911±¬ÁÏÍø

About AMBS

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Rooted in the Word, Growing in Christ

At 911±¬ÁÏÍø, we join in God’s shalom mission to renew and redeem the world.

Our work in Anabaptist theological education is rooted in the saving power of the life, death, resurrection and ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ, the Word of God.

As a Mennonite seminary and emboldened by the Holy Spirit, we collaborate with a widening circle of global Anabaptists along with other kindred spirits from various denominations, cultures and social locations. As a biblical seminary, we engage the Scriptures from an Anabaptist perspective. 

We are committed to teach and learn (trans)formational and intercultural readings of the Scriptures to better understand the character of God revealed in Christ and how we are called to be the Body of Christ in the world today.

Our mission

911±¬ÁÏÍø serves the church as a learning community with an Anabaptist vision, educating followers of Jesus Christ to be leaders for God’s reconciling mission in the world.

Our vision

AMBS will become an Anabaptist learning community that makes theological education accessible to and welcoming of Christians of increasingly diverse traditions, ethnicities and races to reflect more fully God’s purposes of unity and justice.

Our values

We cultivate the following core values as a learning community and commit to deliberate practices which shape a Christ-centered faith. The integration of these values guides our Christian formation in an Anabaptist perspective. 

  • Disciplined study of scripture, theology, and ministry
  • Practices of worship, community, and Christian discipleship
  • Effective and visionary leadership for the church
  • Anabaptist theology in conversation with the wider Christian church
  • Mission that integrates service, evangelism, and peacemaking

Learn more about our values

Our prayer

Trustworthy God,

you have called AMBS into being, sustained us through the years, and prepared a future for us.

By your Spirit’s transforming power reshape us as a learning community welcoming Christians of all tribes, tongues, people and nations to engage in Anabaptist theological education, so that we may more fully reflect your purpose to reconcile all things in Christ. Amen.

Our affiliations

911±¬ÁÏÍø is a binational seminary of and .

The life and witness of both denominations are guided by the 1995 . Both denominations are also national member churches of , which adopted seven .

AMBS is also one of the seminaries of the , the education agency of Mennonite Church USA.

Our Board of Directors

The AMBS board comprises members representing Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. Meet our Board of Directors.

Our history

The history of 911±¬ÁÏÍø is the story of cooperation, as two Mennonite groups established ministry training programs and reached out to strengthen those programs by joining with others. Learn more about our history.

Admission Policy

AMBS is committed to dismantling barriers to equality within the seminary and the communities where we live and serve. As part of this commitment, AMBS will make decisions regarding admission to study at AMBS without discrimination on the basis of age, race, religion, physical disability, national or ethnic origin, gender and sexual orientation. 

Community Life Commitment

Admission to AMBS assumes a commitment on the part of every student to join and participate in a community devoted to theological education and preparation for ministry, worship, study and the life of Christian faith. This community, whether on campus or at a distance, is part of and accountable to the church of Jesus Christ, the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, and the seminary’s sponsoring churches (Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA).

It is understood that all members of the seminary community will respect the confessions, convictions, values and commitments of the tradition and the churches that AMBS serves, and will respect other traditions represented in the community and in the places where members minister and learn.

It also is understood that members of the community will respect the core values of AMBS and the seminary’s commitment to antiracism and welcoming Christians of diverse traditions and ethnicities.

Candidates for ministry degree programs — the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Formation — are expected to be members in good standing of a Christian church.

Expectations for Our Work and Life Together

Diversity, respect and equality

  • As a learning community, we seek to nurture relationships of integrity.
  • We value diversity in our community and believe theological education is richer when we are in conversation with those who are different from us. 
  • We want all members of the AMBS learning community to have a voice.
  • We will respectfully engage differing opinions, following established conversation and classroom covenants.
  • We are Mennonite in affiliation and our primary teaching perspective, and we expect to be enriched by engagement with other Christian traditions. We welcome people to note differences and similarities in their own contexts with curiosity and respect. 
  • We acknowledge and work to dismantle racism (a combination of prejudice and power), sexism and all forms of oppression. 
  • We want people of all genders, racial-ethnic identities and economic backgrounds to have equal access to information, services and positions. 
  • We expect all members to avoid prejudicial attitudes and stereotyping.
  • We expect all members of the AMBS community to relate to each other in appropriate ways. Demeaning comments, sexual misconduct or harassment, abuse or assault are not tolerated; any infractions will be addressed following the Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures or other appropriate policy.

Safety and well-being

  • We are committed to fostering a welcoming, safe and secure campus environment.
  • Following campus policies (e.g., Security Policy Statement, Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures), we report concerning activity to an appropriate AMBS administrator, and we report emergencies to 911. 
  • We do not allow guns on campus.
  • We refer people asking for financial help to available community resources such as rather than giving money directly. 
  • We encourage healthy lifestyles, including exercise, good nutrition and the use of a primary care health provider.
  • AMBS prohibits the use of illegal drugs and the abuse of alcohol. Official AMBS-sponsored events are alcohol free, and we do not use AMBS funds to purchase alcohol. Out of care and respect for members of the community who may struggle with alcohol-related dependency, alcohol will not be stored in any shared spaces such as cupboards and refrigerators in Waltner Hall, Lambright Center, the Chapel, the guesthouses or shared spaces in campus apartment buildings. We do not allow smoking on campus. For more, see the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Policy.
  • We encourage everyone to pay attention to stress levels, depression and other forms of mental illness, and to seek assistance when necessary. 
  • We encourage spiritual formation through involvement in chapels, prayer times, spiritual direction and retreats, and local congregational involvement.

Reconciliation and mutual accountability

  • We care for creation by coexisting with wildlife on campus, recycling and conserving energy. 
  • We care about peace and justice on global, local and interpersonal levels. 
  • We will practice care, support and mutual accountability within appropriate boundaries and resources.
    • We will work at conflict and handle concerns in healthy ways, rather than avoiding it. 
    • We will refrain from using email to deal with sensitive matters. 
    • We will use the Conflict and Grievance Policy for addressing grievances and conflicts. This policy offers support for addressing conflict with a direct address, with the help of an advocate and other options. The policy considers issues of unequal power and cultural dynamics. 
    • We will watch out for each other’s well-being, offering support and counsel regarding concerns or matters related to AMBS while respecting personal boundaries.  
    • We will bring concerns with sensitivity and respond to concerns without defensiveness.
    • We can bring concerns about destructive behavior to the attention of the administration if direct address is not effective.

Who (and what) makes us unique?