Nashotah House was founded in 1842 by three young deacons of the then-Protestant Episcopal Church:
James Lloyd Breck,
William Adams, and
John Henry Hobart, Jr., who were all recent graduates of the
General Theological Seminary in
New York City. Bishop
Jackson Kemper had asked them to undertake this task.
Gustaf Unonius was the first graduate.
Theological tradition Nashotah House was, from the beginning, a center for
High Church thought and discipline. Breck served as the first dean, and was highly committed to the principles of the
Oxford Movement, which in part revived liturgical practices. Later, noted professors such as
James DeKoven would bring
Anglo-Catholic worship and practice to the seminary. It included daily celebration of the
Eucharist and the liturgical use of
vestments, candles, and incense. Nashotah identifies as being within the orthodox Anglo-Catholic tradition. Overall, the faculty support traditional theology and conceptions of Christian doctrine, in opposition to liberal theologies. Historically, the school had a reputation for admitting only high-church seminarians, although the school has sought to broaden its appeal to other forms of churchmanship. Nonetheless, as of 2023, Nashotah House was the only seminary affiliated with the Episcopal Church that does not admit students who have entered into same-sex marriages.
21st century In the 21st century, Nashotah House has dealt with various challenges associated with the 2009 split within The Episcopal Church, during which several theologically conservative parishes broke away to form the
Anglican Church in North America. Unlike
Trinity Anglican Seminary, which disaffiliated from TEC in 2022, Nashotah House remains affiliated with TEC, although it educates students from other denominations in the Anglican tradition. In 2023, 45% of seminarians were affiliated with TEC, 45% were affiliated with ACNA, and 10% were affiliated with other denominations. TEC students outnumber ACNA students in the residential M.Div. program. Robert Munday led Nashotah House from 2001 to 2011. He enjoyed the longest tenure for a dean in school history, but was criticized for what some called his "overly sympathetic" attitude towards the ACNA. During his tenure, he also pushed to reconcile the precarious financial standing of the seminary by selling property, including lots on the banks of Lower Nashotah Lake. Jefferts Schori had previously sought to steer away prospective students from Nashotah House. who cited Jefferts Schori's policy of suing breakaway ACNA parishes to keep their resources within TEC, as well as what they considered her heretical views. Two bishops who were members of the Nashotah House Board of Trustees resigned or distanced themselves from the school; one of the bishops' dioceses had been sued by Jefferts Schori after joining the ACNA and not relinquishing property held in trust by TEC. During the mid-2010s, enrollment dipped significantly, falling from 110 full-time students (143 total) in 2012–13 to 52 full-time equivalent students in 2017. He was succeeded by religious historian Lauren Whitnah, the first woman to lead the seminary in 182 years. The seminary typically runs at a significant deficit, and the endowment stood at $10-11 million in 2023; it was $10 million in 2011. ==Academics==