Throughout its rich history, Union Theological Seminary has consistently stretched the traditional bounds of theological education and created new, innovative schools of thought. UTS’ new Master of Arts in Social Justice (MASJ) program, which officially launched in 2022, builds on this legacy. It all began with a core question: What’s next for UTS? UTS recognized that the pandemic had upended education as usual. Prospective students craved flexibility and adaptability. New technology has also opened new doors for teaching in different ways and reaching more people.
Simultaneously, UTS acknowledged that traditional theological education is declining. People interested in faith want to break outside the box. Importantly, they also want to use faith to create meaningful change in the world. UTS took a look at its offerings and realized that most of the ingredients for a MASJ program already existed. The institution just needed some extra pieces. UTS decided to create a part-time, fully online Master’s program to accommodate students in different locations with all sorts of time commitments – like families to raise and jobs to maintain. Importantly, unlike most Master’s programs in the country, the degree was not designed to be a gateway to a particular career path. It aims to enhance the work of people who are already grounded in their profession. “More than anything, the goal of the program was to create the space for people to think through and to deepen the work that they’re already doing and to think about the ethics behind what’s guiding them,” explained the Rev. Dr. Timothy Adkins-Jones, Assistant Professor of Homiletics at UTS. UTS also took another major break from other seminaries: UTS decided to center on social justice rather than religious doctrine. Every single discussion of faith is directly connected to pressing social issues – including race, gender, sexuality, and climate. That’s a revolutionary model. And with that line of thinking, students can apply their Master’s not just in religious settings but in non-profit, diversity and inclusion, and corporate spaces. Thus far, the program has been a resounding success. It immediately attracted an extraordinary range of students of different ages, races, careers, locations, faith backgrounds, and more. Students are already starting to put their education into practice.
The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Rios is one of these students. She’s an Afro-Latina raised in New York and now lives in Florida. Raised in a Pentecostal Latino Church, she has a deep faith background. Before enrolling in the MASJ program, she had already started a network for Black and Brown church planters who aimed to start justice-oriented churches. Dr. Rios felt she needed to be exposed to a greater range of thought to strengthen her faith efforts and decided to enroll in the MASJ program after securing a scholarship.
“It’s been transformational,” said Dr. Rios. She took a course on preaching and protest, which helped her understand how faith leaders can use the pulpit to boost civic engagement. She also took a course about the psychology of Christian nationalism, which opened her eyes to the importance of engaging in thoughtful dialogue with people with different viewpoints. Additionally, she learned from prolific scholars, the Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, the Rev. Dr. Gary Dorrien, and Dr. Cornel West, about faith in the public square, which challenged her thinking in extraordinary ways. Dr. Rios is already applying this education to her work. She recently added a course about preaching and protest to her network. She’s also working with a colleague on a book about planting social justice-oriented churches – and planning to write even more about what she’s learned. Dr. Adkins-Jones put it plainly: The program “creates some beautiful learning, some beautiful discovery, and will hopefully help everyone be better at helping this world become more beautiful and more just.” Union Theological Seminary is a special place to pursue this type of study. “UTS, like no other seminary, has been doing this work of justice since its inception. It’s in our DNA. This is what we breathe. This is how we see the world. This is what we prioritize,” said Dr. Su Yon Pak, Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean and Associate Professor of Integrative and Field-Based Education. Students also have access to top-notch faculty with unparalleled knowledge in their fields of expertise. And by becoming part of the Union family, students join a network of hundreds of people who are doing incredible things around the world. UTS is excited to continue offering this program and further breaking the boundaries of traditional theological education.