FAQS – Chicago Theological Seminary

Is CTS affiliating with Yale Divinity School?

Yale Divinity School and Chicago Theological Seminary have agreed to pursue a multiyear negotiation process, with the goal of CTS becoming the Chicago Theological Institute at Yale Divinity School (CTI@YDS). This proposed affiliation remains subject to final approval by the governing bodies of both institutions, applicable accrediting agencies, and other required regulatory review.

What is the Chicago Theological Institute at Yale Divinity School?

CTI@YDS is the proposed form CTS’s mission will take, operating within Yale Divinity School as a center for continuing education and online certificate programming. CTS’s enduring commitment to justice and interreligious engagement will continue within one of the world’s most respected divinity schools, with the resources and platform to expand its reach well beyond what CTS could achieve alone. This proposed transition remains subject to final approval by both institutions, applicable accrediting agencies, and other required regulatory review.

Why Yale Divinity School?

Yale Divinity School and CTS are aligned in their commitments to theological education, public leadership, and the formation of communities dedicated to justice. The affiliation gives CTS’s mission a global platform and the resources of a world-renowned university, while YDS gains a partner with expertise in online, accessible theological education and a nationally recognized legacy of justice and interreligious engagement.

What is the timeline for the transition?

The transition will unfold in three phases.

In Phase 1 (2026–27), CTS will continue delivering its academic programs remotely, as it has for more than a decade, culminating in a spring 2027 graduation. In ongoing consultation with its accreditors and other regulatory bodies, CTS will collaborate with YDS to advance the proposed affiliation toward final approval. Throughout this process, CTS remains committed to supporting every currently enrolled student’s pathway to degree completion.

In Phase 2 (2027–28), CTS will graduate remaining students or transfer them to approved teach-out partner schools. Throughout this period, CTS and YDS will continue to work collaboratively toward final approval.

In Phase 3, following final approval from all required governing, accrediting, and regulatory bodies, CTS will become the Chicago Theological Institute at Yale Divinity School (CTI@YDS). YDS will continue with its residential model for degree-seeking students, and CTI@YDS will steward and grow continuing education and online certificate programming as part of YDS’s broader commitment to accessible theological formation.

How does this affect currently enrolled students at CTS?

Currently enrolled students remain CTS’s first commitment. Every CTS student will be supported on a pathway to complete their current degree program, and CTS faculty and staff are ready to answer students’ questions. In the coming days, CTS will share with every student individually more information about what this transition means for them specifically.

Is this affiliation final?

The proposed affiliation has received provisional approval from the CTS Board of Trustees and the faculty of Yale Divinity School. Moving forward, the affiliation process will undergo the remaining final approval steps required of both institutions, applicable accrediting agencies, and other regulatory bodies. CTS is committed to keeping its community informed as each of these steps is completed.

What does this mean for CTS’s identity and mission?

CTS’s mission continues, now finding a larger institutional home. Founded in 1855 on the conviction that theology must serve justice, CTS has prepared bold leaders for public life for more than 170 years. That calling will continue within Yale Divinity School. CTS’s distinctive voice—its commitment to justice and interreligious engagement—is precisely what this affiliation is designed to carry forward and amplify.

What happens to CTS’s relationship with the United Church of Christ (UCC) denomination?

CTS is affiliated with the United Church of Christ (UCC), a Protestant denomination widely recognized for its commitment to justice. CTS partners with the UCC to advance shared goals in the education and formation of diverse religious leaders for the public sphere, while remaining fully autonomous from the UCC in matters of governance, finance, administration, and curriculum.

This relationship will continue and find renewed expression within Yale Divinity School, an institution with deep and diverse denominational and interdisciplinary partnerships, including Berkeley Divinity School, Andover Newton Seminary, and the Institute of Sacred Music. CTI@YDS will honor CTS’s UCC heritage while contributing its own distinctive legacy—an enduring commitment to justice and interreligious engagement—to YDS’s broader and richly diverse theological community.

