Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary has been welcomed as an Affiliated Ministry of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), deepening a longstanding relationship between the seminary and the Anglican community and strengthening Gordon-Conwell’s work to prepare students across denominations for ordained ministry.

Earlier last summer, the ACNA approved Gordon-Conwell’s application for Affiliated Ministry status and, by the summer’s end, the relationship had been formalized through an Affiliated Ministry Agreement. The ACNA described the collaboration as an “enhanced relationship” intended to strengthen the province’s partnership with ministry organizations.

The new affiliation builds upon Gordon-Conwell’s well-established connection to the ACNA through the seminary’s Anglican Formation Program, one of only four seminary Anglican tracks approved by the ACNA for the formation of priests and deacons. Gordon-Conwell is the only one of those four to have also received Affiliated Ministry status.

The program is led by the Rev. Dr. David Currie, dean of the seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program and professor of pastoral theology. He and his wife, the Rev. Dr. Susan Porterfield Currie, also serve as assisting clergy at the Church of the Cross (ACNA) in Boston. Speaking of the new affiliation, Dr. Currie shares, “Strengthening ties between Gordon-Conwell and the ACNA reflects our shared commitment to historic orthodoxy and global engagement. I have valued my interactions with the other approved tracks and Anglican seminaries over the years and am delighted to now share a formal relationship with other Affiliate Ministries that have shaped Gordon-Conwell’s Anglican Formation Program, such as the Matthew 25 Initiative and the New Wineskins Missions Network.”

The two designations—the approved track for the Anglican Formation Program and Affiliated Ministry status—are distinct. The approved-track designation pertains specifically to the in-house theological and ministerial formation, enabling students preparing for Anglican ministry to pursue theological education within the seminary’s broader evangelical and multidenominational community. The newer Affiliated Ministry category casts a broader net to include a variety of organizations in relationship with the ACNA, including seminaries, mission agencies, ministry organizations, religious societies, and sodalities.

Under the affiliation agreement, Gordon-Conwell subscribes to the shared commitment described in the ACNA’s Fundamental Declarations that includes the church’s mission to reach North America with the gospel. The seminary commits to working collaboratively with the province and other Affiliated Ministries in advancing this mission.

The affiliation comes as Gordon-Conwell prepares for a new season of recruiting for its Anglican partnerships and explores relationships with additional dioceses, as well as other denominations. Together with its existing approved formation track, the new status gives prospective Anglican students another indication of Gordon-Conwell’s well-established and dynamic relationship with the ACNA in keeping with its mission to equip Christian leaders to “think theologically, engage globally, and live biblically.”

Learn more by visiting our Anglican partnership page.