Yale Divinity School (YDS) and Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) have agreed to pursue a multiyear transition 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.

This proposed affiliation emerged organically from conversations between the two institutions, grounded in shared commitments to theological education, public leadership, and the formation of communities dedicated to justice. Over the past year, the two schools have engaged in warm, deliberate discernment, moving through initial approval channels at both Yale and CTS. With provisional approval from the faculty of YDS and the CTS Board of Trustees, the two institutions now begin formal negotiations toward a phased transition for CTS’s affiliation with YDS.

“Chicago Theological Seminary has a distinguished legacy in theological education, particularly as a leader in accessible online learning. At YDS, we plan to maintain our residential model for degree-seeking students while also expanding online certificate offerings—especially for those who may be unable to come to New Haven to pursue a degree. I am grateful for CTS’s thoughtful partnership throughout these initial conversations and look forward to expanding what theological education can offer to a new generation of leaders.”

— Gregory E. Sterling, Dean, Yale Divinity School

“The proposed affiliation is a hopeful and historic step. It will allow CTS’s enduring commitment to justice to flourish within the extraordinary ecosystem of Yale Divinity School. What began as an exploratory conversation in 2025 has grown, through careful discernment, into a pathway that honors CTS’s legacy while opening new possibilities for theological education in a changing world.”

— Brad R. Braxton, President, Chicago Theological Seminary

A Multiphase Pathway

Under the proposed terms, CTS will enter a multiphase process beginning in 2026:

Phase 1: 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.

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

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), stewarding and growing continuing education and online certificate programming as part of YDS’s broader commitment to accessible theological formation.

Mission Continuity and Expanded Reach

Founded in 1855 on the conviction that theology must serve justice, CTS has prepared bold leaders for public life for more than 170 years. Offering fully online degree programs for more than a decade has already positioned CTS to pursue that mission in an accessible way. In its next chapter, CTS will carry that mission forward within one of the world’s most respected divinity schools, with the resources and platform to expand its impact well beyond what CTS could achieve alone, while YDS’s degree programs remain grounded in residential formation.

About Yale Divinity School

Founded in 1822, Yale Divinity School (YDS) is an interdenominational and completely nonsectarian graduate professional school of Yale University. Traditionally and primarily Christian in character, YDS welcomes persons of all faiths and those of no faith, with students representing several dozen denominations and faith groups and faculty drawn from major Christian traditions as well as other world religions. Its mission is to foster the knowledge and love of God through rigorous scholarly inquiry, preparation for lives of transformative service, broad inclusivity and diversity, encounter with the sacred through music and the arts, and the advancement of the sustainability of the earth.

About Chicago Theological Seminary

Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS), affiliated with the United Church of Christ, was founded in 1855 by abolitionists and has carried its commitment to justice into every generation since. CTS has built a national reputation for forming leaders for justice and interreligious engagement. For more than a decade, CTS has been at the forefront of accessible online theological education, extending its mission to students and communities far beyond Chicago. CTS educates lay and ordained leaders, scholars, and activists who carry this work into ministry, scholarship, and other forms of public service.

Media Contacts

Yale Divinity School: Josh Bird, Director of Strategic Communications, josh.bird@yale.edu Chicago Theological Seminary: Chad Schwickerath, Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, chad.schwickerath@ctschicago.edu