Founded in 1822, Yale Divinity School is interdenominational and completely nonsectarian, with faculty drawn from a range of Christian traditions and other world religions, and students representing several dozen denominations and religious groups as well as students with no religious affiliation. CTI@YDS will carry CTS’s 170-year history and commitments, adding to a chorus already resonant with many voices.

What does this mean for CTS’s faculty and staff?

This transition will involve a substantial reduction in CTS’s faculty and staff at the conclusion of the 2026–27 academic year. In the 2027–28 academic year, a small team will carry CTS forward through Phase 2 of the YDS affiliation process.

Pending final approval from all required governing, accrediting, and regulatory bodies, Chicago Theological Seminary will become the Chicago Theological Institute at Yale Divinity School (CTI@YDS, Phase 3). At that time, it is estimated that four CTS employees (two faculty and two staff) will continue within the new institute, joining YDS faculty and staff to advance the work.

This is a small number relative to CTS’s current faculty and staff, and CTS does not take that reality lightly. The number reflects disciplined financial modeling, grounded in CTS’s fiscal resources, designed to ensure CTI@YDS is financially sustainable for the long term.

This is the most difficult reality of this transition, and CTS has approached it with care from the very beginning. Preliminary conversations with faculty and staff about the need for major institutional transformation began in September 2022, with regular, transparent updates provided as CTS’s long-term sustainability initiatives took shape.

Additionally, CTS has taken deliberate steps to support its employees, including establishing an Enhanced Employee Assistance Program that has provided confidential career coaching, résumé and job-search support, and certified financial planning services at no cost to every CTS full-time, part-time, and contract employee. CTS is also providing severance support and three months of continued health coverage for departing employees.

CTS remains committed to journeying through this season with the same “care-full” spirit that has guided its 170-year history, honoring the excellence and loyalty of its faculty and staff even as the institution changes shape.

Did CTS consider local and/or UCC-affiliated institutions?

Yes. CTS explored a range of possibilities, including conversations with six Chicago-area institutions as well as UCC-affiliated institutions. After careful discernment, Yale Divinity School emerged as the strongest opportunity for carrying CTS’s mission and legacy forward in a sustainable way.

Did the CTS Board vote on the proposed affiliation?

Yes. The CTS Board of Trustees voted to move forward with the proposed affiliation with Yale Divinity School. The proposed affiliation remains subject to final agreements and the necessary institutional, accrediting, and regulatory approvals.

What drove CTS to seek an affiliation?

For several years, CTS has been discerning how best to sustain its mission amid significant changes in theological education, including declining enrollment, rising costs, and the growing financial burden of graduate theological education and student debt. We came to believe that maintaining a traditional, freestanding degree-granting institution was no longer the most sustainable way to advance our mission. The proposed affiliation with Yale Divinity School offers an opportunity to carry CTS’s justice-centered legacy forward while expanding access to theological education in new and sustainable ways.

How was the decision to pursue an affiliation with Yale Divinity School made?

The proposed affiliation grew out of several years of strategic planning and discernment by CTS leadership and the Board of Trustees about the long-term future of the Seminary. CTS explored multiple pathways and engaged a number of potential institutional partners. Throughout that process, the Board considered factors including mission alignment, long-term sustainability, potential for impact, and the ability to carry CTS’s legacy forward. Conversations with Yale Divinity School began in 2025, and the relationship developed as both institutions recognized significant alignment in their commitments and aspirations.

Note: This section addresses what currently enrolled students can expect regarding degree completion, PhD support, and continued academic quality.

Will the building transition affect my courses or degree program?

No. CTS remains deeply committed to helping every currently enrolled student complete their degree. CTS will continue offering courses and academic support to help students make progress toward that goal.

Will CTS continue offering degree programs, including the MDiv?

