Memphis Theological Seminary to Close

MEMPHIS (December 16) — Memphis Theological Seminary informed students that it plans to close following the Spring 2026 semester, according to an internal notice circulated by email. The seminary’s Board of Trustees formally voted last week to recommend closure to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, according to a press release issued Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

At a special meeting on December 11, 2025, the board approved a recommendation to have the seminary cease operations effective July 31, 2026. The recommendation will be considered at a called meeting of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church General Assembly on January 23, 2026, the seminary said.

Founded in the 19th century as the Cumberland Presbyterian Theological Seminary and long affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Memphis Theological Seminary has operated in Midtown Memphis for decades as a graduate school for theological education. The seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and has offered degree programs, including the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, and Doctor of Ministry.

The seminary cited financial and structural challenges common to small, standalone theological institutions. In its statement, MTS said that, without the support of a larger university structure, it has borne all operational costs independently and has been unable to sustain that model.

According to the seminary, efforts over the past two years to pursue a merger, acquisition, or partnership were unsuccessful. The board said it evaluated approximately 30 institutions but was unable to secure a partner, citing limited endowment and assets under direct institutional control. If the General Assembly approves the recommendation, the seminary said it will work with accrediting bodies and academic partners to support currently enrolled students through teach-out and transition arrangements. The seminary also said it intends to provide support and clear communication to faculty and staff during the transition.

The seminary’s campus has also housed offices for the Program of Alternate Studies, a non-degree ordination pathway used by the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Although physically located on the Memphis campus, the Program of Alternate Studies is a separate entity that reports directly to the General Assembly and is not governed by the seminary.

Memphis Theological Seminary traces its heritage to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church’s early efforts in theological education and has played a significant role in preparing clergy and church leaders across the Mid-South and beyond for more than a century.

The seminary was previously located on the campus of Bethel College.

From 1923 until 1956, the seminary was a department of Bethel College. In 1956, The Cumberland Presbyterian General Assembly made the Cumberland Presbyterian Theological Seminary a separate institution and placed it under a new Board of Trustees.

In 1962, the General Assembly approved a recommendation of the Board of Trustees to relocate the seminary to Memphis, Tennessee. In 1964, the Assembly changed the name of the Cumberland Presbyterian Theological Seminary to Memphis Theological Seminary of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The relocation was effected during the summer of 1964, and the seminary opened its doors in Memphis in September 1964.