Book Description

Ever A Frontier is an enthralling and informative chronicle of the development of theological education in the Presbyterian Church and the establishment of the oldest Presbyterian seminary in America. The essays in this bicentennial history describe the religious and political environment in sixteenth-century Scotland that resulted in the formation of the Presbyterian and Reformed churches in colonial America and the establishment of their academies and theological seminaries throughout the East and Midwest. The development of these antecedent institutions, from the earliest "log-cabin college" to the seminaries that eventually united to become Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, is detailed in this comprehensive yet very readable historical record. The book features the following: original research on church division in Scotland, including a section dealing with the problem of "witches"; an engaging picture of life on the westward trek - its hardships, methods of travel, home construction, and political problems; detailed histories of the various institutions that eventually united to form Pittsburgh Theological Seminary; the development of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary's worldwide mission activities, its biblical archaeology program, and its extensive library; nearly three dozen remarkable photos carefully chosen from the seminary's vast archives. Individuals who share in the rich history of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, as well as readers with interests in church history, missiology, and biblical archaeology, will find here a rich mix of factual data and engaging storytelling.