CTS will offer its current degree programs through the 2026–27 academic year as it supports currently enrolled students toward completion. After that academic year, CTS will no longer offer degree programs, with the exception of continued dissertation support for current PhD students through the 2027–28 academic year. Students who have not completed their degrees will be supported through approved teach-out arrangements. Pending final approval, when CTI@YDS begins, it will focus on continuing education and online certificate programming rather than degree programs.

What happens to students who will not complete their degrees by spring 2027?

During Phase 2 of the affiliation process with Yale Divinity School (2027–28), CTS will graduate remaining students or transfer them to approved teach-out partner schools. Every currently enrolled student will have a clear, supported path to degree completion. CTS will communicate directly with students about individual arrangements well in advance.

What about current PhD students?

PhD students will continue to receive CTS support and advisement through the 2027–28 academic year as they endeavor to complete their dissertations. CTS will coordinate a stipend for CTS faculty who advise PhD students, so those faculty can continue offering guidance during that same period. CTS will hold a spring 2028 commencement for PhD students who complete all degree requirements by that time.

PhD students who have not completed their degree requirements by spring 2028 will receive an individualized plan outlining their options, which may include teach-out and transfer arrangements to other schools. CTS will work directly with each PhD student to determine the path that best fits their specific circumstances.

Will I be able to complete my degree at Yale Divinity School?

No. Yale Divinity School’s degree programs are separate from CTS’s, and CTS students will not transfer into YDS degree programs as part of this affiliation. As noted above, students who do not complete their CTS degree by the applicable deadline will be supported through CTS’s approved teach-out partner schools, which are separate institutions from Yale Divinity School. CTS will work individually with each student to identify the teach-out path that best fits their program and timeline.

Will faculty still be available to students?

Yes. Students will continue to have full access to faculty, advisors, and student support resources throughout the 2026–27 academic year.

Will the quality of my education change because CTS is no longer located in a building?

No. CTS’s educational experience has been delivered primarily online for many years, with most students engaging with courses, faculty, and support services remotely. CTS remains committed to maintaining academic quality, student support, and faculty engagement throughout this transition.

Why did CTS leave the building at 1407 E. 60th Street?

CTS and the University of Chicago concluded the long-term lease arrangement under which CTS had occupied the building at 1407 E. 60th Street since 2012. The building is owned by the University of Chicago, and both institutions determined that concluding the lease arrangement allows each institution to deploy its resources in ways that best support its mission and future priorities. This decision was reached through collaborative and respectful conversations between the leadership of both institutions.

What changed with the building?

In early September 2026, the University of Chicago resumed full stewardship of the building at 1407 E. 60th Street. CTS transitioned from the space, while continuing to support currently enrolled students and carry out its educational mission.

How does CTS operate now?

CTS transitioned to a fully remote operating model for faculty and staff, with occasional in-person gatherings for events such as Board meetings. Because CTS has delivered instruction and student support primarily online for many years, most day-to-day academic and administrative operations are not expected to change significantly for currently enrolled students. Email addresses and phone numbers for faculty and staff will remain unchanged.

What happens to CTS events, lectures, and community programs?

CTS remains committed to theological education, community engagement, and public programming. CTS has offered many of its events and lectures in online formats for several years, and this practice continues. Information regarding regularly scheduled programs and other future events can be found on our website.

Will commencement still be held in person?

CTS remains committed to theological education, community engagement, and public programming. CTS has offered many of its events and lectures in online formats for several years, and this practice continues. Information regarding regularly scheduled programs and other future events can be found on our website.

What is happening to the artwork, archives, and historic collections?

CTS is proactively and carefully preserving its archives under the direction of the professional staff of the Lapp Learning Commons, including storing, evaluating, and digitizing materials as appropriate to ensure long-term accessibility. This includes appropriate storage of some institutional artifacts. Other artifacts have been donated to long-standing community partners with assurance these materials will be honored. CTS has earnestly endeavored to collaborate with original artists and community partners in this process.

