Salt Lake Theological Seminary graduated its first class of Master of Divinity students at First United Methodist Church on Saturday.
Board Chairman Jeffrey Silliman described the "significant milestone" as a "historic occasion in the life of our seminary and our institution."
Donald McCullough, the school's president, said the event brings the seminary closer to applying for accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools.
Silliman also reported that the seminary exceeded its fund-raising goal of $500,000 by $14,000. If the goal was not reached, the school may have been forced to sell its building.
On Saturday, five students graduated from the seminary with a Master of Divinity degree. In addition, the seminary presented certificates and diplomas to other students in Christian studies.
"Those of us who give our lives to the enterprise of theological education surely hope that . . . it answers one question: Who is God?" McCullough said in his commencement address. "You'll be doing the work of building up the body of Christ and if your work is anything like mine, it will be exciting."
McCullough said true graduation is not becoming a chaplain, counselor, teacher or preacher, but becoming a witness of God.
Master of Divinity student Viliami Vakalahi was one of two student speakers who addressed the audience. After graduation, Vakalahi will be an assistant pastor at the Free Wesleyan Church in Utah.
"I was accepted into Salt Lake Theological Seminary, so I came with an attitude," Vakalahi said, eliciting laughs from the audience. "That attitude was I thought I knew the Bible. But I was wrong."
Vakalahi said he read the Bible and knew the Bible, but he had never studied the Bible until he became a student at the seminary.
"Studying the Holy Bible, you let the spirit explain to you," he said. "I feel that seminary is necessary training to equip the disciples of Christ."
Salt Lake Theological Seminary is an inter-denominational graduate school providing Christian education, leadership and training.
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