UCC Theological Schools Receive Lilly Grant

The Vancouver School of Theology, in collaboration with the Centre for Christian Studies and other United Church of Canada theological schools, has received a grant of $9,923,200 USD from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish Reimagining Theological Education Across The United Church Of Canada Affiliated Schools: Confronting The Narrative Of Decline. 

This project is rooted in the collaboration of the eight institutions of theological education directly affiliated with The United Church of Canada – Vancouver School of Theology, Centre for Christian Studies, Sandy-Saulteaux Centre, Montreal Diocesan Theological College, Emmanuel College, Atlantic School of Theology, St. Stephen’s College, St. Andrew’s College. It will extend over the next five years to foster a new responsive, collaborative framework involving the UCC and all affiliated schools. In addition, it will lead to the formation of a permanent endowment, supported by the Lilly Endowment, matched by additional fundraising by the collaborative partners, and with support through The United Church of Canada Foundation.

There is no single factor more critical to the future of the church than excellent pastoral leadership. CCS looks forward to working with the other theological schools and the United Church on deeper collaboration that imagines theological education differently. CCS’s Marcie Gibson contributed to the application process for this grant while serving as Interim Principal. “The Centre for Christian Studies is grateful for the Lilly Endowment Pathways for Tomorrow initiative and Lilly’s commitment to supporting new avenues for excellence in ministerial leadership,” she says. “It is clear from our experience and research that our system of theological education needs to pivot for the benefit of the whole church through its preparation of pastoral leadership.”

The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, which is designed to help theological schools across the United States and Canada as they prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face as they prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future. Lilly Endowment launched the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative in 2021. Since then, it has provided grants totaling more than $700 million to support 163 theological schools in efforts to strengthen their own educational and financial capacities and to assist 61 schools in developing large-scale collaborative endeavors. 

Read VST’s press release for more details and background…