Consistent with CTS’s long-standing commitment to sharing its historic legacy broadly, CTS is also identifying opportunities to make select historic items more widely accessible through partnerships with other institutions. CTS remains committed to the thoughtful stewardship of all of its historic and cultural assets.

Alumni

Did the transition from the building affect gifts I have made to CTS?

No. The conclusion of CTS’s lease does not affect gifts made to CTS. CTS remains committed to honoring the intent of every gift to the institution, and gifts designated for specific programs, scholarships, or purposes will continue to be stewarded in accordance with those designations. Persons with specific questions about gifts they have made to CTS may contact Chad Schwickerath, Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, at chad.schwickerath@ctschicago.edu.

How can alumni and donors stay connected and informed about CTS events, including CTS’s annual lecture series?

Alumni and donors can stay connected by emailing advancement@ctschicago.edu to join CTS’s institutional mailing lists and by visiting our website for information about upcoming events. CTS remains committed to its public programming and lecture series, engaging its alumni community through these offerings.

How can alumni and donors continue to support CTS through this transition and beyond?

CTS is grateful for the generosity of our alumni and donors. As we navigate this period of institutional transition, your continued financial support allows us to focus on our mission and our students as we build toward the future. To make a gift or learn more about ways to support CTS, please visit our website or contact Chad Schwickerath, Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, at chad.schwickerath@ctschicago.edu.

How can alumni stay connected and informed about CTS events, including CTS’s annual lecture series?

CTS remains committed to its public programming and lecture series and will continue to engage its alumni community through these offerings. Information about upcoming events can found on our website. Alumni can be added to institutional mailing lists by contacting advancement@ctschciago.edu.

Will I still have access to the Lapp Learning Commons and its electronic resources?

Yes. Currently enrolled students will continue to have full access to library databases, ebooks, electronic journals, course readings, and research support services. CTS has delivered these core research resources primarily online for many years, and access to them is not affected by the building transition.

What happened to the physical book collection after CTS vacated the building?

In consultation with CTS’s library consortia partners and best practices in library science, CTS maintained an appropriately sized collection of its most frequently used and circulated volumes, now housed in a storage facility in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. The remaining volumes in CTS’s physical collection were donated to Better World Books, a socially conscious bookseller that combines environmental sustainability with global literacy efforts.

Lapp Learning Commons staff will retrieve physical books for currently enrolled students, as well as CTS faculty and staff, and ship them directly, as has previously been the case for remote and online learners. In addition, CTS continues to participate in a large network of libraries that share materials, so students will continue to have access to physical resources throughout that network via interlibrary loan.

Will I still be able to get research help and meet with a librarian?

Yes. The library staff remain available for research consultations, reference support, and writing assistance. Students may reach Roger Morales, Director of the Lapp Learning Commons, at roger.morales@ctschicago.edu or by scheduling an appointment at commons.ctschicago.edu. Students may contact Marvis Hardy, Language and Writing Center Coordinator, at marvis.hardy@ctschicago.edu or reach live chat support directly.

What happens to CTS’s Special Collections and Archives, including the Anton T. Boisen Collection, the G. Campbell Morgan Collection, and the CTS Institutional Archives?

The preservation and continued accessibility of CTS’s Special Collections and Archives—including the Anton T. Boisen Collection, the G. Campbell Morgan Collection, and the CTS Institutional Archives—are a priority. As part of CTS’s ongoing effort to preserve and share its historic legacy, CTS is actively working to store, identify appropriate homes for, and arrange digital access to these materials, which represent more than 170 years of theological scholarship and institutional history. Updates will be shared as this work continues. The CTS Digital Commons remains accessible at ctschicago.ir.atla.com throughout this transition.

What happens to my thesis or dissertation held by CTS?

Theses and dissertations are indexed, and many are accessible through the CTS Digital Commons. CTS remains committed to ensuring these works stay accessible and properly preserved. Additional information will be shared as this work continues.

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