ALUMNI
2022 Commencement
2016 Commencement
2017 Commencement
2017 Commencement
ALUMNI
2022 Commencement
2016 Commencement
2017 Commencement
2017 Commencement
Alumni Association
Graduates of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary serve the larger community as college and seminary professors, bishops, pastors, missionaries, hospital chaplains, prison chaplains, military chaplains, Christian counselors, community leaders, and as top-level officials in the Church of God in Christ.Functions of the Alumni Association
The Alumni of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary assist in the following areas:- The identification of prospective students for the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary;
- Advancing the continuing education program of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary;
- Advocating for the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary;
- Fundraising for the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary;
- Mentoring current students of the for the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary; and
- Supporting the programs and initiatives of the National Church of God in Christ.
International Leaders & Executive Board
PRESIDING BISHOP AND CHIEF APOSTLE 8th in Succession
Bishop J. Drew Sheard
TRUSTEE BOARD CHAIR AND GENERAL BOARD MEMBER
Bishop David A. Hall, Sr.c/o 1977 - M. Div., Ph. D.
GENERAL SUPERVISOR
Mother Barbara McCoo-LewisInt’l. Department of Women
SEMINARY DEAN/PRESIDENT
Dean Harold Bennettc/o ‘88 - M. Div., Ph. D.
PRESIDENT
Dr. Catherine Primusc/o ‘04 M. Div., Ed. D.
VICE PRESIDENT
Chaplain Anthony Allenc/o ‘06 - M. Div., BCC
SECRETARY
Dr. Diana Moye-Mitchellc/o ‘13 - M. Div., D. Min.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Evangelist Krystal Greenc/o ‘13 - M. Div.
TREASURER
Elder Keith Brownc/o ‘19 - M. Div.
CHAPLAIN
Supt. Warren D. Wilcox IIc/o ‘96 - M. Div., D. Min.
PARLIAMENTARIAN
Elder Alex Erdmannc/o ‘17 M. Div., BBA
PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR
Sonya Williams-Primusc/o ’05 M. Div.
PRESIDING BISHOP AND CHIEF APOSTLE 8th in Succession
Bishop J. Drew Sheard
TRUSTEE BOARD CHAIR AND GENERAL BOARD MEMBER
Bishop David A. Hall, Sr.c/o 1977 - M. Div., Ph. D.
GENERAL SUPERVISOR
Mother Barbara McCoo-LewisInt’l. Department of Women
SEMINARY DEAN/PRESIDENT
Dean Harold Bennettc/o ‘88 - M. Div., Ph. D.
PRESIDENT
Dr. Catherine Primusc/o ‘04 M. Div., Ed. D.
VICE PRESIDENT
Chaplain Anthony Allenc/o ‘06 - M. Div., BCC
SECRETARY
Dr. Diana Moye-Mitchellc/o ‘13 - M. Div., D. Min.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
Evangelist Krystal Greenc/o ‘13 - M. Div.
TREASURER
Elder Keith Brownc/o ‘19 - M. Div.
CHAPLAIN
Supt. Warren D. Wilcox IIc/o ‘96 - M. Div., D. Min.
PARLIAMENTARIAN
Elder Alex Erdmannc/o ‘17 M. Div., BBA
PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR
Sonya Williams-Primusc/o ’05 M. Div.
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If you are a graduate of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary please complete the Registration Form.Portal Login
Information Center
Posted: 05/07/2022 09:01 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 12:01 PM
The Church of God in Christ provides tuition assistance to the majority of students enrolled in the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary. If a student is enrolled in any of the Masters level programs, and is in good standing with the Church of God in Christ, and the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, this financial support can be in the form of tuition assistance, housing assistance, and support for books and other supplies. Students enrolled in the Doctorial programs can receive limited aid. To learn more about these sources of financial assistance, the student should inquire at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary’s office.
