FORGE Values

Redemption Seminary’s core values are the product of applying its statement of faith to its mission and ministry as a religious educational institution. It has five core values with faithfulness being the primary core value.

Faithfulness

It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you;
he will not leave you or forsake you. (Deut 31:8)

Faith in the Christian God and his faithfulness is the primary core value of the seminary. The seminary trusts in the Lord for provision, protection, wisdom, comfort, compassion, and love. All institutional commitments and strategies are founded upon faith in the word of God as preserved for us in the Bible. This provides a foundation for faithfulness and loyalty toward one another. Long-term growth is best fostered in an atmosphere of safety where the school is always looking for ways to understand and assist when there is a weakness. This type of faithfulness is necessary for an atmosphere of honesty and authenticity within the institution. As a faithful institution, it seeks to build up the body of Christ by educating individuals and supporting churches in this effort.

Optimization

Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
and virtue with knowledge. (2 Pet 1:5)

Excellence requires continual optimization. The personal relationship between professors and students is an essential aspect of Redemption’s excellence and effectiveness. Included within this idea of optimization is the personal investment in the success and growth of each student. This is the most valuable aspect of educational services and a mark of quality education. 

Optimization avoids wastefulness and maximizes efficiency. This is accomplished by focusing faculty efforts on the most dynamic aspect of learning (mentoring), delivering information asynchronously (recordings), minimizing administrative overhead costs, and passing the savings on to the students. Redemption Seminary is committed to maximizing the amount of quality it provides within affordable programs. The program price is established based upon what a median wage earner can afford without taking on debt. Accreditation is a confirmation of academic quality and allows the degree to have maximum value and recognition for the student’s achievement.

Respect

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another
above yourselves. (Rom 12:10)

Honoring the image of God in everyone and valuing their callings and contexts is central to the command to love one another. The core value of respect for others allows for appreciating difference and diversity among people and callings. It also allows the safety required to voice disagreement. Respect for one another is the basis for the seminary’s inclusive approach to students. Instead of being a school merely for the elite, Redemption is a school for the interested and will seek to foster growth at all levels.

Responsive student-centric systems provide examples of respectfulness. Students choose their mentor professors, and—if available—whether they meet in person or remotely. Students register for terms that fit their life schedule. Students can retake courses and have multiple attempts to complete assignments. Students can work ahead in courses that they feel would take them longer to complete than the time allowed within a term. Mentor-professors adapt student work to correlate to the students’ strengths, weaknesses, and context.

Respect extends beyond the institution. Redemption Seminary values the collaboration of external partners who also provide theological education. The school pursues both structured and informal collaboration with other kingdom-minded ministries, networks, denominations, and seminaries to help enhance access to theological education across the board.

Respect is also the basis for integrity. In order for our educational relationships to be authentic, we must be honest with one another and ourselves. This is why we value being transparent and honest with how we present ourselves to the world.

Growth

Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that
all may see your progress. (1 Tim 4:15)

Personal growth for students is a central aspect of learning. Institutional growth doesn’t merely refer to size but also refers to ways the institution serves students, faculty, and staff through innovation and adaptability. Redemption Seminary embraces a culture of innovation that regularly assesses all aspects of the institution’s programs and seeks creative ways to increase the value it provides to the students.

Encouragement

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up. (1 Thess 5:11)

The seminary welcomes everyone who desires to grow in their theological understanding. The task for the school is to meet students where they are and help them flourish. Successful completion of the first course shows that they have the aptitude to complete a whole program. The seminary respects and accommodates different learning styles and speeds. There are no high stakes “weed-out” exams. All assignments, assessments, and outcomes are geared to allow students the grace and time they need to succeed. The default grade for not achieving a required outcome by the end of a term is “Incomplete” rather than “Fail.”  Students are encouraged to continue working until they succeed.