Truett Seminary Launches New Master of Arts in Theology and Healthcare
Waco, Texas (October 2, 2024) – Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary is pleased to announce the launch of the Master of Arts (MA) in Theology and Healthcare beginning in the summer of 2025.
Under the direction of Jason Whitt, PhD, senior lecturer of the Medical Humanities in the Honors Program at Baylor University, this new degree at Truett Seminary aims to provide theological and spiritual foundations for students intending to enter the medical field.
“In concert with the physician’s vow codified in the Hippocratic Oath to ‘do no harm’ and in keeping with a number of commitments and imperatives articulated in Baylor’s recently released strategic plan Baylor in Deeds, we are pleased to announce the advent of this new academic degree program,” said Todd D. Still, PhD, dean of Truett Seminary. “As a vibrant, innovative seminary embedded into a Christian R1 university, this is precisely the kind of degree that we can—and are called—to offer.”
As the Seminary addresses the growing need for theological and spiritual preparation among future healthcare professionals, the MA in Theology and Healthcare provides intensive training in Scripture, theology, ethics, and spiritual formation. Designed as a gap-year program, this degree offers students the opportunity to engage with consequential matters related to illness, suffering, and the dynamics of healthcare in the United States. In addition to interdisciplinary electives and practitioner seminars across Baylor’s campus, students will be grounded in a holistic understanding of faith and healthcare, preparing them for the next step in their medical training.
“The world needs Christians serving in healthcare who are prepared to address the current and emerging challenges of contemporary medicine, and who can draw upon the truths of the faith that have oriented our care for the suffering through the ages,” said Whitt. “As women and men versed in the biblical, theological, and spiritual resources of the Christian tradition, graduates will be equipped not to be only skilled technicians, but also truly good practitioners who embody faithful care oriented by the love of Christ.”
Whitt holds a BA in Religion and a PhD in Theology from Baylor University as well as a MDiv from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. An ordained Baptist minister, Whitt served as a youth minister and hospice chaplain before coming to Baylor as the associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Faith and Learning and adjunct faculty in the Medical Humanities Program. Whitt is now senior lecturer in the Honors Program, teaches courses in Medical Humanities, and serves as faculty steward for the Honors Residential College.
“The Seminary is truly fortunate to benefit from the wisdom and expertise of colleagues around the University,” said Angela Reed, PhD, Truett’s associate dean for academic affairs, associate professor of practical theology, and director of Spiritual Formation. “Dr. Whitt is an excellent example of this. He is committed to the training of college graduates who are eager to work in healthcare and want to explore this calling from a Christian perspective. Dr. Whitt provides something that the seminary needs – an instructor and administrator who will help us to come alongside these future medical professionals and assist them in preparing to serve at the frontlines of care in communities nearby and around the globe. I can think of no one better to support seminary students in this way.”
For those interested in learning more about this program and other degrees at Truett Seminary, learn more from our website or request more information here.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.
ABOUT GEORGE W. TRUETT THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
George W. Truett Theological Seminary is an orthodox, evangelical, multi-denominational school in the historic Baptist tradition embedded into Baylor, a Christian R1 University. Truett’s mission is to equip God-called people for gospel ministry in and alongside Christ’s Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Baptist World Alliance, Truett Seminary provides theological education leading to the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Master of Arts in Contextual Witness and Innovation, Master of Arts in Theology, Ecology and Food Justice, Master of Arts in Theology and Sports Studies (online), Master of Theological Studies, Doctor of Ministry, and PhD in Preaching. In addition to a number of distinctive programs, institutes, and centers, Truett Seminary also offers joint degrees through Baylor University school/college partnerships in social work, business, law, music, and education. Besides its flagship Baugh-Reynolds Campus in Waco, the Seminary also has locations in Houston and San Antonio. Visit the Truett Seminary website to learn more.