Chicago Theological Seminary stops admitting new students as financial pressure grows
The Chicago Theological Seminary has stopped admitting new students in its degree programs amid mounting financial woes at the 170-year-old institution that participated in the abolitionist movement and the Underground Railroad prior to the Civil War and where civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson once attended.
Brad Braxton, the school’s president, told the Tribune in a statement Tuesday that the seminary decided to cease admissions while it undergoes a “board-approved strategic planning process” that is focused on ensuring the school is able to continue its mission for “generations to come.”
“CTS has prepared bold, justice-minded leaders for public service, grounded in progressive approaches to theology and ethics,” he said. “That calling has never been more urgent, and our commitment to it has never been stronger.”
He also said the seminary remains committed to ensuring that currently enrolled students have a “clear, supported path” to finishing their degrees.
He declined to go into specifics about what necessitated this process during a brief phone call with the Tribune, saying “at this point, the statement encompasses all that we think is appropriate to say.” He said current students were made aware last month.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/15/chicago-theological-seminary-admissions-financial-woes/
My uncle, a Unitarian minister, also went here. This is very sad.