Prospective students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary also may apply for funding from a host of other sources, which are not Church of God in Christ. It is important that students who are interested in receiving federal financial aid complete an application with the ITC Financial Aid Office yearly, before April 1 of the year they plan to enroll in the ITC. Amounts of federal student financial aid are determined after a decision is reached about the status of a student’s application for admission. Students who wish to receive financial assistance must request from The ITC Financial Aid Office a Financial Aid packet, which contains the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA). Learn More : Click Here
Prospective students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary may apply for funding from a host of other sources, and the student can visit the sites listed below to obtain information about these sources of support:
www.scholarships.com
www.collegenet.com
www.scholarshiphunter.com
www.fastweb.com
Read More
Prospective students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary also may apply for funding from a host of other sources, which are not Church of God in Christ. It is important that students who are interested in receiving federal financial aid complete an application with the ITC Financial Aid Office yearly, before April 1 of the year they plan to enroll in the ITC. Amounts of federal student financial aid are determined after a decision is reached about the status of a student’s application for admission. Students who wish to receive financial assistance must request from The ITC Financial Aid Office a Financial Aid packet, which contains the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA). Learn More : Click Here
Prospective students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary may apply for funding from a host of other sources, and the student can visit the sites listed below to obtain information about these sources of support:
www.scholarships.com
www.collegenet.com
www.scholarshiphunter.com
www.fastweb.com
Read More
Posted: 05/07/2022 08:59 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 11:59 AM
At the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC, the curriculum is complemented by innovative special programs that provide research and learning opportunities for students and faculty and service to society. A partial list of such initiatives at the ITC includes: RISE Together, Youth Hope Builders Academy; the Sankofa Center: and the Black Women in Church and Society Program. For more information about these programs, Click here:
At the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, students too have access to the following professional organizations:
American Academy of Religion www.aarweb.org
The Society of Biblical Literature www.sbl-site.org
The Society of Pentecostal Studies www.sps-usa.org
The Society for the Study of Black Religion
COGIC Scholars
Students seeking admissions to the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC should plan to visit the ITC and participate in the Conference on the Ministry. It, too, would be good for perspective students to visit the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC during Founder’s Week, which usually is the last full week in February. Read More
At the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, students too have access to the following professional organizations:
American Academy of Religion www.aarweb.org
The Society of Biblical Literature www.sbl-site.org
The Society of Pentecostal Studies www.sps-usa.org
The Society for the Study of Black Religion
COGIC Scholars
Students seeking admissions to the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC should plan to visit the ITC and participate in the Conference on the Ministry. It, too, would be good for perspective students to visit the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC during Founder’s Week, which usually is the last full week in February. Read More
Posted: 05/07/2022 08:51 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 11:51 AM
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center offers a Certificate in Theology Program. You can participate by enrolling in this program in site near you, or by enrolling in the Program here at the Atlanta campus. We want to partner with you in your efforts to prepare yourself to minister in a rapidly changing world. To learn more about the Certificate in Theology Program, Read More
Posted: 05/07/2022 08:49 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 11:49 AM
At the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, students can receive a Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Religious Education, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling. Students also can obtain a Dual degree, namely a combination of two of the Master’s programs offered at the ITC. Master of Divinity is offered on campus and online. It generally takes three years (72-78 semester hours) to complete the Master of Divinity degree, the basic, first professional degree for the ordained ministry offered to Students who enroll at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary.
Posted: 05/07/2022 08:45 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 11:45 AM
Named after Bishop Charles Harrison Mason, Sr. (September 8, 1864 - November 17, 1961), one of the most prolific and influential religious leaders in the twentieth century, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) is the Official school for religious studies and graduate theological education in the Church of God in Christ. Located at a cooperative, ecumenical theological educational venture known as the ITC in Atlanta, Georgia, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the ITC is part of a consortium of five seminaries and an interdenominational Christian fellowship from different Protestant denominations.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary shares classroom buildings, a faculty, library, cafeteria, online teaching and learning platforms, a Building and Grounds crew, and an administration with four other constituent denominations and an ecumenical fellowship. These Seminaries and their church affiliation are the following: Gammon Theological Seminary (the United Methodist Church); Morehouse School of Religion (the Baptist Church); Phillips School of Theology (The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church); Turner Theological Seminary (The African Methodist Episcopal Church); and the Richardson Ecumenical Fellowship (Nondenominational). There also is a Lutheran Center on the campus of the ITC. Other Seminaries and Graduate Schools are in Atlanta, and students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary may enroll for classes at these institutions, namely Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Columbia Theological Seminary, Morehouse School of Medicine, and McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University.
