Bicentennial
The Seminary was founded in 1810. We Praise the Lord for nearly 200 years of faithful service!
Bicentennial Events
200th Anniversary Celebration
Thursday, June 24, 5:30 p.m. dinner, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. program
Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh PA
Bring the whole family! Much of the museum will be open, and there will be history vignettes set up to highlight the Seminary's first 200 years! Please RSVP for dinner, which is $15 per person, including children. There is no fee for touring the open museum areas and RPTS history vignettes. The keynote speakers for the night of celebration of God's grace to the Seminary are Dr. Derek Thomas and Dr. Sinclair Ferguson.
Bicentennial Video
To view a 9 1/2 - minute video about the bicentennial campaign, click on the play button of the video screen to the right. The video includes interviews and testimonials of professors, students, and alums.
Click here to watch an oral history video shared at the RP International Conference in 2008.
Public Phase
We are just entering our public phase of the bicentennial campaign aimed at strengthening six key areas:
- Academics (New Doctor of Ministry program with a pastoral or counseling concentration, and endowing our first chair to help cover our annual faculty costs);
- Scholarships (Financial Aid and the Minority and Urban Student Endowed Scholarship);
- Operations (Annual costs of Instruction, Academic Support, Student Services, Institutional Support, Communications, and Campus Maintenance -- our expenses have gone up significantly as we have brought on more faculty and related costs to our new D.Min. program and the new Biblical Counseling Institute);
- Youth (Theological Foundations for Youth Annual summer program for RPCNA high school students to study theology at RPTS);
- Infrastructure (new computer, database, and internet technology to help the administration and faculty more efficiently serve the student body, alums, and friends);
- Facilities (Elevator on the main campus - done 2005, Windows - half way complete as of 2008, Basement renovations, Classroom Additions, and renovating a new build ling across the road to house the new Biblical Counseling Institute. Work began in 2008. Second floor renovations for married student housing is completed and the rooms are rented. The first three untis on the first floor have been completed that house the BCI offices, classroom, and conference room. We still need about $100,000 to finish the fourth unit of the first floor for the Library Annex (a foundation grant has been received to purchase its shelving) as well as to take care of final indoor work like window dressings along with outdoor signage, lighting, etc.
We need to raise $2 Million dollars by the end of 2010 to meet our $6.4 Million goal. How might you be able to help us reach this goal and thus the above efforts to strengthen the ministry?
For more information on the campaign, please read the Bicentennial Case for Support below.
Bicentennial Case for Support
To read our Bicentennial Case for Support, From Strength to Strength, that shares about how we hope the Bicentennial will be a vehicle for important growth with the help of our friends, please email gvanleuven@rpts.edu to have one mailed to you, or click here to read a PDF file version of the Bicentennial Case for Support.
200th Anniversary History Book
A bicentennial history book has been published this summer is available for purchase through the Seminary bookstore. It is a collection of memories and touching anecdotes by alums and their wives, emeritus professors, and others whose lives have been directly impacted by RPTS.
