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For more than 40 years, the Urban Theological Institute at United Lutheran Seminary has been dedicated to providing theological education to church leaders that is relevant and upbuilding for the African American community. If you have a sense God is calling you to be a pastor, to serve as a social justice advocate, Christian educator, chaplain, teacher, or church leader, UTI can equip you with the theological education you need to succeed in your chosen ministry. Through programming and courses, UTI provides opportunities for clergy and laypersons to prepare themselves for service as educated leaders of the church.
Learn more about supporting scholarships through The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Sr., Chair in African Studies; The Rev. Dr. J.Q. Jackson Scholarship Fund; and The Bishop E.C. Morris Scholarship.
Areas of Concentration (Visit our Academics page for more information on degrees and certificate programs)
The Rev. Dr. Quintin Robertson joined the staff in July 2009 as Director of the Urban Theological Institute.
The Rev. Wayne E. Croft, Sr., D.Min, Ph.D., has served as the Jeremiah A. Wright, Sr. Associate Professor of Homiletics and Liturgics in African American Studies since 2011.
The major event organized by UTI is the annual Preaching With Power series. Preaching With Power brings to Philadelphia for a week each March, the finest in African American preaching. This series is hosted both on the seminary’s campus and in congregations in the community.
A forum on black preaching and theology, featuring distinguished African American preachers and theologians, Preaching With Power celebrates music and preaching in the African American church. All are welcome to attend individual events or the entire series, which are included on our online calendar.
View photos from 2024 Preaching with Power.
The UTI celebrates its founding each fall (usually in September) with the UTI Lecture and Worship Celebration, featuring an outstanding scholar and preacher from the African American church.
The Wright Chair in African American Studies was established in honor of the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Sr., who in 1949 was one of the first two African Americans to receive an STM degree from the seminary. Pastor Wright served Grace Baptist Church of Germantown, Philadelphia, PA, for more than 40 years. Fund raising continues to make this a fully endowed academic chair at United Lutheran Seminary.
The Rev. Dr. Quintin L. Robertson, a native of Newark, NJ, holds ordination through the National Baptist Convention, USA and the Church of God in Christ. He serves as the Director of the Urban Theological Institute at the seminary, overseeing the Black Church Studies Program. He also served as Director of Admission and Recruitment for the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta for 10 years. He conducts seminars and workshops, and preaches at churches across denominational lines around the nation.
