The General Theological Seminary

The General Theological Seminary General Seminary was founded in 1817.

Education & Formation: Because today's church needs leaders ready to hit the ground running, General Theological Seminary provides a complete formation and education experience for those who feel called to ministry. The mission of The General Theological Seminary—to educate and form leaders for the church in a changing world—has been a central focus throughout its long history. General seeks to be

and to become a community in which ongoing and deepening conversion to new life in Christ is a constant goal. Our purpose is to invite and call others to that life of conversion by our own understanding of the Christian faith—biblical, historical and theological—and our ability to reflect on that faith, and convey it to others

Our August intensive excursion: an evening cruise on the Hudson!
09/02/2026

Our August intensive excursion: an evening cruise on the Hudson!

We are saddened to share the news that GTS alumnus Rev. Joel T. Ireland '81 died on August 19, 2026. We give thanks for ...
08/31/2026

We are saddened to share the news that GTS alumnus Rev. Joel T. Ireland '81 died on August 19, 2026. We give thanks for his life. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

Joel Tracy Ireland
12/16/1953-8/19/2026

The Rev. Joel T. Ireland died on August 19, 2026 at the age of 72. He was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in April, which spread to his brain.

Joel spent most of his life in Tucson, Arizona, and was raised by his mother with his three brothers. He graduated from Rincon High School, where he ran cross country track. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts in Classics, and earned a Masters at Ohio State University in 1977. He married Diane Kerrihard, and they moved to General Theological Seminary, where he graduated with an M. Div in 1981. He returned to Tucson and served at his former parish and school: St. Michael and All Angels. While there they had two sons, Aaron and Samuel. Joel was later married to Jan Lesher, who currently serves as Pima County Administrator.

Joel earned a JD in 1990 and practiced law in Tucson for about twelve years. He made an unsuccessful run for Congress in 1986, and began serving on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board for twenty years.

Joel was an avid sports fan, especially of the University of Arizona Wildcats Basketball team. He was Captain of the General Seminary basketball team for three years.

Joel returned to parish ministry in 2012 when called to be Rector of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Shelter Island, NY (Diocese of Long Island). He also served at Christ Church, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn until retiring in 2017 and returning to Tucson. He subsequently relocated and developed a project preserving historic homes on a large parcel of land in the University area. His sons Aaron and Sam will see this project brought to completion. Joel hoped it would provide housing for students of the University of Arizona.

Joel was loved by everyone who knew him and will be missed. His humor was infectious, as was his love of his dogs Moses and Ursa. A Celebration of Life is being planned for October.

The first round of rennovation work on the Close has been completed. Hoffman and Seabury are now ADA-accessible!
08/28/2026

The first round of rennovation work on the Close has been completed. Hoffman and Seabury are now ADA-accessible!

Join us in person or online for the launch of "Have Mercy: Following Jesus in Politically Perilous Times," featuring ess...
08/25/2026

Join us in person or online for the launch of "Have Mercy: Following Jesus in Politically Perilous Times," featuring essays by GTS and VTS faculty inspired by the sermon preached by the Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of Washington, at the inaugural national prayer service. Each essay considers one basic Christian commitment, such as “Love Thy Neighbor” or “Judge not, lest you be judged,” in light of the current political moment. Come and hear from Bishop Budde and the authors about the inspiration behind the book.
Tuesday, September 1 at 7:00 pm ET at the Welcome Center, Virginia Theological Seminary
Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-launch-have-mercy-tickets-1994608445554?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawT6q-BwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR45vyrOsz4HNebngosfSLo4pH3brXXsBfik_QsR8trpEkV47O3on7koRUqtUw_aem_6N47HMlEfhREXMsNzEJT4w&keep_tld=true

Interested in finding out more about our hybrid Master of Divinity? We will be holding the first of our virtual Open Hou...
08/21/2026

Interested in finding out more about our hybrid Master of Divinity? We will be holding the first of our virtual Open Houses on Thursday, September 3, at 7 pm ET. These sessions offer the chance to find out more about our program, hear from faculty, staff and students, and ask any questions you may have.
Sign up here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FmjeyKUgRJ2ZMVBkkp0u9A #/registration
We look forward to seeing you!

Does anyone recognize this door? It’s the door to the tower room in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd. Almost everyone who...
08/19/2026

Does anyone recognize this door? It’s the door to the tower room in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd. Almost everyone who has studied at General Seminary has passed through it, and over my eleven years here I can only imagine how many thousands of times I’ve gone in and out of it myself.

Last week, during the second of our two August intensives, as we welcomed Cohort 5 into the MDiv program, Vanderbilt’s campus crew spent nearly an entire week stripping, sanding, repairing, and refinishing this one door. Every day, one or two carpenters were at work on it, attending to it with extraordinary care.

I found myself unexpectedly moved by this small example of stewardship. Maintaining old church buildings is a constant struggle. We love these places and do our best to care for them, but few of our institutions have the resources to give them the attention they deserve.

There are surely hundreds of similar stories unfolding across the Close right now as Vanderbilt prepares the campus for its programs later this month—work making this place safer, more accessible, and more beautiful for the next century of GTS and Vanderbilt students.

I give thanks for the quiet, faithful work that reminds us that caring for sacred spaces is never only about preservation—it is about love made visible in wood, glass, and time.

Dean Michael DeLashmutt

Compline by Candlelight in the beautiful Chapel of the Good Shepherd.
08/17/2026

Compline by Candlelight in the beautiful Chapel of the Good Shepherd.

Cohort 5 on a visit to the Met as part of Dr Farwell’s course during their August intensive.
08/14/2026

Cohort 5 on a visit to the Met as part of Dr Farwell’s course during their August intensive.

08/12/2026

Who remembers doing this?

We are excited to welcome Cohort 5 to the Close! Pictured here with current students, faculty, and members of the Board ...
08/11/2026

We are excited to welcome Cohort 5 to the Close! Pictured here with current students, faculty, and members of the Board following the traditional GTS Matriculation Ceremony.

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10011

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Friday 9am - 5pm

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