Distinctives

We present five distinctive elements of the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School experience.   Please read on.  And consider making a visit to our beautiful campus in Rochester, NY.   We would very much enjoy telling you more of the journey we are on – and hearing more about yours.

Our rich history, outstanding theological library and “classic yet contemporary” theological education make Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School one of North America’s most widely recognized centers for theological education.  Our commitment to justice, diversity and a biblical faith is nearly 200 years old.

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1. Preparation for well-rounded ministry

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You’ve recognized that the early 21st century is calling for a new kind of leadership that requires a new kind of leadership education. We’ve recognized this, too. Our graduates are well equipped for the challenge. Our curriculum offers a solid foundation in biblical studies, history, theology and Christian ethics. Students receive preparation in ministry skills from pastoral care to teaching and homiletics. Experience in the field becomes part of every Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degree program. Whether you are coming straight from undergraduate school or are considering entering ministry as a second career, Colgate Rochester Crozer programs are designed both to launch new ministry practitioners and to support them in keeping their understanding fresh in the years ahead.

2. Mind, heart and hands

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Christians are called to a faith of action and passion as well as intellect. At Colgate Rochester Crozer we ground preparation for ministry on vigorous scholarship, prayerful spiritual development and practical experience. Our faculty and our teaching are firmly and unapologetically rooted in Scripture and biblical faith. We remain committed to the renewal of the church through the training of the whole person for ministry. You will find that our interdisciplinary approach attracts a community of faithful individuals – students, staff and faculty – desiring to think precisely, act faithfully and respond from a passionate and personal depth of commitment.

3. Diversity

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We do not live and work in cultural, ethnic or denominational isolation – and we are commissioned by Jesus Christ to reach out to all nations. The Colgate Rochester Crozer community is exceptional in attracting, welcoming and respecting a very broad spectrum of individuals. In interacting with members of a diverse community, our students gain real insight into other expressions of faith, ethnic backgrounds, other denominations and other styles of worship – even as they learn to better understand and articulate their own cultural and denominational grounding.

4. Academics

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Colgate Rochester Crozer maintains the highest academic standards. Our faculty represents a great diversity of training, holding degrees from a veritable who’s who of other top schools, such as Claremont, Emory, Harvard and the University of Chicago. Most of our faculty members help define and set direction in their theological disciplines through their extensive published works. Also, ours is one of the premier theological libraries in North America, with a print collection of some 300,000 volumes. Our curricular emphases in Black Church and Women and Gender Studies further enhance scholarly opportunities.

5. Heritage

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Ours is a rich heritage merging the strengths of four different schools over 185 years. In addition, we share our campus, library and programs with our covenant partner, Bexley Hall Episcopal Seminary. Colgate Rochester Crozer claims as its own such luminaries as Martin Luther King, Jr., Walter Rauchenbusch, Marjorie Matthews, Howard Thurman and J.C. Wynn. And we live and study in historic Rochester, New York, the city of Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony and Harry Emerson Fosdick, as we faithfully prepare a new generation of leaders.