Initial plans for the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary began in 1965 when Senior Bishop Ozro Thurston Jones, Sr., convened a planning committee to explore the possibility of the Church of God in Christ organizing a seminary and it becoming an affiliate of the ITC. He also invited Dr. Harry V. Richardson, President of ITC, to Memphis, Tennessee, to meet with the special committee assembled to discuss the idea. In the fall of 1968, the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ approved a new Constitution, which authorized a new governance infrastructure. This administration, headed by the Presiding Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr., and a Presidium called the General Board, made the idea of the Church of God in Christ having its own School for the training of its clergy and laity for ministry in the Black Pentecostal tradition one of its priorities. Presiding Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr. convened another planning committee led by Bishop D. A. Burton, General Secretary of the Church, and the then Elder, now Bishop, Roy L. H. Winbush, President of the Publishing House. This committee finalized plans for organizing the Seminary and its entrance into the ITC. In April 1970, the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ authorized the Charles Harrison Mason Theological Seminary becoming a Constituent Seminary of the ITC. The fact that the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary opened its doors in September 1970, and the fact that it is a constituent of the ITC means the following; (a) the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary is the oldest fully accredited Pentecostal Seminary in America; and (2) the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary is the only fully accredited African-American Pentecostal Seminary in the United States.
The Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary was Bishop, Charles E. Blake, Sr. Dr. Leonard Lovett, the first clergy person in the Church of God in Christ to receive a PhD in Religion from a top-tier research institution in the United States was the first President-Dean. Elder, now Bishop and Doctor, Oliver J. Haney, Jr., served as President-Dean of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary from 1974 until his retirement in June 2004. Elder Arthur F. Mosley served as the interim President-Dean from 2002-2005. Dr. Harold Bennett is the current President-Dean, and he was selected to lead the Seminary in 2005.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, on the one hand, provides opportunity for students to study with faculty, who have PhD’s and published books, articles, commentaries, and other professional and scholarly literature on the Bible, Hermeneutics, Theology, Ethics, Church History, Missions, Church Administration, Pastoral Care and Counseling, and other subjects in Religious studies. It is noteworthy that members of the faculty from the ITC are members of the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, The Society for Pentecostal Studies, The Society for the Study of Black Religion, and a host of other professional associations related to the study and professional practice of Religion and Theology. As it was said above, students who attend the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the ITC study with faculty who received their PhD`s in Religion and Theology from Vanderbilt, Yale, Harvard, Emory, Boston University, Duke, and other top-tier research and graduate degree-granting institutions.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, on the other hand, provides opportunity for students to interact and receive instruction and training from current leaders and officials of the Church of God in Christ on major social, historical, theological, and ethical issues that affect the Christian community in general and the Church of God in Christ in particular. This type of instruction takes the form of forums, lectures, presentations, and other methods of exposure made possible by the introduction of technology in the classroom. What is more, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary sponsors conferences, symposia, dialogues, and other types of formal meetings, which examine specific issues in the life of the Church of God in Christ and Pentecostal studies.
The first class to graduate from the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary in 1972 was the following: Dorothy Webster Exumé, Calvin D. Kinsey, Isaac Richmond, and John P. Ruth and, since its inception, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary has graduated forty-six classes. Moreover, alumni of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary are Bishops, Pastors, and Superintendents in the COGIC, and Chaplains in Hospitals and Prisons. Charles H. Mason graduates are administrators and faculty at Colleges, Universities, and Graduate Schools across the United States. Our graduates also are authors, conference speakers, musicians, public school teachers, and Chaplains in the military, hospitals, hospice centers, and in other institutions.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary shares classroom buildings, a faculty, library, cafeteria, online teaching and learning platforms, a Building and Grounds crew, and an administration with four other constituent denominations and an ecumenical fellowship. These Seminaries and their church affiliation are the following: Gammon Theological Seminary (the United Methodist Church); Morehouse School of Religion (the Baptist Church); Phillips School of Theology (The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church); Turner Theological Seminary (The African Methodist Episcopal Church); and the Richardson Ecumenical Fellowship (Nondenominational). There also is a Lutheran Center on the campus of the ITC. Other Seminaries and Graduate Schools are in Atlanta, and students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary may enroll for classes at these institutions, namely Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Columbia Theological Seminary, Morehouse School of Medicine, and McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University.
