Unafraid Since 1866
From enfranchising Chinese immigrants in the 1860s to ordaining the first LGBTQ clergy in the 1970s, PSR has lived and taught a radically inclusive gospel.
It feels like it’s just the beginning.
Ignite Institute's Change Happens Now Podcast: Healing Your Inner Voice with Lisa Asedillo
As a progressive Christian seminary and graduate school, PSR is firmly committed to serving the church and nonprofit organizations. PSR welcomes students from all denominations and religious backgrounds. We embrace diversity and are committed to racial, gender, sexual orientation, economic, and social justice.
Academics
Pushing the Boundaries of Theological Education
PSR’s innovative curriculum combines theological study with contextual education, cross-cultural immersion, spiritual formation, and professional development. We have both online and on-campus programs.
An advanced professional degree for experienced, spiritually rooted leaders and practitioners
Prepares students for ordained or lay ministry, related vocations, and further academic study (with concentrations in Congregational Ministry, Chaplaincy, and Sexuality and Religion)
Designed for students who are entering teaching ministries, as well as those who want to pursue an area of particular interest before taking a call
Equips students to think critically about socio-political dynamics and reflect constructively on the role played by religion and theological traditions in movements for social change
An opportunity for students from other professions to integrate theological studies into their practice, and preparation for doctoral studies
Offers a broad, yet comprehensive, education in theological studies across a range of disciplines
Offers students an opportunity to explore theological studies and vocational goals
A chance for those who are already engaged in social change, as well as those eager to embark on this vocational path, to combine spiritual formation and theological reflection in a cohort of changemakers, leadership skills for critically constructive social analysis, and immersive learning and practice with experienced mentors
Provides specialized leadership training in the theological, historical, ethical, pastoral, and practical dimensions of sexuality, sexual orientation, and gender identity
Deepens ministers’ theological education
Student Life
Building Community Through God's Presence
At PSR, you’re sure to be with others different from yourself. We welcome students who have diverse theological views and cultural backgrounds.
Upcoming Events
PSR Engage: Doctor of Ministry Panel
Latest News
Prayer Vigil and Community Note Regarding Initiation of War
With heavy hearts, we are taking in the sobering news that the United States has entered active military engagement with Iran, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities in a rapidly escalating conflict. As people of faith, we at PSR hold steadfast to our vision for a world where all can thrive. This requires us to recognize that every life is sacred. It challenges us to seek the peace that passes all understanding which, as Jesus says, is not achieved by the exercise of power and force that are the currency of this world.
Change Happens Now Podcast > Honoring the Life and Legacy of Rev. Dr. Dorsey Odell Blake
In this deeply moving Season 7 finale episode, we honor the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Dorsey Odell Blake, beloved faculty member, mentor, tireless advocate for justice, and prophetic voice in the Pacific School of Religion (PSR) community and beyond, who passed away in March 2025. Dr. Blake first came to PSR in 1968, during a time of national upheaval that he often compared to our own. Inspired by personal encounters with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other Civil Rights leaders, he pursued a theological education rooted in justice, compassion, and community. After graduating in 1971, he remained deeply connected to PSR, through transformative teaching that spanned more than five decades, serving as Professor of Leadership and Social Transformation at Pacific School of Religion (PSR) as well as Dean of the Faculty at Starr King School for the Ministry and pastor at The Fellowship Church founded by his mentor, Dr. Howard Thurman.
Reach Out to Our
Admissions Team
Our Centers
Pacific School of Religion is home to several centers that provide critical scholarship resources on some of today’s most cutting-edge theological, social, cultural, and ethical issues.
Badè Museum of Biblical Archaeology
Fostering a greater understanding of and appreciation for the ancient biblical world.
CLGS: Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion
Shaping a new public discourse on religion, gender, and sexuality.
Ignite
Institute
A leadership and innovation lab that develops visionary, socially-responsible leaders in both nonprofit and for-profit spaces.
Theological Education for Leadership
Special courses and seminars providing progressive, accessible Christian theological education year-round for clergy, laity, and spiritual seekers.
Graduate Theological Union
The most comprehensive center for the graduate study of religion in North America.
Alumnx & Giving
Ways to Give
Your gift allows students to apply a critical, theological lens to pressing social concerns and impacts the lives they touch through ministry, community building, and social transformation.
About Us
Mission and Fast Facts
Pacific School of Religion prepares a diverse cadre of spiritually rooted leaders with the vision, resilience, and skill to create a world where all can thrive.
Grounded in the rigorous study and faithful practice of progressive Christian faith, PSR partners with students of all backgrounds to deepen their spirituality and enhance their capacity to lead in transformative ways. Connected to a broad network of religious, educational, not-for-profit, and private sector organizations—with a particular commitment to the wisdom of historically marginalized communities—PSR offers an education that is marked by innovation, reflection, and excellence.
Pacific School of Religion is a member of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU), an interreligious consortium of seminaries and institutes in the San Francisco Bay Area. PSR is a non-profit founded in 1866 and is located in Berkeley, California.
