"A Seminary for a Time Such as This" - A Message from PSR President, David Vásquez-Levy

“The new century promises to disclose events and conditions in society of a widely revolutionary character. What ought to be the attitude and function of a theological seminary at such a time? It ought to crave for itself due share in shaping the new order of things.”

—John Knox McLean, President of Pacific School of Religion, 1884

More than a century ago, during a period marked by social upheaval, economic disruption, and rapid technological change, PSR President John Knox McLean posed a question about our role in society that continues to guide our work today. In the spirit of this season of Epiphany, Pacific School of Religion answers that question with courage, imagination, and faith that is UNAFRAID. Together with partners like the Disciples Seminary Foundation, we are shaping theological education that is faithful to tradition, responsive to context, and oriented toward the future of the church.

Over the past year, PSR has continued its commitment to preparing courageous, spiritually rooted, and justice-seeking leaders for the church and the wider society. PSR has focused on making theological education more accessible and more impactful. Our stackable approach allows students to pursue one, two, or three years of study based on vocation, finances, and life circumstances. This approach has been instrumental in creating pathways for students from DSF’s certificate and diploma programs into PSR’s graduate theological education — providing them with advance standing and additional financial support in partnership with DSF. Because of our hybrid educational model, students can also choose to come to campus or remain embedded in the communities they serve.

Collaboration stands at the center of this work. Under the leadership of Dr. Christy Newton, the DSF Collective has launched on Kwaray. Kwaray is PSR’s digital learning platform that brings together transformative content from PSR and a growing number of partners schools and institutions. The DSF Collective extends DSF’s reach while connecting learners to that growing ecosystem.

This past year also marked the launch of PSR’s Congregational Renewal Cohort (CRC), which brings our faculty and curriculum directly into congregational life. The CRC is organized around cohorts of three to five lay leaders from each congregation, who commit to a nine-month program of learning while developing a transformative project for their church. The program strengthens congregational vitality while informing PSR’s ongoing work. We invite your congregations to consider participating in this program.

PSR’s leadership in innovation was affirmed this year through two major grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. A $10 million award supports the Transformative Learning Collaborative, a five-seminary partnership that will leverage Kwaray, PSR’s distributed learning platform. Over five years, the initiative is expected to reach more than 5,000 learners. A second grant for $1 million supports Leading Theological Education into a Hybrid Future, which will provide needed resources for PSR to further develop its hybrid-first educational model and discern the best way our beautiful Berkeley campus can support our mission for generations to come.

Alongside this mission-driven growth, PSR is also experiencing renewed institutional strength. Our endowment has more than doubled in ten years, recently surpassing $65 million, while donor support continues to rise allowing us to maintain consecutive years of balanced budgets. These resources enable us to invest boldly in innovation while stewarding long-term sustainability. Support from congregations and partners like DSF ensures that theological education remains a living force for the church and the world.

Thank you for your partnership.

David Vásquez-Levy, President

Pacific School of Religion