Seminary Announces Newly Renamed “Division of Theological Studies”
Covenant Seminary is pleased to announce the renaming this spring of its Missional Theology Division to the Division of Theological Studies and the appointment of Dr. Robbie Griggs, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, as chair of the Systematic Theology Department within that division.
The name change is the result of an extensive process of review and evaluation conducted by the Seminary over the last year. That process included an email survey of alumni, a Theological Summit on campus involving alumni from the past four decades, and much discussion among Seminary faculty, board members, and PCA denominational leaders. The new name is designed to reinforce the goals and purpose of the division, and to clarify some of the confusion many within the PCA have felt surrounding the previous name.
As it did before the name change, the Division of Theological Studies comprises the departments of Systematic Theology, Historical Theology, Apologetics, Christian Ethics, and World Mission. The Missional Theology name was created in 2016 to recognize the missionary impulse at the heart of all Christian theology, as stated in the Great Commission command in Matthew 28 to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Though the concept and intent were biblical, the term “missional” has been the source of much confusion and concern, the most serious of which was the inaccurate notion that Covenant Seminary had ceased to teach systematic theology. In fact, the Seminary’s systematic course sequence remained unchanged.
Dr. Tom Gibbs, President of Covenant Seminary, stated, “In light of our discussions over the last year, the faculty and I agreed that the name Division of Theological Studies would communicate more clearly the primary nature of the division while still conveying the broadness of the areas it encompasses. Other than the new name and the appointment of a new chair, nothing about the various interlocking departments contained within the division has changed or will be changing.”
The newly appointed chair of Systematic Theology, Dr. Robbie Griggs, has been serving in an interim capacity following the retirement last year of Dr. Michael Williams. He joined Covenant’s faculty in 2016 as Adjunct Professor of Systematic Theology, becoming Assistant Professor in 2017 and Associate Professor in 2020. He also serves as Director of the Master of Theology (ThM) Program. He holds a PhD in New Testament from Durham University, an MDiv from Covenant Seminary, and a BA in philosophy and BS in finance from the University of Missouri–Columbia. Dr. Griggs is an expert in New Testament theology and early Jewish theology, with research focusing on Paul’s theology of grace in Galatians in comparison with contemporary Jewish theologies of God as “giver.” Originally ordained in the EPC, Dr. Griggs was a pastor at Central Presbyterian Church (EPC) in St. Louis for eight years. He recently transferred his credentials to the PCA to better serve Covenant’s students as a denominational representative and mentor. Dr. Griggs and his wife, Jane-Ellis, have three boys.
Of his appointment, Dr. Griggs said, “As a former student of David Calhoun, David Jones, Robert Peterson, and Mike Williams, my life and ministry have been profoundly shaped by the training in systematic theology and church history I received at Covenant. So, I am humbled and honored to chair the Systematic Theology Department and to collaborate with colleagues within the Division of Theological Studies as we seek to form pastors and ministry leaders in the rich heritage of the Reformed faith.”
Dr. Gibbs noted, “We are excited to have Robbie in this new role and are grateful for his experience and expertise. His leadership in this area will help us continue to impress upon our students the beauty of Scripture’s unifying thread of grace as emphasized in biblical theology while equally prioritizing the traditional loci of systematic theology. This is core to the theological preparation we offer as we seek to train pastors, counselors, and ministry leaders in the Reformed tradition as expressed through the Westminster Standards.”
