EMS Purpose Statement

EMU Mission Statement 
Academic Framework

Eastern Mennonite Seminary prepares mature leaders to minister together in a global context. In response to God’s gracious call, we educate students to bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of God’s Spirit as wise interpreters, mature practitioners, discerning communicators, and transformational leaders.

As the graduate theological center of Eastern Mennonite University and a pastoral training center of Mennonite Church USA, we welcome all students who are open to study the practices and theology of the Christian tradition, especially as rooted in the Anabaptist heritage. As a community of  disciples we seek to embody what we teach and learn, living out our convictions in the following core practices:

We seek to grow as wise interpreters by

• locating our personal stories in God’s salvation story, revealed in Scripture and in our world
• responding to God’s salvation as we own our human responsibility to be faithful
• reading the texts of scripture in light of their original contexts and languages
• imaginatively preaching and teaching the scriptures within diverse contemporary settings
• thoughtfully telling the stories of Mennonite, Methodist and other Christian faith traditions
• listening to diverse voices, including those from around the world, for more fully understanding and participating in God's mission
• honoring and inviting questions as well as answers in theological discourse

We seek to grow as mature practitioners by

• testifying to a humble awareness of God’s call
• living in joyful, courageous obedience to Jesus
• embodying the gifts and fruit of the Spirit in healthy relationships
• re-vitalizing ancient Christian practices that are personal and communal
• becoming honest and aware of our own strengths and weaknesses
• participating regularly in worship that is communal and missional
• living by guiding principles that we can openly name

We seek to grow as discerning communicators by

• interpreting the meaning of the Gospel for diverse contexts
• embodying the Gospel’s invitational spirit, social conscience and public witness
• evaluating the theological import of current events and popular culture
• pursuing peace and justice in local, national and global communities
• expressing the Gospel in a variety of creative forms
• engaging empathically with persons of other faith traditions and world religions
• listening actively to local communities in order to promote their well-being

We seek to grow as transformational leaders by

• loving God with heart, mind and body
• embodying holy living and Spirit-attuned discernment in community
• learning to lead and to follow in ways that build up the church
• becoming alert to new forms and models of Christian community and witness
• working collaboratively for mutual support and accountability
• equipping others to grow in their capacity for leadership and service
• caring for the earth as part of God’s healing mission in the world
• serving the churches and broader society with wisdom, passion and integrity