History
Pierson Memorial Bible Academy, the predecessor of The Pierson Graduate School of Theology, was established to commemorate the Bible, Union, and Mission spirit of Dr. Arthur T. Pierson, a world-famous preacher, Bible teacher, theologian, and missionary activist. He had a great influence on the evangelical mission movement in the United States and England.
Dr. Pierson visited Joseon in early December 1910 and witnessed the amazing fruits of missionary work and the enthusiasm of Christians for Bible study and was deeply moved. Afterward, he accepted the missionaries' request and promised to establish a Bible academy, but unfortunately died in June 1911 at his home in Brooklyn, New York, due to an illness.
Later, Arthur Pierson's eldest son, Delavan L. Pierson, followed the will and organized the Pierson Memorial Committee, composed of Dr. Pierson's friends, in the United States and England. He also appointed Horace G. Underwood, his missionary companion, who was influenced by Dr. Pierson during his seminary days, as the first chairman and director of the Local Memorial Foundation in Joseon. Then, on September 28, 1911, the Union Bible School (Director: Underwood), which started within the Methodist Hyupseong Seminary in Naengcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, was merged, and on September 18, 1912, Pierson Memorial Bible Academy was opened.
Thanks to the support of the Pierson Memorial Committee (Chairman: Robert Spear, Director: Dellervan Pierson), around 1914, the land was purchased at 89 Sinmun-ro 2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Then, in 1917, the main building of Pierson Memorial Bible Academy was completed, and in 1918, the men's dormitory was completed.
Pierson Memorial Bible Academy was initially operated by the North Presbyterian Church and the South-North Methodist Church as an ecumenical evangelical united institution. However, both Methodist churches, which could not provide financial support for the operation of the academy due to the Great Depression, were withdrawn from management in 1935. After that, the North Presbyterian Church took the lead and took over the management but adhered to the founding philosophy of the ecumenical spirit of unity.
Pierson Memorial Bible Academy focuses on nurturing people as Bible teachers and educating prospective candidates who want to enter the seminary. The Bible education course was provided so that students could receive pre-education before going on to each seminary, the Presbyterian Church, or Methodist Church. Therefore, it was able to contribute greatly to nurturing early Korean Christian leaders and evangelizing the nation. The academy also supported an anti-Japanese independence movement led by Yoo Jae-heon, a student at Pierson Memorial Bible Academy in protest against Japanese colonial rule. An independence movement was planned in the Pierson Memorial Bible Academy dormitory, and a large-scale national campaign was also prepared by printing tens of thousands of epigraphs.
The academy closed voluntarily in protest against the Japanese imperialism's forced shrine worship (1941-1945) and reopened with the liberation on August 15, 1953. In 1968, the name of the school was changed to Pierson Bible Theological School. After that, Gi-Heung Jo, the current president of Pyeongtaek University, re-established the university as a four-year university, and the name was changed to Pyeongtaek University in 1996.
Pierson Memorial Bible Academy is one of the oldest and most influential theological educational institutions in Korea. Here, In-Yeong Kim (Lead Pastor of Jeongdong First Methodist Church), Chang-Geun Song (Pyongyang Theological Seminary, Joseon Theological Seminary), Sang-Dong Han (Founder of Korea Presbyterian Church Gosin General Assembly and Gosin University), Chi-ho Yun (Founder of Gongsaengwon), Jae-Heon Yoo (Leader of an independence movement) and many leaders of many Korean churches were produced. The Dept. of Theology, the successor of Pierson Memorial Bible Academy, continues its 100-year history with unity and under the Bible, Union, and Mission spirit.
Dr. Pierson visited Joseon in early December 1910 and witnessed the amazing fruits of missionary work and the enthusiasm of Christians for Bible study and was deeply moved. Afterward, he accepted the missionaries' request and promised to establish a Bible academy, but unfortunately died in June 1911 at his home in Brooklyn, New York, due to an illness.
Later, Arthur Pierson's eldest son, Delavan L. Pierson, followed the will and organized the Pierson Memorial Committee, composed of Dr. Pierson's friends, in the United States and England. He also appointed Horace G. Underwood, his missionary companion, who was influenced by Dr. Pierson during his seminary days, as the first chairman and director of the Local Memorial Foundation in Joseon. Then, on September 28, 1911, the Union Bible School (Director: Underwood), which started within the Methodist Hyupseong Seminary in Naengcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, was merged, and on September 18, 1912, Pierson Memorial Bible Academy was opened.
Thanks to the support of the Pierson Memorial Committee (Chairman: Robert Spear, Director: Dellervan Pierson), around 1914, the land was purchased at 89 Sinmun-ro 2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Then, in 1917, the main building of Pierson Memorial Bible Academy was completed, and in 1918, the men's dormitory was completed.
Pierson Memorial Bible Academy was initially operated by the North Presbyterian Church and the South-North Methodist Church as an ecumenical evangelical united institution. However, both Methodist churches, which could not provide financial support for the operation of the academy due to the Great Depression, were withdrawn from management in 1935. After that, the North Presbyterian Church took the lead and took over the management but adhered to the founding philosophy of the ecumenical spirit of unity.
Pierson Memorial Bible Academy focuses on nurturing people as Bible teachers and educating prospective candidates who want to enter the seminary. The Bible education course was provided so that students could receive pre-education before going on to each seminary, the Presbyterian Church, or Methodist Church. Therefore, it was able to contribute greatly to nurturing early Korean Christian leaders and evangelizing the nation. The academy also supported an anti-Japanese independence movement led by Yoo Jae-heon, a student at Pierson Memorial Bible Academy in protest against Japanese colonial rule. An independence movement was planned in the Pierson Memorial Bible Academy dormitory, and a large-scale national campaign was also prepared by printing tens of thousands of epigraphs.
The academy closed voluntarily in protest against the Japanese imperialism's forced shrine worship (1941-1945) and reopened with the liberation on August 15, 1953. In 1968, the name of the school was changed to Pierson Bible Theological School. After that, Gi-Heung Jo, the current president of Pyeongtaek University, re-established the university as a four-year university, and the name was changed to Pyeongtaek University in 1996.
Pierson Memorial Bible Academy is one of the oldest and most influential theological educational institutions in Korea. Here, In-Yeong Kim (Lead Pastor of Jeongdong First Methodist Church), Chang-Geun Song (Pyongyang Theological Seminary, Joseon Theological Seminary), Sang-Dong Han (Founder of Korea Presbyterian Church Gosin General Assembly and Gosin University), Chi-ho Yun (Founder of Gongsaengwon), Jae-Heon Yoo (Leader of an independence movement) and many leaders of many Korean churches were produced. The Dept. of Theology, the successor of Pierson Memorial Bible Academy, continues its 100-year history with unity and under the Bible, Union, and Mission spirit.
- More about the Course
- The theological aspect of The Pierson Graduate School of Theology is ecumenical biblical evangelicalism. Based on this theological and historical understanding, our faculty educate Bible interpretation and exegesis. We are making efforts to produce preachers and pastors with humanity, spirituality, and intelligence so that the knowledge acquired through this can be transmitted correctly to the church and people.
- Career Information
- The Pierson Graduate School of Theology is an interdenominational seminary graduate school, but M.Div. graduates can be ordained as pastors at the Korea Presbyterian Church of Jesus Unified Pierson General Assembly established by our affiliated denomination and graduate alumni and can serve as pastors. They can also work in churches, mission organizations, and specialized Christian ministries.