Reformed Theological Seminary’s board of trustees, senior administration, faculty, staff, and students, as well as community members and leaders, will gather on the front steps of the new Jackson, Mississippi campus at 9 a.m. on Oct. 6 to dedicate the facilities to the glory of God and the service of the church.
Dr. Ligon Duncan, RTS chancellor, and Richard Ridgway, RTS board chairman and a ruling elder at First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, will both offer remarks at the event, highlighting God’s faithfulness to RTS and renewing the seminary’s mission to serve the church by preparing its leaders. The program will also include Scripture reading, prayers, and singing, and will end with a ribbon cutting.
“The founders of RTS began the work in Jackson, Mississippi more than 50 years ago,” said Ridgway. “They resolved to follow the authority of the Bible and give themselves in service to preparing faithful men and women to serve the church of Jesus Christ. This next step keeps RTS firmly rooted in that legacy while giving us a renewed vision of the future.”
The Jackson campus serves as the seminary’s institutional headquarters. The relocation from the original campus home was announced in summer 2022 after an extended period of deliberation, assessment, and planning by the board and senior administration. Out of a desire for the seminary to serve students, local churches, and the entire region more effectively, RTS purchased a property in one of Jackson’s commercial and residential hubs.
“This is a strategic upgrade of our campus location and facilities,” said Duncan. “You are seeing some institutions around the country relocate because of decline, but that is not what is going on here at RTS.”
The relocation has been the single largest capital investment in the seminary’s history. A three-month phased transition to the completely renovated new location began in April 2023 with several of the seminary’s administrative offices. Summer and fall terms were able to begin as scheduled, and the new academic year has been full of firsts.
“Since its recent relocation, the Jackson campus has proven to offer multiple benefits. I personally appreciate the new ambiance, as the classrooms are well-structured and there are fantastic spaces for students to congregate,” said Wesley Rule, a fourth-year MDiv student. “Additionally, the campus’s location is conveniently situated in the Jackson metropolitan area.”
Third-year student Becca Davis agreed: “Having the campus move to North Jackson has brought me closer to my church, making internship duties and fellowship more convenient. It has also provided easier access to affordable grocery and gas options.”
In order to preserve the residential aspects of its educational experience, RTS also acquired nearly 25 units of housing in the neighborhoods surrounding the new campus, allowing easy access to students and their families.
In total, RTS Jackson spent nearly 57 years at its first campus home. The move, says Duncan, is simply the next strategic step in a vision that has spanned six decades: “This is a major advance and investment in our students, our growth, and our future.”