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The second reason why those in ministry do not last long in this field is due to a lack of emotional and spiritual support. Put simply, they burn out. Their ministries demanded too much of them and did not provide an adequate support structure that could alleviate pressures or protect them and their families from undue stress and burdens.

What trends do you see about how seminary education is changing?

Seminary education has become democratized. In this way, it largely reflects our North American culture, which is committed to convenience and advances in technology. There are online programs, weekend classes, and cohort-based degrees. There are new programs designed for students who will not enter traditional professions like the pastorate upon graduation. And there are satellite campuses and other nontraditional settings that allow students to attend seminary without having to move or to change their lifestyles. I foresee these trends continuing for some time.

Do thriving seminaries share any particular traits? How about those that are struggling?

Thriving seminaries have the ability to market their appeal and to find financial supporters who understand and support their visions. They also understand the times in which they live, and know how important it is to reflect the cultural, technological, and pedagogical changes in our society. Struggling seminaries, by contrast, become isolated from the greater culture around them and are too slow to make needed changes and advances.

What one thing could seminaries do today to help their students?

Schools have to figure out a better way to reduce the price of seminary. The cost of seminary education these days is staggering!

It is a terrible irony that many students never enter the ministry, in part because they are forced to take jobs, usually secular ones that pay better and soon become long-term, in order to pay for seminary.

And what one thing could seminaries do today to help churches?

There needs to be more collaboration. Seminaries need to remember that they exist in order to serve the church. They should then re-imagine what that could look like in the 21st century. And one conclusion they must come to is that seminaries need to do more than just train those who come to them.

What would it help laypeople to know about seminaries today?

Not all seminarians become pastors or priests after graduating! Seminaries train all kinds of students. In this way, laypeople are delightfully welcome to attend. Seminaries today offer a broad variety of programs and formats for students who are not intending to enter full-time Christian ministry. Aside from a shorter degree program, such as the master of arts or master of theological studies, there are certificate programs and even non-credit courses that can be taken by those who want to remain laypeople yet receive some form of theological training.

Collin Hansen is a CT editor at large and author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist's Journey with the New Calvinists.

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So You're Thinking about Going to Seminary is available from ChristianBook.com and other book retailers.

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February (Web-only) 2009, Vol. 53