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Reformed Episcopal Seminary
The Reformed Episcopal Seminary is a private seminary in Oreland, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1887 as the first seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church.
The Reformed Episcopal Seminary was founded in 1887 in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the "Theological Seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church", its chartered and legal name. The seminary was established based on the pledge of a trust created by Harriet Benson in March 1886. The corner stone for the first building to house the seminary was laid on September 19, 1886. The seminary began meeting for classes in 1886 under the tutelage of Bishop William Nicholson in his residence. It opened the doors to its first class of students on September 30, 1887, in its new building in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church, after the trust was received on March 16, 1887.
The Reformed Episcopal Seminary upholds the doctrinal statement adopted by the Reformed Episcopal Church. The doctrinal statement includes the Thirty-Nine Articles, the historic creeds, the historic Book of Common Prayer, and the Declaration of Principles. The term "Reformed" has various meanings within the larger Christian community. For example, Presbyterians have expressed the reformed faith in the Westminster Confession of Faith, while Reformed Baptists have commonly expressed the reformed faith in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. The Reformed Episcopal Church was founded on the Thirty-Nine Articles as they express a summary of the necessary doctrines that brought about reformation in the Church of England. The founders of the Reformed Episcopal Church originally spell the name of the church as Re-formed, referring to the idea that it was the Re-organized Episcopal Church taken back to its historic faith. While later statements of faith have expanded and added to the doctrines expressed in the Articles, the Thirty-Nine Articles represent the necessary doctrine that defines the Protestant position against the Roman Catholic position of that period, and in unity with the reformations taking place elsewhere in Europe.
"Once in the early days our Church was referred to as the 'Primitive Episcopal Church,' and the name seems to fit its mission. The word 'Primitive' shows that it is a restoration, going back not only to the days of our country's early history, but back to the Reformation, when the fires of martyrdom and the horrors of torture could not drive away from the truth those who held it in their keeping; back still farther to the days of the apostles; aye back farther yet, to the teaching of Him who, beside the blue waters of Galilee, called followers into His service, that He might make them "fishers of men."
Until 1982, the chief institutional officer of the seminary was the dean. Since then the primary institutional officers have been the president and the dean.
The first campus, which was built in 1887, was located at 43rd and Chestnut (West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). The building served as both the denominational cathedral and the seminary. In the 1980s, the seminary acquired the property next to the building, conducting most of its operations there while continuing to use the dormitory and worship space in the original building. The denominational cathedral, Christ Memorial REC, continued to use the original building for its congregation and a grade school. In an effort to adapt to changes in its student body throughout the 1990s (including an increase in second vocation night students), the seminary moved its classes and library to a church in Roxborough, Pennsylvania, which dramatically reduced the costs of maintaining and protecting the property. The church continued to use the original building and maintained partial ownership of the building.
In 2001 the seminary built its own campus in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. In 2004 the steeple of Christ Memorial Church was struck by lightning and severely damaged the building. After a two-year court battle with the insurance company, the church and seminary won some settlement money, but not enough to rebuild the structures. The building was sold to a developer and it was later demolished.
In 2025, RES completed a move to St. Paul's Reformed Episcopal Church in Oreland, Pennsylvania. The move was intended to situate the seminary in a more central Philadelphia-area location with larger and more up-to-date facility. The seminary began the process of selling the Blue Bell campus.
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Reformed Episcopal Seminary
The Reformed Episcopal Seminary is a private seminary in Oreland, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1887 as the first seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church.
The Reformed Episcopal Seminary was founded in 1887 in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the "Theological Seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church", its chartered and legal name. The seminary was established based on the pledge of a trust created by Harriet Benson in March 1886. The corner stone for the first building to house the seminary was laid on September 19, 1886. The seminary began meeting for classes in 1886 under the tutelage of Bishop William Nicholson in his residence. It opened the doors to its first class of students on September 30, 1887, in its new building in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church, after the trust was received on March 16, 1887.
The Reformed Episcopal Seminary upholds the doctrinal statement adopted by the Reformed Episcopal Church. The doctrinal statement includes the Thirty-Nine Articles, the historic creeds, the historic Book of Common Prayer, and the Declaration of Principles. The term "Reformed" has various meanings within the larger Christian community. For example, Presbyterians have expressed the reformed faith in the Westminster Confession of Faith, while Reformed Baptists have commonly expressed the reformed faith in the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith. The Reformed Episcopal Church was founded on the Thirty-Nine Articles as they express a summary of the necessary doctrines that brought about reformation in the Church of England. The founders of the Reformed Episcopal Church originally spell the name of the church as Re-formed, referring to the idea that it was the Re-organized Episcopal Church taken back to its historic faith. While later statements of faith have expanded and added to the doctrines expressed in the Articles, the Thirty-Nine Articles represent the necessary doctrine that defines the Protestant position against the Roman Catholic position of that period, and in unity with the reformations taking place elsewhere in Europe.
"Once in the early days our Church was referred to as the 'Primitive Episcopal Church,' and the name seems to fit its mission. The word 'Primitive' shows that it is a restoration, going back not only to the days of our country's early history, but back to the Reformation, when the fires of martyrdom and the horrors of torture could not drive away from the truth those who held it in their keeping; back still farther to the days of the apostles; aye back farther yet, to the teaching of Him who, beside the blue waters of Galilee, called followers into His service, that He might make them "fishers of men."
Until 1982, the chief institutional officer of the seminary was the dean. Since then the primary institutional officers have been the president and the dean.
The first campus, which was built in 1887, was located at 43rd and Chestnut (West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). The building served as both the denominational cathedral and the seminary. In the 1980s, the seminary acquired the property next to the building, conducting most of its operations there while continuing to use the dormitory and worship space in the original building. The denominational cathedral, Christ Memorial REC, continued to use the original building for its congregation and a grade school. In an effort to adapt to changes in its student body throughout the 1990s (including an increase in second vocation night students), the seminary moved its classes and library to a church in Roxborough, Pennsylvania, which dramatically reduced the costs of maintaining and protecting the property. The church continued to use the original building and maintained partial ownership of the building.
In 2001 the seminary built its own campus in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. In 2004 the steeple of Christ Memorial Church was struck by lightning and severely damaged the building. After a two-year court battle with the insurance company, the church and seminary won some settlement money, but not enough to rebuild the structures. The building was sold to a developer and it was later demolished.
In 2025, RES completed a move to St. Paul's Reformed Episcopal Church in Oreland, Pennsylvania. The move was intended to situate the seminary in a more central Philadelphia-area location with larger and more up-to-date facility. The seminary began the process of selling the Blue Bell campus.