Bethany Theological Seminary

What Bethany Theological Seminary does

Bethany Theological Seminary is a graduate theological seminary affiliated with the Church of the Brethren, founded in 1905 and headquartered at 615 National Road West in Richmond, Indiana. It offers five graduate degree programs — the 72-credit Master of Divinity, the 42-credit Master of Arts, the 36-credit Master of Arts: Theopoetics and Writing (MATW, co-developed with Earlham School of Religion), the Master of Arts in Spiritual and Social Transformation (MASST), and the Master of Arts in Biblical Peacemaking (MABP) — alongside a portfolio of graduate certificates and continuing education through the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership. The seminary delivers instruction across residential study at the Richmond campus, the Connections distance education program (synchronous video plus online, operational since 2003, enabled by three technology classrooms built 2014-2022), the Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center on the Elizabethtown College campus in Pennsylvania (since 1993), and a technology center in Jos, Nigeria operated in partnership with Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN) since 2016. It is fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and the Higher Learning Commission, and authorized under NC-SARA to deliver distance education in 49 states, DC, and Puerto Rico.

The institution operates as a private nonprofit governed by an independent Board of Trustees, with the Church of the Brethren General Secretary holding an ex-officio board seat. Its three primary revenue streams are tuition and fees (full-time tuition $12,000 annually at $500 per credit hour), donor fundraising through the Flourish Campaign (a $12 million effort, one of the largest in school history), and auxiliary services including student housing, CEUs, and miscellaneous fees. The seminary has secured a $10 million Lilly Endowment grant for the UP@Bethany undergraduate partnership program with six Brethren-related colleges, and operates Bethany BOLD, a fully funded residential leadership program launched in 2023 that enables students to complete seminary with no new educational debt. Headcount is approximately 35-40 faculty and staff across teaching, student services, academic support, business services, institutional advancement, the Brethren Academy, computing services, the president's office, and the Bethany BOLD program. Leadership is centered on President Dr. Jeff Carter (10th president since 2013) and Academic Dean Steven Schweitzer.

Name

Bethany Theological Seminary

Legal name

Bethany Theological Seminary

Website

https://bethanyseminary.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bethany Theological Seminary is a Church of the Brethren-affiliated graduate theological seminary in Richmond, Indiana, offering MDiv, MA, and certificate programs through residential, distance, and international (Nigeria) delivery to students pursuing ministry vocations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Graduate Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Theological seminary education
• Graduate divinity degrees
• Ministerial leadership training
• Distance theological education
• Peace studies programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from tuition charges for graduate degree and certificate programs. Full-time tuition based on 24 credit hours at $12,000 annually. Additional revenue from per-course fees, application fees, enrollment deposits, and special program fees.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Flourish Campaign raising $12 million for enhanced student experience, faculty innovation, and strengthened annual fundraising. Donations from supporters constitute significant revenue stream.
3. Auxiliary Services: Revenue from student housing in Bethany Neighborhood, continuing education units (CEUs), and miscellaneous fees including late registration, diploma replacement, and transcript fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bethany Theological Seminary is a graduate theological seminary that delivers accredited Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, and specialized master's degrees (MATW, MASST, MABP) along with graduate certificates to individuals preparing for ministry and theological vocations. Programs are taught by seminary faculty through residential study on its Richmond, Indiana campus, synchronous video distance education (Connections), and international partnerships including a technology center in Nigeria, with tuition priced at $500 per credit hour and full-time tuition at $12,000 annually.

Product overview

Bethany Theological Seminary is a graduate theological seminary offering a unified portfolio of academic programs centered around its Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees. The seminary provides five graduate degree programs (MDiv, MA, MATW, MASST, MABP) and multiple graduate certificates, with delivery through on-campus residential study and the Connections distance education program. Key programs include Bethany BOLD (residential leadership initiative), UP@Bethany (undergraduate partnership), Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, and the Nigeria partnership. The institution operates primarily as a brick-and-mortar seminary with technology-enabled distance learning capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bethany BOLD: A fully funded, residential leadership program for students that combines theological education with community engagement in Wayne County, Indiana, focused on real-world issues with courage, clarity, and faith.
• Connections
• UP@Bethany

