The historic seminary in Summerville is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, commemorating its founding in 1876 to educate formerly enslaved Black men for ministry. Originally established with the blessing of George David Cummins, the institution was founded by Peter Stevens, a former president of The Citadel.
After the Episcopal Church declined to ordain formerly enslaved men, Stevens worked with the Reformed Episcopal Church to create a seminary dedicated to training Black clergy. Decades later, the school established its permanent home in Summerville.
Historic St. Barnabas Chapel Preserved and Moved
Behind the seminary’s white house on South Main Street sits St. Barnabas Chapel, built around 1888 as part of a mission school operated by St. Paul’s Church. The school served Native American children and underprivileged students of other races before closing when public education became widespread.
When the chapel faced demolition in the 1940s, seminary leaders intervened. Students physically relocated the structure by rolling it across logs for more than a block to the North Main Street campus. In the 1970s, the chapel and seminary were moved again to their current location, with community fundraising supporting the effort.
Notable features of the chapel include cedar interior woodwork, handcrafted furnishings assembled without nails and original liturgical elements such as the pulpit, lectern and kneeling bench. Electricity was later added, and the bell tower was repositioned during the final move for visibility from the road.
Legacy of Faith and Community Celebration
Today, the chapel remains an active training ground for ministers in the Reformed Episcopal tradition. Seminary leaders say the building continues to serve as both a spiritual and historical landmark more than a century after its construction.
As part of the yearlong 150th anniversary celebration, Cummins Memorial Theological Seminary will host a memorial lecture at Trinity Anglican Church on March 20, honoring its enduring legacy in South Carolina’s religious and cultural history.
