On Feb. 9, the University Senate of the United Methodist Church announced a policy change to allow a student seeking United Methodist ordination to earn their Master of Divinity fully online. Previously, a student seeking United Methodist ordination was required to earn at least one-third of their seminary degree through campus-based courses.

MTSO’s HyFlex education provides students with a wealth of options, including earning an M.Div. degree almost entirely online.

With HyFlex (short for “hybrid-flexible”), classes are taught in person and remotely via Zoom – both at the same time. A typical class includes an instructor and some students together in a classroom, joined by other students who participate remotely. MTSO’s state-of-the-art classroom technology brings everyone together for meaningful interaction in real time.

HyFlex classes give individual students options that fit their circumstances while also providing the opportunity to connect with faculty and classmates. Learn more.

Luke Powery, dean of Duke University Chapel and associate professor of homiletics at Duke Divinity School, will lead MTSO’s 2023 Schooler Institute on Preaching. The institute will be held Monday and Tuesday, March 27 and 28, on the MTSO campus.

Registration is open through March 20.

A national leader in the theological study of the art of preaching, Powery regularly delivers sermons at Duke Chapel as well as at churches throughout the United States and abroad. He is often a keynote speaker and lecturer at educational institutions, conferences, symposia and retreats.

He recently discussed his book Becoming Human: The Holy Spirit and the Rhetoric of Race in a video conversation with Duke Professor Mark Anthony Neal.

Powery also has authored Spirit Speech: Lament and Celebration in Preaching and Dem Dry Bones: Preaching, Death, and Hope. He is co-author of the textbook Ways of the Word: Learning to Preach for Your Time and Place.

Powery received his Bachelor of Arts degree in music with a concentration in vocal performance from Stanford University, his Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and his Doctor of Theology from Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto.

Thanks to the generosity of the Schooler Family Foundation, the Schooler Institute is offered to the public without cost. One continuing education unit is available for a $25 processing fee. Advance registration is required.

Learn more and register here.

Bethany Davey is a second-year Master of Divinity student who never thought she would find herself in seminary.

A mom with three young children who attends MTSO both in person and remotely, she is invigorated by her classes and appreciates the breadth of identities and experiences she finds among her classmates.

Hear from Bethany directly in this brief video.

Those considering graduate theological education are invited to MTSO’s Open House March 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Prospective students will learn about MTSO’s five degree programs and exceptionally generous scholarships, up to full tuition plus stipends. The day will include conversations with faculty and current students, as well as lunch featuring food grown on MTSO’s Seminary Hill Farm.

Free overnight accommodations are available.

Register for Open House here.

The admissions team also will be on the road throughout the Spring Semester. In coming weeks, MTSO will be represented at Rust College, Wiley College, Central State University and the 56th General Meeting of Black Methodists for Church Renewal. To see a full list, visit our Admissions on the Road web page.