Products and services

• Master of Divinity (MDiv) A 72-credit professional graduate degree preparing students for church-related ministries requiring ordination, combining classroom learning with supervised field experience through the Ministry Formation sequence. Tuition is $500 per credit hour with a $12,000 annual full-time rate.
• Master of Arts (MA) A 42-credit academic degree preparing students for doctoral programs, faith-based nonprofit work, or personal enrichment, with concentrations in Biblical Studies, Brethren Studies, Historical Studies, Peace Studies, or Theological Studies.
• Master of Arts: Theopoetics and Writing (MATW) A 36-credit interdisciplinary graduate degree enabling students to write and think at the intersection of creativity, faith, and meaning-making through theology, poetry, narrative, and visual arts.
• Master of Arts in Spiritual and Social Transformation (MASST) A graduate degree program focusing on spiritual and social transformation, with the Non-Profit Path adding $2,250 to Bethany tuition and the Spiritual Practices/Spiritual Guide Path adding $2,295.
• Master of Arts in Biblical Peacemaking (MABP) A 36-credit program built on the Postgraduate Diploma in Biblical Peacemaking, designed for the African context and equipping leaders with conceptual frameworks and practical skills for addressing peacemaking challenges through biblical, theological, and ethical reflection.
• Graduate Certificates Specialized graduate certificates including CATS, Biblical Interpretation, Conflict Transformation, Theopoetics & Theological Imagination, Biblical Peacemaking, and Intercontextual Biblical Interpretation, available to students seeking targeted credentials.
• Bethany BOLD (Building, Organizing, Loving, and Daring) Residential Leadership Program A fully funded, residential leadership program that allows students to enroll full-time in a degree or certificate program while serving 4-6 hours weekly at community organizations in Wayne County, Indiana, and living in intentional community with no new educational or consumer debt.
• Connections Distance Education Program A distance learning program allowing graduate students to complete required coursework entirely online or through synchronous video formats without relocating, leveraging three technology classrooms with NC-SARA authorization in 49 states, DC, and Puerto Rico.
• Nigeria Partnership (EYN) - Jos Technology Center and Biblical Peacemaking Programs A partnership-based international educational program with Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria offering the Postgraduate Diploma in Biblical Peacemaking and the Master of Arts in Biblical Peacemaking through a Jos-based technology center, with full tuition scholarships for residential international program participants.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Earlham School of Religion (ESR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-location partnership in Richmond, Indiana since 1994 when Bethany relocated there. Joint collaboration on the Master of Arts: Theopoetics and Writing (MATW) degree, with ESR's Ministry of Writing program contributing to curriculum.
• Brethren Academy for Ministerial LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for nongraduate study and continuing education within the Church of the Brethren. Provides ministry training programs including Spanish-language and English-language ministry training.
• Susquehanna Valley Ministry CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSatellite location (formerly Susquehanna Valley Satellite) on Elizabethtown College campus in Pennsylvania offering off-site courses since October 1993.
• Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN - Church of the Brethren in Nigeria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2016 for theological education including technology center in Jos, Nigeria, Postgraduate Diploma in Biblical Peacemaking, and Master of Arts in Biblical Peacemaking. Biannual commencement ceremonies held in Jos, Nigeria.
• Six Brethren-Related Colleges and UniversitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUP@Bethany partnership with six Brethren-related colleges and universities including McPherson College. Provides undergraduate students access to Bethany graduate courses and dual-degree programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Iliff School of Theology: United Methodist-affiliated progressive theological school offering MDiv, MA, and DMin programs with a social-justice orientation similar to Bethany's Anabaptist peace emphasis. Comparable size, ATS-accredited, similar distance-learning investments.
• Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary: United Methodist seminary on the Northwestern University campus offering MDiv, MA, and PhD programs. Comparable small scale and ATS-accredited graduate theological portfolio with a mainline-Protestant identity overlap.
• Christian Theological Seminary: Disciples of Christ-affiliated graduate seminary in Indianapolis. Comparable small-to-mid scale, ATS-accredited MDiv/MA offerings, and a similar progressive Protestant positioning with similar tuition discount strategy.
• Earlham School of Religion: Quaker-affiliated graduate theological seminary co-located with Bethany in Richmond, Indiana since 1994. Co-develops the MATW (Theopoetics and Writing) degree; same town, similar denominational progressive Protestant identity, similar small scale and ATS-accredited program mix.
• Pacific School of Religion: Multi-denominational progressive graduate seminary in Berkeley offering MDiv and MA programs with a justice-oriented identity similar to Bethany's. Comparable small scale and ecumenical denominational recognition.
• Eastern Mennonite Seminary: Mennonite seminary at Eastern Mennonite University offering MDiv and MA programs with a peace-church and Anabaptist theological identity closely aligned with Bethany's peacemaking emphasis.
• United Theological Seminary: Ecumenical graduate seminary in Dayton, Ohio offering ATS-accredited MDiv and DMin programs. Comparable scale and a similar emphasis on serving non-traditional and distance-learning students across denominations.
• Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary: Mennonite-affiliated graduate seminary sharing Bethany's Anabaptist peace-church heritage. Similar denominational niche, comparable size, ATS-accredited MDiv and MA programs, and overlapping recruitment into Anabaptist-rooted students.

Broad incumbents

• Princeton Theological Seminary: Large, well-endowed ecumenical-reformed graduate seminary offering MDiv and PhD programs. Competes with Bethany for ordinands and theological scholars but at a vastly larger scale and brand prestige.
• Bethel Seminary: Larger evangelical-affiliated seminary with extensive online and multiple-campus infrastructure. Overlaps with Bethany on graduate theological degrees and distance delivery, but at materially greater scale and brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bethanysem
• Facebookfacebook.com/BethanySeminary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bethany-theological-seminary

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bethany Theological Seminary