Tokyo Union Theological Seminary

Carol and Tom Hastings (1997 Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study, p. 181) were appointed by the PC (USA) as mission co-workers in 1988. Presently, they live in Tokyo where Tom is assigned as an assistant professor of Practical Theology (Christian Education) at Tokyo Union Theological Seminary and Carol is assigned to ministry in the home. Tom teaches the following courses at TUTS (all in Japanese): Principles of Christian Education, Methods in Christian Education, Teaching Practicuum and an Introductory Course in Theological English. He also teaches a course in Christian Education at our night school for lay people.

With roots in the 19th century beginnings of the Protestant missionary movement in Japan, the founder, Dr. Masahisa Uemura (1854-1920), offically established the Tokyo School of Theology (Tokyo Shingakusha) as an independent Japanese seminary in 1904. In 1926, this seminary was combined with the former theological department of Meiji Gakuin University to form the Japan School of Theology (Nihon Shingakko). After the founding of the United Church of Christ in Japan (Nihon Kirisuto Kyodan) during World War II, the seminary's name was changed to its present Tokyo Union Theological Seminary (henceforth, TUTS). It endeavors to provide well-trained church leaders for the Kyodan and the larger Protestant community in Japan.

While cherishing its relationship with both Presbyterian/Reformed and Methodist church traditions, TUTS continues to be inspired by the spirit and theological convictions of its founder, Marahisa Uemura. He recognized the tendency for the academy to loose touch with the local communities of faith and saw the seminary's primary reponsibility in the formation of strong, repsonsible churches. While remaining evangelical, TUTS is committed to the highest standards of scholarship. It is the only seminary which is accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education, offering the equivalent of B.Div., M.Div. and Th.D degrees.

TUTS is the largest Christian seminary in Japan with a diverse student body of 150 full and a few part-time students. Most entering students have already completed a four-year degree program in some other field. More than two-thirds of TUTS students come from Kyodan churches with the remainder coming from other denominational and independent church traditions. Presently, about 20% are women. Approximately one-fourth come from a home in which at least one parent is an ordained minister. On the other hand, about 40% are first generation Christians; that is, they come from non-Christian homes. Presently, we also have about 15 foreign students from Korea and Taiwan.