Initial plans for the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary began in 1965 when Senior Bishop Ozro Thurston Jones, Sr., convened a planning committee to explore the possibility of the Church of God in Christ organizing a seminary and it becoming an affiliate of the ITC. He also invited Dr. Harry V. Richardson, President of ITC, to Memphis, Tennessee, to meet with the special committee assembled to discuss the idea. In the fall of 1968, the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ approved a new Constitution, which authorized a new governance infrastructure. This administration, headed by the Presiding Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr., and a Presidium called the General Board, made the idea of the Church of God in Christ having its own School for the training of its clergy and laity for ministry in the Black Pentecostal tradition one of its priorities. Presiding Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr. convened another planning committee led by Bishop D. A. Burton, General Secretary of the Church, and the then Elder, now Bishop, Roy L. H. Winbush, President of the Publishing House. This committee finalized plans for organizing the Seminary and its entrance into the ITC. In April 1970, the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ authorized the Charles Harrison Mason Theological Seminary becoming a Constituent Seminary of the ITC. The fact that the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary opened its doors in September 1970, and the fact that it is a constituent of the ITC means the following; (a) the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary is the oldest fully accredited Pentecostal Seminary in America; and (2) the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary is the only fully accredited African-American Pentecostal Seminary in the United States.
The Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary was Bishop, Charles E. Blake, Sr. Dr. Leonard Lovett, the first clergy person in the Church of God in Christ to receive a PhD in Religion from a top-tier research institution in the United States was the first President-Dean. Elder, now Bishop and Doctor, Oliver J. Haney, Jr., served as President-Dean of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary from 1974 until his retirement in June 2004. Elder Arthur F. Mosley served as the interim President-Dean from 2002-2005. Dr. Harold Bennett is the current President-Dean, and he was selected to lead the Seminary in 2005.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, on the one hand, provides opportunity for students to study with faculty, who have PhD’s and published books, articles, commentaries, and other professional and scholarly literature on the Bible, Hermeneutics, Theology, Ethics, Church History, Missions, Church Administration, Pastoral Care and Counseling, and other subjects in Religious studies. It is noteworthy that members of the faculty from the ITC are members of the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, The Society for Pentecostal Studies, The Society for the Study of Black Religion, and a host of other professional associations related to the study and professional practice of Religion and Theology. As it was said above, students who attend the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the ITC study with faculty who received their PhD`s in Religion and Theology from Vanderbilt, Yale, Harvard, Emory, Boston University, Duke, and other top-tier research and graduate degree-granting institutions.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, on the other hand, provides opportunity for students to interact and receive instruction and training from current leaders and officials of the Church of God in Christ on major social, historical, theological, and ethical issues that affect the Christian community in general and the Church of God in Christ in particular. This type of instruction takes the form of forums, lectures, presentations, and other methods of exposure made possible by the introduction of technology in the classroom. What is more, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary sponsors conferences, symposia, dialogues, and other types of formal meetings, which examine specific issues in the life of the Church of God in Christ and Pentecostal studies.
The first class to graduate from the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary in 1972 was the following: Dorothy Webster Exumé, Calvin D. Kinsey, Isaac Richmond, and John P. Ruth and, since its inception, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary has graduated forty-six classes. Moreover, alumni of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary are Bishops, Pastors, and Superintendents in the COGIC, and Chaplains in Hospitals and Prisons. Charles H. Mason graduates are administrators and faculty at Colleges, Universities, and Graduate Schools across the United States. Our graduates also are authors, conference speakers, musicians, public school teachers, and Chaplains in the military, hospitals, hospice centers, and in other institutions.
Posted: 05/07/2022 09:01 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 12:01 PM
The Church of God in Christ provides tuition assistance to the majority of students enrolled in the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary. If a student is enrolled in any of the Masters level programs, and is in good standing with the Church of God in Christ, and the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, this financial support can be in the form of tuition assistance, housing assistance, and support for books and other supplies. Students enrolled in the Doctorial programs can receive limited aid. To learn more about these sources of financial assistance, the student should inquire at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary’s office.
