Hear from Students and Faculty

Students

NHTS is always present for me because of the foundation it provided me to be here at Church Divinity School of the Pacific. NHTS is and will always be an integral piece of my discernment and preparation for ordained ministry. More than one student here would like to have had the opportunity to attend an “NHTS” near their home that would have equipped them for the long haul.
A student who has completed his degree, now serving in the Eugene area
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The quality of instruction at Northwest House of Theological Studies was wonderful. At times the reading and lecture and discussion and writing were overwhelming. But at the end of the term, you knew how much you had learned and could look back with tremendous satisfaction.
A student from first class now in church work
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My fellow students were an important part of my experience at the House. From our annual retreats to the Friday evening “in-gathering dinner” (where we talked not just about class, but about our lives and joys and sorrows and concerns) and then on Saturday mornings when we worshipped together, also learning the traditions of various denominations in sacred space. We built powerful, important bonds beyond worrying about texts and tests. I learned much from these colleagues.
Student finishing NHTS in 2005
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I was a Marine and in some ways, NHTS reminded me of an extended boot camp. We suffered together. How else do you describe the process when you are learning so much so quickly, when you are stretching your soul and testing your faith, when you are balancing the classes with your work and your family. Moving on to finish at my destination seminary, where I focused just on my classes, was far easier!
Student from one of the early classes, now an ordained minister
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I am a candidate for ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. I am 50 years old, I have a wife with a disability, a son going through college, and work hard for my company in Portland. Without the existence of the Northwest House of Theological Studies, which enables me to conduct most of my studies here in the Pacific Northwest, I would find this call more than arduous -- it would be next to impossible and almost too expensive to bear. Thanks to the extraordinary support of the Northwest House of Theological Studies, I, as well as other second-career candidates for ministry, have the chance to realize what I hope and pray is God's intention for me. The nature of the House and its ecumenical approach has attracted many of the finest scholars in our country.
A current student
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I cannot begin to tell you what a blessing it is to have a school of the caliber of the House nearby. I am a second-career person, and the House allowed me to stay here in Vancouver and to work towards a degree in ministry while working full-time. When I started at the House, I had not taken a graduate level class for many years, so it was very helpful to get back into the academic arena taking only one class at a time. The classes are academically rigorous and the instructors at the house are top-notch. Most of the instructors are pastors as well as teachers, so I had the double blessing of being taught by people who were called to both teaching and pulpit ministries. Through their teaching, these gifted instructors provided insights and practical information on what it is like to do parish ministry which is my goal.

The student base is wonderful. It changes with each semester, and there is always a unique blend of denominations represented. It is truly a joy to study and dialog with people who are part of other faith traditions. In addition to learning about them and their faith journeys, you always learn more about yourself and your own walk with God. The House is a place where God stands in solidarity with people of all faiths and where the Spirit is actively working among the staff, the instructors and the students.

When I completed my studies at the House, I went on to continue my studies. I am very appreciative of not just the academic knowledge I received at the House, but the spiritual discipline as well, The House continues to excel at developing not just spiritual leaders, but apostolic leaders that can deal with the challenges of the church today, and set a guiding and strengthening vision for the church in the 21st century.
A student now finishing her degree
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Faculty

The Northwest House of Theological Studies is a top quality enterprise. I have taught at four of the leading theological schools in the United States (two as a faculty member and two as a visiting professor) and am now teaching at NHTS. The NHTS class is as good as any I have taught anywhere. It is composed of students with fine minds, disciplined energies, and deep commitments. My conversations with NHTS leaders leaves me similarly impressed. Their thinking is both entrepreneurial and realistic, and keenly attuned to the need for the kind of theological education they are providing in the American Northwest. NHTS is exceptional educationally, and is fully deserving of exceptional support from those of us who care about fine theological education.
Dean Emeritus, Pacific School of Religion
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I don’t know whether it was the maturity from their life circumstance or the motivation tested by doing so much, but the students I taught at Northwest House were among the brightest and most centered that I have encountered. It was a joy to teach there.
Professor, Luther Seminary
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Students at NHTS are very special. They are immersed in that concentrated weekend of study. They ask some of the best questions that I have ever heard and they will not be satisfied until they have gotten my very best answers—which sometimes come only after we've had some heated discussion!
Adjunct faculty, NHTS
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The students who entered my classes after several years at Northwest House of Theological Studies presented a solid academic preparation. I could never see a difference between any of them and the students who had started here . . . with the exception that they were always a bit more focused in their studies. They had been through a tough situation of several years balancing course study, family life, and occupation while getting prepared to be in my classroom. That showed.
Professor, Methodist Theological School in Ohio
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