Mission and Vision
At the Iona Collaborative, we believe in the power of small. Our core mission is to support the vitality of small congregations by providing Zoom-based continuing education and spiritual formation for small-church clergy and lay leaders, and by resources diocesan schools of formation for priests, deacons, and lay leaders serving in part-time and non-stipendiary roles. Supporting 36 dioceses across the Episcopal Church, the Iona Collaborative is a learning community of educators committed to helping local leaders and small congregations innovate for the Church of the future. We are proud to extend Seminary of the Southwest’s commitment to be a seminary for the whole Church, forming disciples of every order who are dedicated to their communities, grounded in the Anglican tradition, and prepared to lead a changing Church into a changing world.
History of the Iona Collaborative
In 563 St. Columba and his colleagues founded a monastery on the island of Iona off the west coast of Scotland. For centuries the monastery at Iona served as the primary center of literacy and learning in the region and was the missionary base for spreading Christianity among the people of the northern regions of what is now called Great Britain and into continental Europe.
Seminary of the Southwest builds on this heritage of the Iona Monastery. As a residential center of literacy and learning for over 65 years, Seminary of the Southwest has a strong legacy of forming people for the service of Christ in lay or ordained ministry within the church and the larger society.
Founded in 2012 as the Iona Initiative, the Iona Collaborative was incorporated into the Seminary in 2017. Through the Iona Collaborative, Seminary of the Southwest seeks to expand the scope and depth of its mission by serving as a hub for diocesan-based schools of formation and by supporting the ministries of locally formed clergy and lay leaders through Zoom-based continuing education, in-person retreats, and curricula designed specifically for small-church leaders.
Iona Staff
Contributing Faculty
The Rev. John Lewis, D.Phil.
Theologian in Residence,
Iona Collaborative
The Rev. Jane L. Patterson
Professor Emeritus,
Seminary of the Southwest
Seminary of the Southwest
Seminary of the Southwest stands boldly at the intersection of tradition and innovation. Rooted in the celebration of the theology, liturgy, and rich history of The Episcopal Church, Southwest lives within the fertile conversation among the creative solutions and powerful opportunities that will help the church thrive for generations. Learn more by visiting Seminary of the Southwest on the web.
