professor speaking to students in class

School of Theology

Become Equipped for Transformational Ministry

The School of Theology cultivates a vibrant Christ-centered community dedicated to real-world ministry, guided by expert faculty who are deeply invested in their students’ growth. Through programs in biblical studies, Christian ministries, philosophy, theology, and youth and family ministries, students are equipped to integrate a resilient Christian faith with academic excellence and a vision for their life in the world. With excellent preparation for seminary, church and parachurch ministry and leadership, and Christian educational ministry, students can also take advantage of additional resources and support available through the Center for Vocational Ministry.

The School of Theology prepares students to integrate a resilient Christian faith with academic excellence and a vision for their life in the world.

Rooted in the Wesleyan theological tradition, Azusa Pacific University's Undergraduate School of Theology aims to:

  • Nurture critical thinking and habits of the mind that move beyond the superficial.

  • Create space for exploring important and pressing questions within a Christian context, preparing students to be a compelling presence in a diverse world. 

  • Inspire curiosity and imagination about the historical and cultural forces that shape the world of the Bible and our interactions with it.

  • Deepen students’ capacity for theological and moral reflection rooted in Scripture and its interplay with tradition, reason, and experience.

  • Model a value for human and cultural diversity as a pathway toward virtuous engagement with the world. 

Faculty Spotlight

Now, as a professor in Azusa Pacific University’s School of Theology, Birge gets to help students wrestling with similar questions, guiding them as they learn more about God and refine their faith. “I’m not afraid of students who ask difficult questions. Truly, the only non-faithful response is to stop asking,” she said.

birge wearing yellow posing

About the Dean

Bill McCoy headshot
Bill McCoy, PhD, comes to APU with 20 years of prior experience working in Christian higher education, primarily at Eastern Nazarene College, where he served four years as chief academic officer. Prior to that role, he was a faculty member teaching a range of courses in African and European history. He holds a PhD in African history, with additional specialties in modern British history and anthropology, from Boston University. His dissertation, Healing the Leper? Mission Christianity, Medicine, and Social Dependence in 20th Century Swaziland, led to multiple publications in industry journals.

McCoy is passionate about the transformative power of higher education integrated with deep Christian faith. His primary goal for the College of Arts, Humanities, Sciences, and Theology is to cultivate a community of scholars who embody that transformative integration and celebrate its fruit in each other’s lives and in the world around us.

Contact Information

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (626) 815-5496

Hours

Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Location

Duke Academic Complex
static map of school of theology's location