Who are we?
A school that follows the research for learners to both engage academically and practically…
The American Theological Schools accreditation board has introduced a model of education of skills-based assessment for independent study and a cohort or group model for those who are seeking similar education. This enables Hildegard Theological, which is seeking ATS accreditation, to encourage students to create their own educational program based on their interests with both the school and a personal mentor in the field offering input in their choices.
The world around us is changing rapidly and classical educational models cannot always provide for special interests or needs. For example, two students may enter who wish to focus on advocacy for trans health within severely underserved populations, like within First Nations or migrant communities. Similarly, perhaps someone wishes to focus on ethical and religious concerns regarding AI. New fields emerge almost daily and Hildegard Theological is committed to forging paths with students to be rigorously creative in the pursuit of their ministry goals.
A school that serves as a ministry…
Since our inception in 2018, Hildegard Theological School has had a special commitment to the education of clergy in the Independent Sacramental Movement. We offer courses that challenge your mind, not your finances; that increase your faith, not your debt; that encourage vocations, not breakdowns; that conform to your schedule, not ours. We invite you to discover how orienting the educational platform toward virtual work environments provides the benefits of classical education to the overlooked, overworked, and under-served working adult Christian.
A school without barriers of time and space….
The instructors at St. Hildegard’s Theological Seminary understand the difficulties of seeking traditional theological education while juggling work, ministry, family, and personal obligations. That’s why this Independent Catholic Graduate School is different. We have embraced modern work trends and have created a cutting-edge model of education that delivers the best of brick-and-mortar university training to the busy adult student. We have combined the benefits of live delivery of material & professor interaction with the modern need for flexibility of schedule and at-home convenience. The proof of success is results: St. Hildegard’s measures success by performance, not attendance.
A school that fights against financial barriers…
St. Hildegard has overcome two of the major obstacles to achieving a quality theological education: no time and too far. The third barrier to quality theological education is cost. A mid-range seminary costs an average of $400 to 600 per credit hour. That’s $1200-1800 per course (some larger seminaries charge $2000 or more per course). That means a 30-credit Masters degree costs a minimum of $12,000. That cost excludes fees and course materials. A Master of Divinity degree (90 to 114 credits) can cost anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000. For priests in the Independent Sacramental Movement who will likely not earn a regular salary for their ministry, money places seminary out of reach.
At St. Hildegard, though we pay for experienced, qualified professors, we are committed to keeping costs extremely low by avoiding the high cost of a typical bloated university administration. Right now, tuition is a meager $125 per credit hour or $375 per 3-credit course*. Our goal is to never exceed the reach of our target-community. Our seminary is a ministry unto itself.
A school that offers both formal education and informal enrichment…
At St. Hildegard, a fascinating theological class should not be reserved to an initiated few. Therefore, every single one of our courses is open to anyone. A lay person may take as many of our courses for personal enrichment, either with or without a grade, as they choose. Very few of our courses have pre-requisites and only for those seeking a degree. We welcome those who simply want to grow as a self-reflecting, knowledgeable Christian.
*guests lecturers may set their own fees for special classes or events.
A School with a bright future…
Hildegard Theological is seeking accreditation with ATS, the accrediting body for American Theological Schools. Working with experts in academic accreditation, everything we do serves that purpose within the framework of our commitment to equipping the called. Those who complete a degree program before the school is fully accredited is automatically “grandfathered” into the accreditation of the school. In other words, if you attend now and complete a Master of Divinity, once we are accredited, your Masters is automatically accredited retroactively.
Become a part of our efforts by attending courses taught by accredited instructors, joining our special seminars for clergy enrichment, and following our progress as we help the church move into an unprecedented era of change.
Our Mission
St. Hildegard Theological Seminary is an academic institution rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, which prepares students spiritually, pastorally, and intellectually for ministry, both ordained and lay. Founded on Biblical truth and the traditions of the Church, we believe the call to ministry is inclusive of all members of the Body of Christ.
Our mission is to build up the Body of Christ through the preparation of all ministers in Our Lord's Royal Priesthood. We challenge all disciples to deepen their experience of their faith and to ground their evangelization of others. We prepare those seeking Holy Orders that they may become live-long "practicing" Christians in their communities. We importune those with the spiritual gift of teaching to engage others in the act of learning, which only enriches the Body of Christ. In the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, "Love takes up where knowledge leaves off." Knowledge must become service if it is to truly of God. .
Pray
Our Values
Hildegard Theological’s vision is rooted in three values which we believe are the foundational pillars of all Christian Ministry: Pray, Study, Serve.
Learning becomes an act of worship when the soul seeks to know the God who loves her. Education must be sought, not as a means of glorifying the ego, but as a process of deepening our awe for our Great God. In order to live our faith, we must know our faith and it is in the knowledge of our faith that we learn how to live it. Students must know the person of Christ, as all Christian education is rooted in the revelation of God in Jesus. We must learn the record of that revelation: the Scriptures. As St. Jerome writes, "Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ." Finally, we must learn the history of the development of our beautiful faith through the experience of the many millions of Christians who walked this earth before us.
Study
Serve
St. Paul tells us to "pray without ceasing." It is only in prayer that we development a vital spiritual skill: discernment. We pray to learn the Will of God as separate from our own wills. When we submit all of our actions to the presence of God inside of and around us, our very lives become one continuous prayer of AMEN, which means, "Let it be done (as God has willed it)". If theology is "faith seeking understanding", then prayer is "faith submitting to its Source."
Jesus says to his disciples, "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many" and "I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you." Service is love in action—love in its verb form. Love involves sacrifice—whether it is the sacrifice of time for another, funds for another, or even our very lives for another. The smallest, most seemingly insignificant sacrifice (like a smile or kind word) is a prayer, an act of teaching and preaching, the Widow's Mite given in great love.