A Short History of the School of Theology and Ministry, formerly the Institute of Theological Studies – which arose from CORPUS and SUMORE Programs.
By Patrick Howell, S.J.
1969 SUMORE begins –an intensive summer program for masters degrees in pastoral ministry and religious education. By 1972 it boasts 300 students, and Fr. John Topel SJ is directing it.
1976 CORPUS, directed by Dr. Leo Stanford, moves from St. Louis University to SU – at the invitation of the new SU president – Fr. William Sullivan SJ—it provides year-round graduate education for Catholic lay ministry.
1977 St. Thomas Seminary – the major Catholic seminary for the Seattle Archdiocese and for the Pacific Northwest closes. The seminary library moves to Seattle University. The Archdiocese decides against relocating the seminary to SU, but begins a search for training lay ministers. By 1984 Archbishop Hunthausen and Fr. Sullivan appoint a committee of diocesan and University representatives, headed by Graduate School Dean Dr. Mary Lou Wyse to study, design, and recommend a program. Frs. James Eblen and Mike Raschko serve on this committee.
1985 SU begins the new Institute for Theological Studies. Dr. Leo Stanford is its first director. It incorporates both CORPUS and SUMORE and begins two new degree programs: the Masters in Theological Studies and the Masters of Divinity. Its three-tiered degrees (SUMORE—MRE and CORPUS –M.P.M.; MTS; and MDiv.) are meant to correspond to and qualify for certain positions and levels of competency in the Seattle Archdiocese.
1986 On December 8 Archbishop Hunthausen and Fr. Sullivan sign a letter of agreement for a joint venture of co-sponsorship—the only model like this in the United States. The principle features are:
1) the Archdiocese will fund 1/3 of all the costs;
2) it will do so by providing the contributed services of Fr. James Eblen (Ph.D., Clarmont) and Fr. Michael Raschko (Ph.D., University of Chicago); and
3) provide whatever other scholarship monies are needed in order to bring the diocesan contribution to one-third.
Some of the ITS “founders”—Leo Stanford, Margaret Lead, Pat Howell, Marianne LaBarre, James Eblen and Mike Raschko—along with others-- design the degree structure, the curriculum and formation components. ITS Faculty bring their scholarship to bear on designing an integrated program of academic theological excellence, in-depth ministerial formation, and a solid grounding in spirituality.
1987 Fr. Sullivan provides space in Campion for the Northwest Theological Union (NTU)—a consortium of Protestant denominations, which offered the M.Div. and a D.Min. This Protestant consortium folds four years later because they cannot secure accreditation and experience some leadership problems.
1989 ITS applies to the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) for “applicant status” towards accreditation. Sr. Katherine Dyckman SNJM, funded by the Archdiocese, joins the STM faculty.
1991 In early August Dr. Leo Stanford dies suddenly –just as Archbishop Hunthausen resigns. Dr. Loretta Jancoski, director of SUMORE, becomes the new director of ITS and Archbishop Murphy, who had been coadjutor for four years, becomes the new Archbishop of Seattle. Despite this upheaval in leadership, the STM faculty decide to go forward with the ATS accreditation process because it will be necessary in order to attract Protestant participation.
1993 The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) grants ITS its first accreditation with high praise and three notations [for a period of five years.]
1994 Several Protestant leaders approach Fr. Sullivan about forming a consortium of Protestant denominations—which would somehow become part of ITS at Seattle University—using the same model of theological and ministerial integration—for training their clergy and lay leaders. Several students from Protestant backgrounds had already been doing degree work at ITS.
1996 Agreement is reached. More Protestant students enroll.
1997 The Institute for Theological Studies becomes the new SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY with two wings: the Institute for Catholic Theological Studies (ICTS) and the Institute for Ecumenical Theological Studies (IETS). Dr. Loretta Jancoski becomes the first Dean of the new School. In addition to advancement in rank, tenure is now available to all ITS/STM faculty. The ITS Board becomes the ICTS Advisory Board. By now SUMORE has been fully integrated into the School—STM is largely a year-round program with relatively few students coming for only a summer program. The Archdiocese continues with its co-sponsorship relationship—funding 1/3 of all ICTS costs—through direct subsidy of scholarships and through contributed services of Mike Raschko, James Eblen, and Katherine Dyckman [paying their salaries].
1997 Archbishop Murphy dies and is succeeded by Archbishop Brunett, Bishop of Helena and originally from Detroit. The new Archbishop, with the Chancellor Father George Thomas, begins a study of the co- sponsorship relationship with STM. Fr. Steve Sundborg SJ becomes the 21st president of Seattle University. [John Eshelman had been acting president for one year]
1998 ATS accredits the new School of Theology and Ministry for ten-years.
The visiting committee says,
“We are dazzled by the level of integration in academic theological education, ministerial formation, and spiritual grounding that your students and alumni achieved…..You need to take the bushel basket off your candle. What you have achieved here can be a beacon for ecumenical catholic theological education throughout the United States.”
2000 Archbishop Brunett announces that the co-sponsorship will terminate in July 2001, but that the Archdiocese will continue a “certain level of scholarship funds.” He also permits James Eblen and Mike Raschko to continue teaching at STM and Fr. Steve Sundborg readily moves towards having them begin University contracts. The old ICTS Board dissolves.
2000 Sr. Katherine Dyckman resigns as a full-time faculty member, but continues as an adjunct. Loretta Jancoski resigns and Patrick Howell SJ is appointed Interim Dean.
2001 February. After a national search, the University selects Fr. Pat Howell SJ as the new dean. Fr. James Eblen receives advancement to the rank of Associate Professor.
2001 May 22. New ICTS Advisory Board Members convene. The new ICTS Advisory Board will link relationships, not only with the Archdiocese of Seattle, but with other dioceses and religious orders. Among these it now includes: The Maryknoll Fathers, the Jesuits of the Oregon Province, and the Holy Names Sisters of Washington as affiliates.
