Graduate Theological Union
PLTS is a founding member of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU), the largest and most diverse partnership of seminaries in the United States, dedicated to building bridges among Christian denominations and other faith traditions by educating students for teaching, research, ministry, and service.
Foresight
In the 1960s, PLTS, along with other Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Jews, saw the day coming when pluralism, secularism, and globalization would become everyday realities of church life. In response, PLTS joined with three other seminaries to found the Graduate Theological Union, a consortium of eight seminaries and eleven centers of distinction committed to ecumenical and inter-religious study in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley.
The Consortium That Works
Today the GTU has over 1,100 students, and 100 faculty members. The consortium includes Baptists, Buddhists, Roman Catholics, Disciples of Christ, Episcopalians, Jews, Methodists, Muslims, Presbyterians, United Church of Christ members, Unitarians, those of no particular faith confession, and of course, Lutherans. Rather than loosely-connected and requiring cross-registration, the GTU has one online catalog of 750 courses annually. Students register for classes in an open-registration process across all of the GTU member schools and centers, and can also register for some courses at the University of California Berkeley.
A Model for Theological Engagement
The GTU is the most extensive and thoroughly integrated ecumenical and increasingly interreligious theological center in the world. It is a model for how different religions and denominations can work together: a spirit of collaboration that understands and respects difference. We believe that people become more confident in their faith, not less, by engaging people who see the world differently.
Connection To UC Berkeley
As members of the Graduate Theological Union, PLTS students enjoy the vast resources of the University of California Berkeley. This privileged access includes:
- Enrollment in U.C. courses across departments
- Use of the world-renowned U.C. libraries
- Option to purchase associate membership at campus recreational facilities at a reduced rate
- Attendance at the variety of campus-wide and departmental lectures and academic forums