Karlstadt Theological Seminary

Advanced master's degree

Master of Theology, History and Ecumenics

MTHE

A research-intensive online graduate degree in church history, historical theology, ecumenics, and global Christianity, designed for advanced scholarship and leadership.

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Degree level

Advanced master's degree

Program length

2 years full-time

Total credits

48 credits · 16 classes

Format

Fully online

Program vision

Historical scholarship for the global church

The Master of Theology, History and Ecumenics (MTHE) at Karlstadt Theological Seminary prepares students for doctoral studies, higher education teaching, ecclesiastical leadership, ecumenical engagement, historical research, and public theological scholarship.

Rooted in the classical Christian tradition while engaging contemporary global Christianity, the program develops advanced competency in historical theology, church history, ecumenical studies, research methods, theological writing, and interchurch dialogue.

Students critically analyze theological movements, historical developments, doctrinal traditions, and ecumenical relationships while developing original scholarly research suited to doctoral admission and academic publication.

Program at a glance

Degree requirements

Core curriculum

16 credits

History and Ecumenics specialization

18 credits

Electives and advanced concentration

14 credits

Program total

48 credits

Curriculum

Core curriculum

A 16-credit foundation in biblical interpretation, theological method, formation, and scholarly research.

MTHE 501

3 credits

Orientation to Old Testament and Exegesis

Foundations of advanced biblical interpretation, hermeneutics, historical context, and theological reading of the Old Testament.

MTHE 502

3 credits

Orientation to New Testament and Exegesis

Advanced interpretation of New Testament texts with attention to historical context and theological significance.

MTHE 503

3 credits

Doing Christian Theology

Methods of theological reflection, doctrinal development, constructive theology, and theological reasoning.

MTHE 5XX

3 credits

Theology, History and Ecumenics Core Elective

A focused graduate elective that deepens the historical, theological, or ecumenical foundations of the degree.

MTHE 5XX

3 credits

Formation, Pastoral Care, or Preaching Elective

A practice-oriented elective in formation, pastoral care, or preaching.

MTHE 690

1 credit

Senior Research Seminar

Preparation for doctoral research and thesis writing, including academic publishing, research proposals, conference presentations, advanced bibliography construction, and doctoral preparation.

Specialization

History and Ecumenics specialization

Students complete six advanced courses for 18 credits in historical theology, global Christianity, research methodology, and Christian unity.

MTHE 601

3 credits

Historical Theology I

Patristic and medieval theological development, including the Apostolic Fathers, Cappadocians, Augustine, monasticism, scholasticism, Anselm, Aquinas, and medieval ecclesiology. Includes a major research project.

MTHE 602

3 credits

Historical Theology II

Reformation through modernity: Luther, Calvin, Anglicanism, the Radical Reformation, Enlightenment and liberal theology, neo-orthodoxy, and contemporary systematic theology.

MTHE 603

3 credits

Historiography and Historical Methods

Advanced historical research, source criticism, archival methods, theological historiography, comparative analysis, and historical writing. Students complete a substantial historiographical review.

MTHE 604

3 credits

Global Christianity and World Christian Movements

Christianity as a global faith through mission history, Indigenous Christianity, Pentecostalism, migration, Southern Christianity, and world Christianity paradigms.

MTHE 605

3 credits

Ecumenical Theology and Interchurch Relations

The theological foundations and practical dimensions of Christian unity, including councils, doctrinal convergence, ecclesiology, sacramental theology, and contemporary ecumenical movements.

MTHE 606

3 credits

Seminar in Contemporary Theological Movements

Critical engagement with liberation, Black, public, ecological, political, and constructive theologies shaping the twenty-first-century church.

Individualized study

Advanced elective pool

Complete 14 additional credits from approved graduate offerings in theology, history, ecumenics, world Christianity, mission studies, or related disciplines.

