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Sex and the Seminary

Meet 2012's Twenty Most Sexually Healthy and Responsible Seminaries

 

The Religious Institute, a multi-faith organization dedicated to sexual health, education and justice, has doubled the number of United States seminaries, divinity and rabbinical schools that are preparing the next generation of clergy with the training they need to address sexuality issues in ministry. Twenty seminaries now meet a majority of the criteria for a sexually healthy and responsible seminary, compared to just ten in 2009.
 
 
“When I was in seminary, there was virtually nothing mentioned about sexuality in my courses,” said the Rev. Debra W. Haffner, Executive Director of the Religious Institute. “Through the Religious Institute’s hard work in partnership with these institutions, we are proud to say that the landscape at U.S. seminaries, divinity and rabbinical schools is shifting towards increased sexuality education. These twenty seminaries are the vanguard in ensuring that tomorrow’s clergy are prepared to minister to their congregants, and to be effective advocates for sexual health and justice.”
 
Progress made since the 2009 report was released includes:
 
·         Brite Divinity School now offers a full-semester course on sexuality and pastoral care issues; has revised their community inclusion statement to be inclusive of sex, gender identity, and orientation; and requires all field education supervisors, students, and lay committees to address sexuality-related training needs. Additionally, Brite has developed a model for seminary-wide conversations on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) ordination within Christian denominations.

·         Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York now includes gender identity and gender expression in its non-discrimination policy, and will display a groundbreaking collection of Jewish art that addresses gender and sexuality issues at its museum in Fall 2012.

·         The Jewish Theological Seminary developed two full-semester courses on sexuality issues, and now requires at least one full-semester sexuality-related course as well as clergy sexual misconduct training for all rabbinical students prior to graduation. Going forward, almost all Conservative rabbis in the U.S. will have at least one full course on sexuality issues, including education on sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as a professional sexual misconduct training—all as a direct result of this project.
 
·         Union Theological Seminary dedicated its alumni days to “Sex and the Church,” instituted a required sexual misconduct class, and greatly increased its curricular offerings on sexuality issues.

·         Yale Divinity School now requires students take at least one of sexuality-related course prior to graduation. With the direct support of the Religious Institute, YDS revised their Master’s of Divinity required ministerial misconduct workshop to include broader sexuality topics, including LGBT issues and sexual health.
 
A full list of these institutions, designated as Sexually Healthy and Responsible Seminaries, follows. This list updates a 2009 study, which found sexuality courses largely absent from most seminary curricula and degree requirements. Read the original report here.
 
“There is an urgent need for ordained clergy who understand the connections between religion and sexuality, particularly given so many denominations concerned about sexual abuse or embroiled in controversies over sexual orientation issues,” added Rev. Haffner. “This work makes significant strides towards combating future clergy sexual abuse, while helping all future clergy become sexually healthy and responsible.“
 
Additional information on this project is available at http://www.religiousinstitute.org/Seminary.
 
The Religious Institute, based in Westport, CT, is a nonprofit, multifaith organization dedicated to advocating for sexual health, education and justice in faith communities and society. More than 5,400 clergy, seminary presidents and deans, religious scholars and other religious leaders representing more than 70 faith traditions are part of the Religious Institute’s national network.
The following institutions meet the criteria set forth by the Religious Institute to designate them a Sexually Healthy and Responsible Seminary. They are on the vanguard of addressing sexuality issues in the formation of religious professionals. To see if your institution could met the criteria, click here. 
 

 

Andover Newton Theological School
Newton Centre, MA      
www.ants.edu
 
Bangor Theological Seminary
Bangor, ME
www.bts.edu       
 
Brite Divinity School
Fort Worth, TX
www.brite.edu
 
Candler School of Theology,
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
www.candler.emory.edu
 
Chicago Theological Seminary
Chicago, IL  
www.ctschicago.edu
 
Claremont School of Theology
Claremont, CA
www.cst.edu
 
Drew Theological School,
Drew University
Madison, NJ
www.drew.edu/theological
 
Episcopal Divinity School
Cambridge, MA
www.eds.edu
 
Harvard Divinity School
Cambridge, MA
www.hds.harvard.edu
 
Hebrew Union College-
Jewish Institute of Religion
New York, NY
www.huc.edu
 
The Jewish Theological Seminary
New York, NY
www.jtsa.edu
 
Meadville Lombard Theological School
Chicago, IL
www.meadville.edu
 
Pacific School of Religion
Berkeley, CA
www.psr.edu
 
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Wyncote, PA
www.rrc.edu
 
Starr King School for the Ministry
Berkeley, CA
www.sksm.edu
 
Union Theological Seminary
New York, NY
www.utsnyc.edu
 
University of Chicago Divinity School
Chicago, IL
divinity.uchicago.edu
 
Vanderbilt University Divinity School
Nashville, TN
divinity.vanderbilt.edu
 
Wake Forest University Divinity School
Winston-Salem, NC
divinity.wfu.edu
 
Yale University Divinity School
New Haven, CT
divinity.yale.edu