December 18, 2023
Claremont School of Theology (CST) announced today that it has ended a more than seven-year litigation battle with the Claremont Colleges, Inc. (TCC) in order to sell its campus.
CST has been in a struggle to relocate from its 16.4-acre campus during major changes in graduate theological education and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with many other seminaries, CST has moved its teaching to a combination of remote-learning and in-person classes, which has greatly reduced its need for a large campus.
The litigation ended in arbitration with a sale price of $7.7 million, with the arbitrator basing her decision on applying a formula devised when the property was purchased in 1957.
“We are grateful to have this long litigation behind us and we look forward to crafting a future for the school, especially in light of the school relocating to Los Angeles at Westwood United Methodist Church,” said President Grant Hagiya. “We remain deeply committed to the mission of CST and its vital importance to the church and our world in these times and eagerly look forward to the new chapter of the life of CST that is now launched,” Hagiya said.
CST will be hosting “Reigniting Our Future,” an event held at its new campus, located at Westwood United Methodist Church on February 25, 2024. This free event will allow those in attendance to hear about future plans for the school and receive a tour of its new facilities. Register for the event at: CST.edu/FUTURE.
The school will also host two events on Sundays in February and March 2024 to celebrate the move to Los Angeles. “CST Day” will be celebrated in all of the congregations in the California-Pacific and Desert Southwest Conferences of The United Methodist Church on Sunday, February 11, 2024, and Sunday, March 3, 2024, respectively. “CST Day” will be a time for local churches to celebrate CST during its Sunday worship services and help fund student scholarships.
Claremont School of Theology, a leading theological school in the West, has been in Claremont, CA, since 1957. It was previously located on the campus at the then Methodist-affiliated University of Southern California (USC) before moving to Claremont. The school will continue to offer all its current degree programs at its new location, strategically located within walking distance from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a short distance from USC. The name of the school will remain Claremont School of Theology. A video history of the school can be viewed here: https://cst.edu/about/mission-history/
Claremont School of Theology is United Methodist in origin and affiliation and ecumenical and interreligious in spirit. CST is one of 13 United Methodist seminaries.
