Claremont School of Theology

Community courses open the CST classroom to our broad network of alumni, pastors, nonprofit leaders, and curious lay people to learn alongside current CST Students. These are full graduate level courses, taught by our renowned faculty, at a price lower than auditing, and without a full application process. Enroll now to test-drive seminary or expand your learning!

Intensive courses in Los Angeles August 24th through 28th include “City of Angels: Religion, History, and Art in Los Angeles with Dr. Yohanna Junker and Dr. Ben Groth as well as “Constructive Theology” with Dr. Yuki Schwartz. Fall Online course offering is “Young People in Faith Communities” with Rev. Blair Stowe and is taught Wednesday evenings beginning September 2nd.

Find out more and register here: https://cst.edu/community-courses-2026/

Dr. Venu Mehta will be participating in an interdisciplinary panel discussion celebrating the publication Visualizing Devotion in Jain Embroidered Shrine Hangings at the Fowler Museum at UCLA on Saturday, August 1 from 6–9pm Pacific.

The conversation will bring together scholars of Jain studies, art history, visual culture, and religious studies to explore the devotional, artistic, and cultural significance of Jain embroidered shrine hangings (chhoda). Dr. Mehta will be sharing perspectives from her research on Jain devotional traditions, religious practice, and visual culture alongside fellow panelists Syona Puliady, Aparna Sharma, and Pawan Jain.

A reception will follow the conversation, offering an opportunity to continue the discussion with the speakers and fellow attendees. Please see the attached flyer for program details. We hope to see you there!

Our very own Steve Horswill-Johnston wrote a commentary about the 25th anniversary of The United Methodist Church’s Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors campaign which he led for 10 years.

Read it here:

When the doors were not yet open | UMNews.org It’s been 25 years since the rollout of The United Methodist Church’s brand promise of “Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.” Despite controversy, it remains relevant today.

Claremont School of Theology (CST) and the California-Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church (Cal-Pac) are pleased to announce the establishment of the Rev. M. Guadalupe “Lupita” Alonso-Redondo Scholarship Initiative. This groundbreaking partnership is designed to prepare, equip, and support the next generation of Latine/Hispanic ministry leaders serving Southern California.

Read the full press release here:

CST and Cal-Pac Annual Conference Launch Rev. M. Guadalupe “Lupita” Alonso-Redondo Scholarship Initiative New partnership honors beloved pastor’s legacy by expanding access to theological education and cultivating future Latine/Hispanic ministry leaders Claremont School of Theology (CST) and the California-Pacific Annual Conference (Cal-Pac) of The United Methodist Church are pleased to announce the e...

CST Trustee Monalisa Salakielu Tu'itahi was recently featured in an article from United Methodist Communications about her extraordinary witness as an immigration attorney and lifelong United Methodist leader. We are deeply grateful for her continued service and example, and invite you to read the article here:

Pioneers: Monalisa Tu'itahi | UMC.org Discover a Pacific Islander who puts her life work in immigration law to use training and supporting immigrants and churches in Southern California.

CST alum, and Bishop of Los Angeles in the Diocese of Los Angeles of the Episcopal Church, John H. Taylor was awarded an honorary doctorate of divinity during this week's Commencement ceremony. You can read some of Bishop Taylor's remarks, along with remarks by Co-Presidents Hagiya and Kuan, in this article by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles:

Claremont School of Theology awards honorary doctorate to Bishop John Harvey Taylor Recognizing Bishop John Harvey Taylor's decade-long "prophetic leadership" in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and beyond, Claremont School of Theology (CST) awarded him an honorary doctorate of divinity May 19 during commencement exercises at Westwood United Methodist Church near UCLA. CST's

CST alum Rev. Dr. Emily Nelms Chastain MDiv/MA '19, currently serving as Assistant Professor of Christian History & Methodist Studies at SMU Perkins School of Theology, is featured in a UM News article this week celebrating 70 years of women’s ordination in the United Methodist Church. You can read the article here: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/why-the-1956-women-clergy-vote-matters

We are reminded this week of all of the extraordinary women throughout CST’s history who have paved the way for greater inclusion and equity––in education, ministry, and beyond. And we are grateful for women like Emily Bennet, who graduated from our school in 1890 (while we were located on the campus of USC), becoming the very first woman in California history to graduate from a theological school.

You can also hear Rev. Dr. Nelms Chastain discuss women's ordination in an interview with UM Archives and History here: https://www.resourceumc.org/en/content/utm-70th-ordination-live-podcast

We hope you will join us in remembering and celebrating the many women who continue to have such a profound impact on our communities and churches.

Why the 1956 women-clergy vote matters | UMNews.org Seventy years ago, the Methodist Church supported full conference membership for women clergy — a decision that would have a resounding impact when The United Methodist Church formed in 1968 and even today.