Prospective students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary also may apply for funding from a host of other sources, which are not Church of God in Christ. It is important that students who are interested in receiving federal financial aid complete an application with the ITC Financial Aid Office yearly, before April 1 of the year they plan to enroll in the ITC. Amounts of federal student financial aid are determined after a decision is reached about the status of a student’s application for admission. Students who wish to receive financial assistance must request from The ITC Financial Aid Office a Financial Aid packet, which contains the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA). Learn More : Click Here
Prospective students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary may apply for funding from a host of other sources, and the student can visit the sites listed below to obtain information about these sources of support:
www.scholarships.com
www.collegenet.com
www.scholarshiphunter.com
www.fastweb.com
Read More
Prospective students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary also may apply for funding from a host of other sources, which are not Church of God in Christ. It is important that students who are interested in receiving federal financial aid complete an application with the ITC Financial Aid Office yearly, before April 1 of the year they plan to enroll in the ITC. Amounts of federal student financial aid are determined after a decision is reached about the status of a student’s application for admission. Students who wish to receive financial assistance must request from The ITC Financial Aid Office a Financial Aid packet, which contains the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA). Learn More : Click Here
Prospective students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary may apply for funding from a host of other sources, and the student can visit the sites listed below to obtain information about these sources of support:
www.scholarships.com
www.collegenet.com
www.scholarshiphunter.com
www.fastweb.com
Read More
Posted: 05/07/2022 08:59 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 11:59 AM
At the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC, the curriculum is complemented by innovative special programs that provide research and learning opportunities for students and faculty and service to society. A partial list of such initiatives at the ITC includes: RISE Together, Youth Hope Builders Academy; the Sankofa Center: and the Black Women in Church and Society Program. For more information about these programs, Click here:
At the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, students too have access to the following professional organizations:
American Academy of Religion www.aarweb.org
The Society of Biblical Literature www.sbl-site.org
The Society of Pentecostal Studies www.sps-usa.org
The Society for the Study of Black Religion
COGIC Scholars
Students seeking admissions to the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC should plan to visit the ITC and participate in the Conference on the Ministry. It, too, would be good for perspective students to visit the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC during Founder’s Week, which usually is the last full week in February. Read More
At the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, students too have access to the following professional organizations:
American Academy of Religion www.aarweb.org
The Society of Biblical Literature www.sbl-site.org
The Society of Pentecostal Studies www.sps-usa.org
The Society for the Study of Black Religion
COGIC Scholars
Students seeking admissions to the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC should plan to visit the ITC and participate in the Conference on the Ministry. It, too, would be good for perspective students to visit the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary/ITC during Founder’s Week, which usually is the last full week in February. Read More
Posted: 05/07/2022 08:51 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 11:51 AM
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center offers a Certificate in Theology Program. You can participate by enrolling in this program in site near you, or by enrolling in the Program here at the Atlanta campus. We want to partner with you in your efforts to prepare yourself to minister in a rapidly changing world. To learn more about the Certificate in Theology Program, Read More
Posted: 05/07/2022 08:49 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 11:49 AM
At the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, students can receive a Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Religious Education, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling. Students also can obtain a Dual degree, namely a combination of two of the Master’s programs offered at the ITC. Master of Divinity is offered on campus and online. It generally takes three years (72-78 semester hours) to complete the Master of Divinity degree, the basic, first professional degree for the ordained ministry offered to Students who enroll at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary.
Posted: 05/07/2022 08:45 AM Updated: 05/07/2022 11:45 AM
Named after Bishop Charles Harrison Mason, Sr. (September 8, 1864 - November 17, 1961), one of the most prolific and influential religious leaders in the twentieth century, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) is the Official school for religious studies and graduate theological education in the Church of God in Christ. Located at a cooperative, ecumenical theological educational venture known as the ITC in Atlanta, Georgia, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the ITC is part of a consortium of five seminaries and an interdenominational Christian fellowship from different Protestant denominations.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary shares classroom buildings, a faculty, library, cafeteria, online teaching and learning platforms, a Building and Grounds crew, and an administration with four other constituent denominations and an ecumenical fellowship. These Seminaries and their church affiliation are the following: Gammon Theological Seminary (the United Methodist Church); Morehouse School of Religion (the Baptist Church); Phillips School of Theology (The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church); Turner Theological Seminary (The African Methodist Episcopal Church); and the Richardson Ecumenical Fellowship (Nondenominational). There also is a Lutheran Center on the campus of the ITC. Other Seminaries and Graduate Schools are in Atlanta, and students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary may enroll for classes at these institutions, namely Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Columbia Theological Seminary, Morehouse School of Medicine, and McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University.
