In summer 2009, the board of trustees of the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary decided to name the new storefront building purchased across the road from its mansion campus The Willson Center. The name recognized the five Willson professors who have served RPTS (and thus the RP Church) since its simple beginnings in 1810. Each of the men will be honored by the new RPTS Willson Center name, along with professional framed photos of them in the new building’s lobby. Following are some brief highlights about these men and their ministry to the RP Church through their time at its seminary.

James R. Willson

Born 1780; died 1853. RPTS Professor, 1836–1851. Some of his writings have been republished as Political Danger (Crown & Covenant, 2009).

James McLeod Willson

Born 1807; died 1866. RPTS Professor from 1859–1866.

David Burt Willson

Born 1842; died Feb. 13, 1919. RPTS Professor from 1875–1916. At age 33, he was the youngest man ever elected to the faculty. He served RPTS for 41 years.

James Burt Willson

Born 1891; died 1976. Graduated from the seminary in 1914. Part-time professor from 1950–1953. Full-time professor of biblical languages and literature from 1953–1962. Again part-time professor from 1962–1964. He also served as the RPTS librarian.

S. Bruce Willson

Born July 26, 1910; died Sept. 12, 1999. Graduated from the seminary in 1936. In 1952, he became RPTS professor of church history and practical theology and church government. He became president of the seminary on Sept. 16, 1953, and later emeritus president in 1976. He continued to teach for two more years after stepping down and completed 25 years on the faculty.

One of the key programs that has made its home in the Willson Center, beginning this winter quarter, is the new RPTS Biblical Counseling Institute (BCI). BCI is designed to train future and current pastors in biblical counseling through observed and supervised counseling along with role play, in addition to offering more counseling courses.

The well-known Dr. George C. Scipione has joined RPTS to establish and direct the new Biblical Counseling Institute. He is the founder and former director of the Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship in San Diego, and a supervising fellow and board member of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors.

The first three units of the first floor of the Willson Center provide the RPTS Biblical Counseling Institute with administrative offices and counseling rooms, a conference room, and a classroom.

The Willson Center also will house a new library annex to handle overflow and allow RPTS to continue to acquire and cull books at industry standards. Married student housing also is currently provided in the already renovated second floor units of the building.

—Grant Van Leuven