A new vision statement [PDF] for Virginia Theological Seminary reaffirms the necessity of the residential experience in the formation of priests and leaders of the Episcopal Church at a time when many institutions are being forced, through economic necessities, to abandon this model. To meet this challenge in part, the seminary will break ground on 38 new apartments on campus capable to house single residents and families.
The VTS board of trustees approved the statement unanimously on May 21.
The vision statement helps provide a foundation needed for strategic planning. This statement will be a guide for where the seminary seeks to be in 2023.
“VTS will be both traditional and yet innovative,” said the Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, dean and president of VTS. “We will take the best from the past and respond imaginatively to the challenges of the future.”
“Like a wise scribe, we will bring out what is old and what is new; we will cherish the ancient truths as we embrace new truths,” the statement says. “We will be a porous community — welcoming the guest and reaching out to the community. We will seek to be flexible, adaptable, and ready to meet the challenges of our time.”
Image of Aspinwall Hall at Virginia Theological Seminary by John W. Cross, via Wikimedia Commons.
