Historic ecumenical seminary in Maine that prepared Christian ministers for over 198 years before closing in 2013.
Bangor Theological Seminary offered graduate programs in Christian ministry and theological education, including the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts (M.A.), and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degrees. The seminary was accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and the Maine Board of Education. Its curriculum reflected an ecumenical approach, representing over a dozen religious traditions among its students and faculty.
Established in 1814 by Congregational ministers and lay leaders seeking to create a center of theological study in Northern New England, the seminary was originally chartered as the Maine Charity School. Under the leadership of Reverend Enoch Pond (president 1856–1882), it evolved into a respected theological institution. The seminary relocated to the Husson University campus in 2005 and closed in 2013, with its educational mission continued by the BTS Center, a non-profit offering professional development and non-degree programs.
The seminary's historic campus occupied an irregular city block in downtown Bangor bounded by Hammond, Cedar, Pond, and Union Streets. Notable buildings included Old Commons (1827–28), a chapel designed by William G. Morse (1858–59), and the Moulton Library (1959). The campus was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Since closure, the buildings have been repurposed; the chapel and gymnasium were purchased by the Bangor Masonic Foundation in 2009.