Together we make The Episcopal Church stronger
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D., Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary, reflects on how the Seminary continues to bear faithful witness in turbulent times, sustained by the generosity of those past and present.
In a season of political turbulence, institutions that safeguard the virtues are vitally important. As norms and conventions that ensured an appropriate boundary around power dissipate, institutions that address power and point out the dangers in this moment are much needed.
Over the past 200 years, Virginia Theological Seminary has seen many moments of turbulence. From the most extreme – a civil war – to all too often market crashes, the Seminary has navigated extremely difficult seasons. Every time challenges have arisen, friends and alumni have made sure that the Seminary can be both a promise of hope and a beacon of light.
The joy of training seminarians for ministry is that each person is a promise of hope. The work of ministry is difficult, demanding, and yet deeply rewarding. The local congregation remains the lifeblood of our tradition – the DNA of Christianity and Anglicanism is carried through the people who continue to gather week in and week out. We know that each graduate of the Seminary will sit by the bedside of those who are dying, hold the hands of those who are grieving, and pray with the person who is worried about their marriage or their children or their employment. Countless people are impacted. Moreover, our graduates bring the sacraments – the very grace of God – through the liturgy to numerous people week in, and week out. The ripples of hope are considerable.
We do this work of formation and training well. Congregational vitality is our niche. We ensure that there is a proper grounding in the tradition. Biblical and theological literacy is important. At the same time, our practical theology departments make sure that our students know about the latest literature in congregational studies, pastoral theology, family systems, and community organizing. Specialists in preaching and liturgy ensure that we cultivate persons who can lead congregations in worship.
This core work is supplemented by our role as a “beacon of light”. Thanks to the generosity of those who supported us in the past, we can engage with this moment in a distinctive way. Our scholarship packages cover tuition, accommodation, and a meal plan. We are not part of the federal student loan system. We do not have any federal grants or funding. The only power the federal government has is our non-profit status and our accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools.
Our situation means that we can be judicious and, at the same time, provide a witness in our times. The question is always: judged by the values of eternity, where exactly do we need to take a stand? So, Christians can disagree about the imposition of tariffs. There is no “eternal” position on tax legislation. In fact, on many legislative issues, Christians can take different positions. Some will believe that a dynamic market economy is the best way to raise the prosperity of all (including the poor), while others will believe that a regulated market economy with a strong welfare net is the only way to safeguard the poor. On these questions, the Seminary does not take a position.
However, eternal values do intersect this moment in certain places. To suggest that any person of color with a senior role in an organization is a DEI hire is racist. To deport a person by mistake and send this husband and father to a prison in El Salvador and then refuse to bring that person back is wrong. To put a family in a place of crisis as they navigate a child who identifies as trans is wrong. As the Rt. Rev. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde put it at the end of her famous sermon at the inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral: “May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being; to speak the truth to one another in love, and walk humbly with each other in this nation and the world.”
As a seminary, we can speak out at this time because of the generosity of those who supported us in the past. We will continue to affirm the importance of our Reparations Program. We will continue to highlight the Seminary Covenant. We will continue our work in multicultural ministries. Our strength enables us to witness to the values of eternity – to be a beacon of light. Gifts in the past have created options that would not exist in the present but for this generosity.
Our core work is hope; our witness is our light. Our four centers are both. The Center for Anglican Communion Studies keeps The Episcopal Church connected to the global family of Anglicans. Over the past year, we have hosted the Anglican Communion Science Commission. Organized by Paula de Mello Alves (representing the Americas) and Bishop Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford in the Church of England, the conference brought scientists and church leaders together to discuss everything from farming to climate change. More recently, we have hosted the Women Mentoring Women Conference, where more than 40 women gathered together. Leaders came from around the world and represented many important organizations in the Anglican world: the Mother’s Union, the Anglican Communion Office, theological colleges, the Anglican Alliance, the International Women’s Network, NGOs, hospitals, the Anglican Communion Youth Network, and more.
Then we have Lifelong Learning, which has been awarded six major Lilly Endowment Inc. grants that touch everything from supporting lay leadership in congregations, enabling families to cultivate spiritual practices, ensuring that children enjoy church, and helping leaders of congregations to preach compelling sermons. Through this work, Lifelong Learning acts as a research and development arm of The Episcopal Church, as well as offering ongoing education programs.
Meanwhile, TryTank Research Institute is seeking to create pioneering initiatives. It is the leading vehicle in the United States for ecumenical reflection on artificial intelligence. It has done extraordinary work on supporting young adult families, and it has introduced innovative ways for faith communities to adapt to a changing world. In all these ways, we are seeking to make sure that The Episcopal Church endures in the future.
Finally, we have our Saint Nicholas Center for Faith and Justice. The goal here is to create future leaders of the church who know how to organize and advocate for those on the margins of society. Building on both internal initiatives, such as Multicultural Ministries and the student organized Justice and Reconciliation Society, and working with external partners such as VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement), the Saint Nicholas Center for Faith and Justice aspires to be a hub of thoughtful, engaged, social transformation.
We consider every gift made to VTS to be an act of trust in the Seminary. We will strive to spend that gift wisely and carefully. Fortunately, thanks to the numerous gifts in the past, we do not worry about survival. We are strong; we are here for the duration. Therefore, our focus is on making a difference – we want to be a vehicle that makes a constructive difference to the future of The Episcopal Church and to Christianity in North America and around the world. Part of that difference is being the institution that is not afraid to speak truth to power and support those of our alumni, like Bishop Budde, who do so.
Our strength as an institution – our ability to bear faithful witness, offer tuition-free education, and sustain centers that make a real difference – has been made possible by the generosity of those who came before us. Our future strength now depends on us. As new challenges arise, we must be ready to respond with creativity and courage, building new initiatives and programs that serve the Church and the world. The past rose to the occasion with remarkable vision and generosity. Now it is the turn of the present to step forward and do the same.
The General Theological Seminary has completed a lease agreement with Vanderbilt University for the Close in Chelsea, after receiving approval from the New York State Attorney General.
In 2026 VTS is offering three pilgrimages: Grace & Gardens in England’s “green and pleasant land,” May and September; and Biblical Turkey: Holy Land of the Early Church in October.
VTS has launched a new resource examining how foundational Christian commitments take on political significance, to help faith leaders navigate the current political climate.
VTS has been awarded a $1.25 million grant by Lilly Endowment Inc. to launch an initiative to research and develop child-centered practices in worship.