Initial plans for the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary began in 1965 when Senior Bishop Ozro Thurston Jones, Sr., convened a planning committee to explore the possibility of the Church of God in Christ organizing a seminary and it becoming an affiliate of the ITC. He also invited Dr. Harry V. Richardson, President of ITC, to Memphis, Tennessee, to meet with the special committee assembled to discuss the idea. In the fall of 1968, the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ approved a new Constitution, which authorized a new governance infrastructure. This administration, headed by the Presiding Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr., and a Presidium called the General Board, made the idea of the Church of God in Christ having its own School for the training of its clergy and laity for ministry in the Black Pentecostal tradition one of its priorities. Presiding Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr. convened another planning committee led by Bishop D. A. Burton, General Secretary of the Church, and the then Elder, now Bishop, Roy L. H. Winbush, President of the Publishing House. This committee finalized plans for organizing the Seminary and its entrance into the ITC. In April 1970, the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ authorized the Charles Harrison Mason Theological Seminary becoming a Constituent Seminary of the ITC. The fact that the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary opened its doors in September 1970, and the fact that it is a constituent of the ITC means the following; (a) the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary is the oldest fully accredited Pentecostal Seminary in America; and (2) the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary is the only fully accredited African-American Pentecostal Seminary in the United States.
The Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary was Bishop, Charles E. Blake, Sr. Dr. Leonard Lovett, the first clergy person in the Church of God in Christ to receive a PhD in Religion from a top-tier research institution in the United States was the first President-Dean. Elder, now Bishop and Doctor, Oliver J. Haney, Jr., served as President-Dean of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary from 1974 until his retirement in June 2004. Elder Arthur F. Mosley served as the interim President-Dean from 2002-2005. Dr. Harold Bennett is the current President-Dean, and he was selected to lead the Seminary in 2005.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, on the one hand, provides opportunity for students to study with faculty, who have PhD’s and published books, articles, commentaries, and other professional and scholarly literature on the Bible, Hermeneutics, Theology, Ethics, Church History, Missions, Church Administration, Pastoral Care and Counseling, and other subjects in Religious studies. It is noteworthy that members of the faculty from the ITC are members of the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, The Society for Pentecostal Studies, The Society for the Study of Black Religion, and a host of other professional associations related to the study and professional practice of Religion and Theology. As it was said above, students who attend the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the ITC study with faculty who received their PhD`s in Religion and Theology from Vanderbilt, Yale, Harvard, Emory, Boston University, Duke, and other top-tier research and graduate degree-granting institutions.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, on the other hand, provides opportunity for students to interact and receive instruction and training from current leaders and officials of the Church of God in Christ on major social, historical, theological, and ethical issues that affect the Christian community in general and the Church of God in Christ in particular. This type of instruction takes the form of forums, lectures, presentations, and other methods of exposure made possible by the introduction of technology in the classroom. What is more, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary sponsors conferences, symposia, dialogues, and other types of formal meetings, which examine specific issues in the life of the Church of God in Christ and Pentecostal studies.
The first class to graduate from the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary in 1972 was the following: Dorothy Webster Exumé, Calvin D. Kinsey, Isaac Richmond, and John P. Ruth and, since its inception, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary has graduated forty-six classes. Moreover, alumni of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary are Bishops, Pastors, and Superintendents in the COGIC, and Chaplains in Hospitals and Prisons. Charles H. Mason graduates are administrators and faculty at Colleges, Universities, and Graduate Schools across the United States. Our graduates also are authors, conference speakers, musicians, public school teachers, and Chaplains in the military, hospitals, hospice centers, and in other institutions.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary shares classroom buildings, a faculty, library, cafeteria, online teaching and learning platforms, a Building and Grounds crew, and an administration with four other constituent denominations and an ecumenical fellowship. These Seminaries and their church affiliation are the following: Gammon Theological Seminary (the United Methodist Church); Morehouse School of Religion (the Baptist Church); Phillips School of Theology (The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church); Turner Theological Seminary (The African Methodist Episcopal Church); and the Richardson Ecumenical Fellowship (Nondenominational). There also is a Lutheran Center on the campus of the ITC. Other Seminaries and Graduate Schools are in Atlanta, and students at the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary may enroll for classes at these institutions, namely Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Columbia Theological Seminary, Morehouse School of Medicine, and McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University.
