Jump directly to the Content

Yes Church, We Still Need Seminaries

But not the way we think we do.

Here on PARSE a couple months ago, Skye asked "Do We Still Need Seminaries?" He described how on one hand enrollment in seminaries is dropping and on the other many of his peers are not formally trained in the classic (and helpful/necessary) preacher's tool kit of Greek, Hebrew, Exegesis, Preaching, etc. But the decline of traditional pastoral education presents us with an opportunity to re-examine why we go to seminary in the first place.

I did a graduate program in theology myself. I've benefited from it as a lay leader and engaged Christian. But I'm also troubled by the feeling that, if the truth we told, we go to seminary to become professional Christians.

A normal scenario includes a young person realizing (at about 14 or 15) that serving God is best done in formal ministry. They are zealous and become a leader in youth group, organize bible studies, play in the worship band, etc. When high school ends, our budding servant of God goes to a Bible or Christian ...

March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

Related
What to Preach Next
What to Preach Next
From the Magazine
Empty Streets to the Empty Grave
Empty Streets to the Empty Grave
While reporting in Israel, photographer Michael Winters captures an unusually vacant experience at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close