Master of Arts in Theology & Culture
Theological formation for leaders
who serve, heal, and create.
2 years to complete
39 credit hours of coursework
2 residency gatherings
The Master of Arts in Theology & Culture (MATC) is designed for those who feel called to the intersectional work of healing, justice, creativity, and leadership. If you are an artist, activist, ministry leader, or seeker at a vocational crossroads, this two-year, low-residency graduate program offers a path of theological formation that is rooted in your story and context.
Here, theology is not just studied, it’s lived. You’ll engage deeply with scripture, tradition, and culture through a curriculum that weaves together theological reflection, psychological insight, and embodied spiritual practice. Alongside an eclectic cohort of fellow learners, you’ll explore the pressing questions of our time: What does it mean to be human? Where is God at work in our world? How do we participate in that work with wisdom, compassion, and courage?
A Program Model That Forms the Whole Person
This program balances the flexibility of an online degree with the depth of a residential learning experience. Students engage in weekly, interactive online coursework and attend four in-person gatherings—intensive, retreat-style residencies designed to foster relational connection, embodied learning, and spiritual formation. This low-residency model allows students to remain rooted in their own communities and vocations while engaging deeply with coursework, peers, and faculty.
In your first year, you’ll engage with a Common Curriculum shared with future therapists looking to heal trauma, ministers reigniting the passion for their calling, and artists curating moments of beauty in cultural spaces. This interdisciplinary foundation brings theology into conversation with psychology, narrative, and lived experience.
“In your second year, your learning deepens through an immersive Apprenticeship experience. The year culminates with a Capstone Integrative Portfolio that brings together your passions, theological insights, and vocational commitments. This isn’t theory for theory’s sake—it’s a chance to design meaningful work that matters where you are and bring innovative ideas to life.
Whether you pursue a specialization in The Arts, Community Development, or Ministry, your learning will be shaped by a guiding vision: transformation through relationship, reflection, and rootedness in context.
“True collaborative change work happens at the intersection of beauty, justice, and community.”
Ron Ruthruff, DMin
Associate Professor of Theology & Culture Meet Our Core Faculty
Distinctives of the MATC Program
- Integrative Learning grounded in theology, psychology, and culture
- Contextual Apprenticeship that turns your vocation into your classroom
- Capstone Portfolio that gives voice to your emerging theological vision
- Community of peers, mentors, and fellow practitioners
This is a program for those who long to serve God and neighbor through transforming relationships. Who sense that theology must be both intellectually honest and emotionally resonant. Who want to do the hard, beautiful work of becoming whole—and helping others do the same.
“When Naomi Wachira entered The Seattle School she had many questions about her faith. What she found was a community that welcomed her questions and encouraged her to explore them more deeply through her greatest passion: music.”
Naomi Wachira Explore MATC Voices
Bring Theology to the Place You Call Home
The MATC: Community Development Specialization is for those who want to show up fully in their communities with courage, wisdom, and hope. If you believe that small, faithful acts of presence can lead to real change—this is your path. Request more information or apply today, and we’ll send you everything you need to know in order to begin your journey.