difficult decision was made to reduce the size of the staff and faculty. Then in 2016, the installed president of six years left and the current interim president assumed leadership. Additional changes that year included the adoption of a new strategic plan and development of new programs due to gifts and grants. Since that time, degree programs have been revised and two new degree programs have been added and an institutional self-study was conducted in preparation for the spring 2018 ATS and Higher Learning Commission accreditation visits. Lastly, CTS finalized the sale of the majority of its facilities to Butler University this past winter with shared occupancy to begin fall 2018. Although these changes have resulted in mixed reactions among faculty, staff, students and alumni, a strong commitment to CTS s mission is evident among all constituencies, as well as a sincere desire to participate in the shaping of CTS s future. Among the strategic priorities identified for the next president by CTS s major constituencies are the following: Build a community that looks to its future with energy and enthusiasm The next president will need to understand the hopes, gifts and visions of the CTS community members, as well as the history and culture of CTS, and create a sense of excitement, community, and positive momentum in order to address the challenges and opportunities that CTS faces. CTS is blessed with talented people eager for involvement in the Seminary s future and committed to its success. Improve institutional identity and visibility The Board and other constituencies cite CTS s lack of visibility among its peer Disciples of Christ seminaries and colleges and denominational churches, as well as in the overall theological school community, as an area for improvement. Increasing visibility and identity is additionally challenged by the news of Butler University s purchase of CTS s facilities. Clarity of CTS s distinctive qualities and careful shaping of its message and image will be critical to expand awareness and interest from prospective students, donors, churches and others. Clarify the vision, goals and priorities and the strategies to attain them in light of where CTS is today Given the amount of change noted above, CTS seeks a clearly articulated map for the next few years that defines where it will place its energies and why. While this map must not preclude openness to opportunity or shy away from risk taking, it should offer the opportunity for broad involvement and celebration of a few carefully chosen priorities that build on present strengths and lead to institutional success. A commitment to shared governance, careful assessment of what CTS is currently doing, and the identification of priorities the lead to institutional growth and sustainability are critical elements of this agenda item. Increase enrollment and retention CTS has experienced an overall declining enrollment over the past five years. The introduction of new and revised programs holds some promise of stabilizing enrollment, but growth will require careful assessment of results and extensive coordination among academic planning, student recruitment, and institutional outreach/marketing, making enrollment growth an institutional focus. Ensure the Seminary s fiscal sustainability In order to secure CTS future strength and viability, the next president needs to carefully manage the institution s current resources, identify new revenue sources, invest in institutional priorities and be an enthusiastic fundraiser for those priorities. Effectively manage the organization and processes Significant staff turnover and administrative reorganizations mean that the next president will need to carefully assess the effectiveness of organizational structures and processes. He or she must manage with accountability. This must include valuing the contributions of staff members and empowering and enabling them to perform their jobs well as well as hiring people, as needed, with the skills to further CTS s mission and goals 6
QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS SOUGHT IN THE NEXT PRESIDENT To effectively lead Christian Theological Seminary into the future, it will be important that the next President possess the following qualities and characteristics. REQUIRED: An individual deeply committed to and a persuasive advocate for CTS s mission. A person of deep Christian faith whose personal faith shapes one s life and leadership. A collaborative leader who nurtures community and builds energy and momentum for achieving the institution s vision and goals. A strong relationship-builder. The next president must be at ease with being the face of the institution and willing to build relationships with the multiplicity of constituencies this entails. Excellent communication skills with evidence of effective listening, writing and speaking skills. A person of integrity who builds confidence and trust in his/her leadership. Academic credentials and/or experiences that demonstrate an understanding of and appreciation for teaching, learning and scholarly endeavors. An advanced degree is required. PREFERRED: A thoughtful risk taker and entrepreneurial thinker, balancing bold ideas with selective risk taking when opportunities present themselves. A strong manager and effective decisionmaker. This includes a record of effective oversight of human and financial resources, of involving others in decision making as appropriate, and with attention to the consequences of decisions. A record of progressively increasing responsibility and successful leadership including experience in congregational or other church-related settings. Student-focused accompanied with the energy and enjoyment for actively engaging in the life of the CTS community. The willingness and enthusiasm to be the visible leader of CTS fundraising program. A leader with an understanding of the importance of accreditation and of the skills and resources necessary to implement comprehensive outcomes assessment for all CTS programs. 7
THE PROCESS OF CANDIDACY Nominations and expressions of interest may be submitted electronically to: Mr. Donald Knebel Presidential Search Committee Christian Theological Seminary CTSPresident@agbsearch.com Candidates are asked to submit electronically (MS Word or PDF format): 1. A letter of interest that directly addresses the presidential agenda and qualities/ characteristics outlined in the profile above. 2. A resume or curriculum vita. 3. The names, positions, email addresses and telephone numbers of five references. References will not be contacted without securing the permission of the candidate. For full consideration, applications should be received by November 12, 2018. 1000 West 42nd Street Indianapolis, IN 46208 317-924-1331 www.cts.edu Dr. Saundra J. Tracy of AGB Search, Inc. in Washington D.C. is assisting with the search. Interested candidates or nominators may contact her at: Saundra Tracy, Ph.D. AGB Search saundra.tracy@agbsearch.com 812-272-3149 Additional information about Christian Theological Seminary may be found at www.cts.edu. Christian Theological Seminary is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. 8