Christian Distance Learning

Northwest Nazarene University is a Christian liberal arts university fully committed to an educational process that pursues both intellectual and spiritual development. This pursuit is centered firmly in the Person of Jesus Christ, and is designed to instill a habit of mind that enables each student to become God's creative and redemptive agent in today's world.

The essential mission of the University is the development of Christian character within the philosophy and framework of genuine scholarship. The university seeks to achieve this mission in the following ways:

1. By providing a Christian community of scholars in which the faculty are expected to follow a life rooted in Christian values, pursue excellence in intellectual training, seek the integration of faith and learning, instruct students effectively, and contribute to the world of scholarship.
2. By integrating into all aspects of the institution a Christian perspective of life, summarized in the school motto, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God." It is intended that the student will acquire a basic understanding of both the Old and New Testaments and of Christian doctrine.
3. By emphasizing the scholarly pursuit of knowledge to equip the graduate for intellectual leadership in his or her social and professional environment.
4. By offering guidance toward a world view consonant with Christian teachings which will enable the student to play an effective role in building a better social order. The University desires that the student acquire a clear understanding of Christian beliefs and values and the ability to interpret these to others, discover some direction for finding a place of service in the Church, and develop a sense of obligation with respect to applying Christian principles to contemporary sociocultural problems.

The task of the University, as an institution of the Church of the Nazarene, shall be to serve the church by providing an educated laity and ministry, loyal to Christ, and by emphasizing the Wesleyan doctrine of perfect love. Its theological program, based upon the doctrines set forth in the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene, shall conserve, maintain, advocate, and promulgate the New Testament doctrine of Entire Sanctification or Christian Holiness.

Graduate Theological Online Education at Northwest Nazarene University

As technology changes, so does our world. These challenges touch nearly every area of our lives today. Christian ministry, the Church, and theological education are no exceptions.

For some time now, Northwest Nazarene University's School of Theology & Christian Ministries has been leveraging these technological advances and is on the leading edge of online education. Today we are one of the few accredited universities, colleges, and seminaries in the world to offer graduate religion degree programs in a fully online environment -- with no residential requirements whatsoever. NNU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the same respected accrediting body that certifies other leading educational institutions across the Pacific Northwest. These include the University of Washington, Oregon State University, Gonzaga University, and the University of Portland, to name just a few.

Over 200 men and women from various parts of the world are already alumni of our fully online programs, or are pursuing their Master of Divinity or Master of Arts degrees today in Missional Leadership, Pastoral Ministry, Christian Education, or Spiritual Formation.

We invite you to go deeper in your walk with God, prepare yourself for ministry in twenty-first century culture, be mentored by our strong faculty of gifted professors and experienced practitioners, and grow as part of a learning community of 15-20 other adult learners. The time is ripe to tap into the power of the Internet and learn like never before in our flexible, fully online programs.