In 1984, leaders of 12 theological schools in the Chicago area banded together to create an official association. This allowed the schools to create vast libraries that students and educators of each school could use. Eleven schools of varying theological and denominational affiliations participate in the association, as of 2011.
Of the 11 schools in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools, there are many programs of study offered. Degrees awarded by participating schools range from urban ministry certifications to doctorates of ministry. Many of the schools also offer various lectures and theology classes to the public. The combined number of courses of schools in the association total more than 900 and are taught by more than 400 faculty members.
There are more than 2 million volumes in the collective libraries of the Association of Chicago Theological Schools, with an additional 5,000 current periodicals. These libraries are shared by students from each school and are supplemented with various bookstores. Many online courses and resources are also available to students enrolled in participating schools.
The 11 schools in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools include Trinity Evangelical, Mundelein Seminary, North Park, Garrett-Evangelical and Seabury-Western, Catholic Theological Union, Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago Theological Seminary, Meadville Lombard and McCormick and Northern Baptist.
All of the schools allow students to take courses at other schools in the network, and often allow for cross-registration. Cross-registration is a means of registering for courses at multiple schools without significantly increasing tuition costs. The sharing of resources among these schools provides students with an efficient way to receive a well-rounded -- or multidenominational -- education in theology.