Historical studies

  • The Reformation and Global Christianity
  • American Religious History
  • Evangelicalism and the Making of the Modern United States
  • History of Christian Missions
  • The History of Christian Education
  • Medieval Spirituality
  • Christianity and Empire

Theology

  • The Theological Question of Liberation
  • Trinity and Contemporary Theology
  • Christology in Historical Perspective
  • Theology of Culture
  • Political Theology and Public Life
  • Theological Anthropology

Ecumenical studies

  • Orthodox-Catholic Dialogues
  • Anglican Ecumenical Traditions
  • Free Church Ecclesiologies
  • Ecumenism and Global Christianity
  • Ecumenical Ethics
  • Interconfessional Dialogue

Religion and society

  • Christianity and Social Transformation
  • Theology and Human Rights
  • Public Theology in Global Context
  • The Spirituality of War
  • Religion and Peacebuilding
  • Church and Civil Society

Graduate capabilities

Program learning outcomes

Upon completion of the MTHE degree, graduates will be able to:

Historical competency

  • Critically interpret major periods of Christian history from the Apostolic Age through the contemporary church.
  • Analyze historical developments in doctrine, worship, mission, and ecclesial structures.
  • Evaluate primary historical sources using advanced historiographical methods.

Theological competency

  • Construct sophisticated theological arguments grounded in Scripture, tradition, reason, and historical inquiry.
  • Compare major theological traditions within Christianity.
  • Assess contemporary theological debates through historical and ecumenical lenses.

Ecumenical competency

  • Explain the histories and theological identities of major Christian traditions.
  • Engage in ecumenical dialogue with intellectual rigor and charitable understanding.
  • Evaluate global ecumenical movements and interchurch relationships.

Research competency

  • Conduct graduate-level theological research using primary and secondary sources.
  • Produce publishable academic writing according to recognized scholarly standards.
  • Design and complete a substantial research thesis demonstrating readiness for doctoral work.

Two-year degree plan

Year one

Fall semester

12 credits
  • Orientation to Old Testament and Exegesis (3)
  • Doing Christian Theology (3)
  • Historical Theology I (3)
  • Historiography and Historical Methods (3)

Spring semester

12 credits
  • Orientation to New Testament and Exegesis (3)
  • Historical Theology II (3)
  • Global Christianity and World Christian Movements (3)
  • Elective I (3)

Year two

Fall semester

12 credits
  • Ecumenical Theology and Interchurch Relations (3)
  • Seminar in Contemporary Theological Movements (3)
  • Elective II (3)
  • Elective III (3)

Spring semester

12 credits
  • Senior Research Seminar (1)
  • Elective IV (3)
  • Elective V (3)
  • Elective VI (3)
  • Elective VII (2)

Research formation sequence

Throughout the program, students build a portfolio that supports advanced scholarship and doctoral preparation.

Research Portfolio I

Annotated bibliographies, source reviews, and book reviews.

Research Portfolio II

Historiographical essays and an academic conference paper.

Research Portfolio III

An article-length theological study.

Doctoral Preparation Portfolio

A research proposal, writing sample, publication-ready paper, and academic curriculum vitae.

Comprehensive assessment requirements

Research examination

Demonstrate mastery of historical theology, church history, ecumenical theology, and global Christianity.

Major research paper

Complete a 20,000–25,000-word paper demonstrating original research, engagement with primary sources, and advanced scholarly argumentation.

Oral defense

Participate in a formal faculty examination of research findings, methodology, and contribution to theological scholarship.

Doctoral Research Distinction

Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or higher may pursue additional work toward MTHE with Doctoral Research Distinction, including a publishable article, faculty-reviewed research, a conference presentation, and approved research-language competency.

Graduate profile

Graduates are prepared to become thoughtful interpreters of the global church and contributors to its ongoing scholarship and service.

  • Advanced theological researchers and church historians
  • Ecumenical scholars and interchurch leaders
  • Future doctoral students and seminary educators
  • Academic writers and public theologians
  • Christian nonprofit leaders and historians of Christianity

Pursue pre-doctoral theological study

This research-intensive master's curriculum emphasizes historical scholarship, ecumenical engagement, advanced theological analysis, and preparation for PhD, ThD, or DPhil study.

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Historical depth. Ecumenical understanding. Faithful service.