Initial plans for the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary began in 1965 when Senior Bishop Ozro Thurston Jones, Sr., convened a planning committee to explore the possibility of the Church of God in Christ organizing a seminary and it becoming an affiliate of the ITC. He also invited Dr. Harry V. Richardson, President of ITC, to Memphis, Tennessee, to meet with the special committee assembled to discuss the idea. In the fall of 1968, the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ approved a new Constitution, which authorized a new governance infrastructure. This administration, headed by the Presiding Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr., and a Presidium called the General Board, made the idea of the Church of God in Christ having its own School for the training of its clergy and laity for ministry in the Black Pentecostal tradition one of its priorities. Presiding Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr. convened another planning committee led by Bishop D. A. Burton, General Secretary of the Church, and the then Elder, now Bishop, Roy L. H. Winbush, President of the Publishing House. This committee finalized plans for organizing the Seminary and its entrance into the ITC. In April 1970, the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ authorized the Charles Harrison Mason Theological Seminary becoming a Constituent Seminary of the ITC. The fact that the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary opened its doors in September 1970, and the fact that it is a constituent of the ITC means the following; (a) the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary is the oldest fully accredited Pentecostal Seminary in America; and (2) the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary is the only fully accredited African-American Pentecostal Seminary in the United States.
The Founding Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary was Bishop, Charles E. Blake, Sr. Dr. Leonard Lovett, the first clergy person in the Church of God in Christ to receive a PhD in Religion from a top-tier research institution in the United States was the first President-Dean. Elder, now Bishop and Doctor, Oliver J. Haney, Jr., served as President-Dean of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary from 1974 until his retirement in June 2004. Elder Arthur F. Mosley served as the interim President-Dean from 2002-2005. Dr. Harold Bennett is the current President-Dean, and he was selected to lead the Seminary in 2005.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, on the one hand, provides opportunity for students to study with faculty, who have PhD’s and published books, articles, commentaries, and other professional and scholarly literature on the Bible, Hermeneutics, Theology, Ethics, Church History, Missions, Church Administration, Pastoral Care and Counseling, and other subjects in Religious studies. It is noteworthy that members of the faculty from the ITC are members of the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Academy of Religion, The Society for Pentecostal Studies, The Society for the Study of Black Religion, and a host of other professional associations related to the study and professional practice of Religion and Theology. As it was said above, students who attend the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary at the ITC study with faculty who received their PhD`s in Religion and Theology from Vanderbilt, Yale, Harvard, Emory, Boston University, Duke, and other top-tier research and graduate degree-granting institutions.
The Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary, on the other hand, provides opportunity for students to interact and receive instruction and training from current leaders and officials of the Church of God in Christ on major social, historical, theological, and ethical issues that affect the Christian community in general and the Church of God in Christ in particular. This type of instruction takes the form of forums, lectures, presentations, and other methods of exposure made possible by the introduction of technology in the classroom. What is more, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary sponsors conferences, symposia, dialogues, and other types of formal meetings, which examine specific issues in the life of the Church of God in Christ and Pentecostal studies.
The first class to graduate from the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary in 1972 was the following: Dorothy Webster Exumé, Calvin D. Kinsey, Isaac Richmond, and John P. Ruth and, since its inception, the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary has graduated forty-six classes. Moreover, alumni of the Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary are Bishops, Pastors, and Superintendents in the COGIC, and Chaplains in Hospitals and Prisons. Charles H. Mason graduates are administrators and faculty at Colleges, Universities, and Graduate Schools across the United States. Our graduates also are authors, conference speakers, musicians, public school teachers, and Chaplains in the military, hospitals, hospice centers, and in other institutions.
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Thursday January 01, 2026 (EST)
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