HISTORY OF UNIVERSAL SEMINARY

Universal Seminary was founded by Bishop Rhodonn Starrus on September 10, 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It was incorporated as a nonprofit Delaware corporation on that date.  The Seminary moved to Boulder, Colorado on June 6, 1972.  The Seminary was incorporated as a Colorado nonprofit corporation and the name was changed to Universal  Theological Seminary on June 13, 1994.  The Seminary was reincorporated on June 11, 1997 as Universal Seminary.  In 1998 the Seminary closed their classrooms in Boulder, Colorado and moved their administrative offices to Houston, Texas.  Instruction since that time has been conducted over the Internet, by telephone, e-mail and audiotapes.

Bishop Rhodonn Starrus was born Matthew William Shaw on April 26, 1905 the third of seven children to William and Elizabeth Shaw of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and passed away on May 18, 1997 at the age of 92.  He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Judith and two brothers Robert and Edward Shaw.  Bishop Starrus is survived by his only daughter Susan Raney and two grandchildren Robert and Susan Raney.

Reverend Shaw was ordained as a Universalist Minister on October 23, 1942 and served as a Chaplain with the U.S. Army during World War Two.  He founded Universal Seminary in 1952 and joined the Universal Gnostic Church founded by the Apostles Omar Zasluchy and Owen Symanski in 1952 when the Universalist Church merged with the Unitarian Church that same year.  Reverend Starrus moved the Universal Seminary to Boulder, Colorado in 1972.  He served as President of Universal Seminary from September 1952 until his death. 

Reverend Shaw was elevated to the rank of Apostle by Apostle Symanski, who was then Presiding Apostle of the Universal Gnostic Church on December 23, 1974 and took upon himself the ecclesiastical name of Rhodonn Starrus at that time.  (The title "Apostle" has since been replaced by the title "Bishop.")  He was consecrated a Gnostic bishop on September 10, 1994 by Most Reverend Dr. Betty Jean McCloud Reeves, presiding Archbishop of the Universal Gnostic Church, assisted by Archbishop Dr. John F. Gilbert and Bishop Santu Little Dog Peltier.

With the passing of President Starrus in 1997 Mother Betty Jean McCloud Reeves, D.D. became the President of Universal Seminary.  During her tenure as president, Mother Betty caused the name of the Seminary to be changed from Universal Theological Seminary back to Universal Seminary in honor of its founder Dr. Starrus.  At the end of 1998, Mother Betty decided the future of the Seminary was in doing workshops, seminars and teaching courses over the Internet.  She implemented several changes and in December 2000, appointed Professor Leonard Richards, Th.D.  to be her replacement effective January 2001.

Dr. Richards continues to serve as the President of Universal Seminary.