Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and welcome to Erskine Theological Seminary, a graduate school of Erskine College! For nearly 185 years, our Seminary has been training Christians to serve as pastors in Christ’s Church and as leaders in God’s Kingdom. In the Lord’s kind providence, he has sustained us to be the oldest continuing evangelical seminary in North America, holding steadfastly to the centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the inerrancy of the Bible as the Word of God. We pursue this conviction in ways that are not only biblical and Reformed, but also ecclesial, missional, and pastorally-sensitive.

In fact, while our faculty are scholars in their disciplines, they are also pastorally-hearted and eager to pray for you and invest in you. Many professors have extensive previous (or current) pastoral ministry experience which deepens the quality of the courses they teach. Moreover, our staff loves to serve, help, and pray for you as a seminary student. Indeed, the word “pastoral” is key around Erskine. This is a family: a gracious family waiting for our next brother or sister to join us.

With Erskine Online, you can remain in your current ministry context and earn a complete degree, including the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Practical Ministry or in Theological Studies, Master of Theology, or Doctor of Ministry. You can also study in-person in Columbia or Greenville, or at our historic campus in Due West, SC.

We have students in Europe, Asia, and parts of the world that require confidentiality for fear of persecution. You will join a student body of Christian servants from over thirty denominations that are bonded by our love of the Lord and our desire to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. You will learn in a Presbyterian and Reformed seminary that teaches with a gracious and ecclesial spirit. Indoctrination is not our goal. Rather, our goal is to see you transformed—better conformed to the image of Jesus Christ across your whole person as a leader for Christ’s Church.

Whether you are just starting out at Erskine or close to graduating, my prayer for you is that you know, feel, and deeply believe that God “who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. Seth J. Nelson, Ph.D.
Dean of the Seminary
Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Educational Leadership