For more than ninety years, the ATS Commission on Accrediting (COA) has helped guide and strengthen graduate theological education across the United States and
Canada. Taking the Longer View traces this influential history, from the groundbreaking 1918 gathering that sparked new cooperation among seminaries to the Commission’s
founding in 1934 and its steady development into a trusted partner in supporting quality, integrity, and formation in theological schools.
Drawing on extensive archival research, longtime accreditation leader Thomas M. Tanner offers the first comprehensive narrative of how the COA crafted and
revised its standards, navigated seasons of cultural upheaval, and encouraged schools to respond creatively and responsibly to change. Taking
the Longer View invites readers to reflect on a legacy defined by collaboration, imagination, and a commitment to learning that forms people for the complex work of
ministry.
Taking the Longer View is available both digitally and in print.
