Raising Up Leaders        Focusing on Positive Systemic Change       Supporting Urban Churches in Ministry

About the Metro-Urban Institute

The Lord says…“the New Jerusalem I make will be full of joy…there will be no weeping…no calling for help. Babies will no longer die in infancy, and all people will live out their life span.” Isaiah 65:17-20

Pittsburgh Theological Seminary has been preparing leaders for Christian ministry for more than 200 years. In 1991, the Seminary initiated the Metro-Urban Institute (MUI) to help churches address growing concerns related to urban living. 

MUI has become an important resource for those concerned with “the welfare of the city” (Jeremiah 12:7) whether or not they actually live in urban areas. 

Trusting in God as revealed in Jesus Christ of the Holy Spirit, the Metro-Urban Institute encourages inter-disciplinary and inter-faith approaches to solving social problems and reconciling human beings to God and to one another. 

Theological education in this context is both theoretical and practical and seeks to encourage compassionate ministries of justice, service, and advocacy, while promoting systematic change to improve the quality of urban life.

Recent Urban Intensive

Race, Religion & Reconciliation: A Conversation About Saving Our Communities was held April 3-5, 2008. Race and religion are often viewed as prominent factors in social alienation instead of resources for reconciliation. During the conference stakeholders discussed how we can use these factors as a means for reconciling our communities. View highlights from the conference.

“They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity...Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox…” Isaiah 65:23-25