Of the 11 Episcopal seminaries in the United States, one recently announced it would end its main residential program, another is shutting down one of its campuses, and a third is selling a good portion of its campus. The changes reflect not only each institution’s own financial or enrollment straits but also changes that are coming in Episcopal seminary education, which has historically played a key role in American theological life. Among them are an embrace of distance education and new, more flexible alternatives to the traditional residential seminary model thus far sustained for centuries, and ever-increasing numbers of collaborations involving other seminaries, Episcopal and non, and non-sectarian colleges, as tiny institutions struggle to survive.
Aside from the crippling costs of residential training, when are people going to realize that the best education in the understanding and practice of spiritual ministry comes from being apprenticed to acknowledged masters and builders of churches? Seems to me we could learn from the Apostles here …
On another thread, someone was talking about interviews with rector search candidates. Answers about their spiritual history revealed that they started reading the Bible in seminary, received their calling to the ministry in seminary, etc. Seems like the seminaries need to be more selective.
The economizing began some years ago when thology was made an elective, not part of required curriculum. You might have noticed the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s….
How are the other denomination seminaries doing?
Fuller Seminary in Pasadena is growing and expanding–as are the 5 Southern Baptist seminaries. Fuller is around 3000+ students. The largest Southern Baptist seminary is Southwestern with about 3500+, while the smallest, Golden Gate Seminary, has about 750+.
As I am involved with a number of these seminaries, I can share that they are growing at their main campuses as well as their numerous extension sites.
In an ideal world, seminaries would indeed be able to be more selective. But in reality, seminaries must find a way to meet the costs of paying its faculty and staff, providing student funding etc.
And in reality, one can get an M.Div from a seminary and yet not be accepted into the postulancy process in a diocese. Seminaries provide an academic program with formation; however, it is up to bishops to decide who is ordained, not seminaries.
Furthermore, I know many individuals who come into seminary having read the Bible from their early childhood who interpret it in quite frightening ways; and yet some who have just begun reading the Bible who are far more adept at understanding the metanarrative and detail, the unity and diversity of Scripture. Many people have been shaped by years upon years of poor preaching and teaching; that baggage is sometimes quite evident in those who come in with a ‘great knowledge of Scripture.’
Perhaps a possible way forward might be to enable all to come into seminaries, but to allow only those who are capable of articulating a comprehensive knowledge of biblical and theological knowledge to move into the ordination process (this would of course require agreement and commitment between dioceses and the colleges).
Fuller has kind of become the de facto seminary for orthodox and evangelical PCUSA ministers, even though it is non-denominational. Most of the PCUSA seminaries are way over to the left, although one hears rumors that Princeton is starting to move back to a more traditional Presbyterian stand, or at least not belittling evangelical students. Since Fuller is turning out a lot more PCUSA M.Divs. than the other PCUSA seminaries are, there is some belief that over time the pendulum is going to swing back in PCUSA.
hey, robroy, how you doin? It’s about 63 right now, 9:30 pm, here in the valley. How about there?
I can tell you from experience being on the side of asking the questions in the discernment process for Holy Orders, there are at least some dioceses that did and have demanded
1) clarity of conversion to Jesus Christ,
2) evidence of more than a beginners Rule of Life,
3) testimony of role of the Holy Spirit in bringing them to this point of discernment,
and 4) if there be such, affirmation of the above by and with the family members
This is all WAY before heading off to seminary, or whatever training program is specified.
I can also tell you from being in seminary over 24 years ago that those dioceses seem few and far between. Although the other dioceses might claim their process is just fine (or indeed leave it up to the seminaries to sort out, which the seminaries will say by policy that is not their business).
And from the “being questioned” side, my own process even 30 years ago was peppered with political landmines, despite those Godly people – like Charlie and Mimi Selden – who were adamant themselves to ask those 4 questions mentioned above.
That would be Plan A.
Yet, I am grateful that there are seminarians who get Plan B, conversion and commitment to Christ as disciples while in seminary. Glory to God. I know that happens, too, because I was apparently helpful in a couple such conversions and empowerments in the Holy Spirit.
In conclusion, : )
that would be the Plan B backdoor method for renewing and reforming this Church (as Jim the Librarian alludes to with the Presbys) – pray for and see to the conversion and empowerment of all seminarians just prior to returning to their dioceses, or just after their ordinations. While nobody yet knows just what hit them.