"Seminary agendas are set by scholars. Scholars agendas are seldom seldom match the needs of the church." Richard Pratt
Read his and others response to the question, "What Would You Change About Seminary?" Some good and bad responses.
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Changes I would make.
ReplyDelete1) I know people don't go, or shouldn't go based on the finances but the Return on Investment is not worth the cost of Seminary.
2) More practical courses that will allow a graduate to hold a bi-vocational job. Or even something along the lines of entrepreneurship. We are heavy in theology. Seminary graduates should be encouraged to never, never, never settle for life behind a desk or pulpit in a church office, rather they should be encouraged to take jobs, be coaches, and make friends of people who are not Christians or in church.
3) Place students in real-life, as Dr Pratt suggested. It's one thing to know what the Scripture says about "X". It's a different thing to know learn and respond to "X" based on scripture. Life is not black and white...and our church leaders need to be teaching from experience. To know the truth is to practice it.
I agree with you on #1. The ROI is very poor financially.
ReplyDeleteThank you for modeling #2.
And, don't you love the brashness/boldness of Dr. Pratt compared to the comments of Mohler?
Finally, as churches begin to honestly assess the failure of the seminaries in preparing/equipping the "laity," they will begin defunding the institution and take a more hands on approach to theological education. In the SBC climate of, "If the local church can't do it, it shouldn't be done." It provides the perfect context for churches to take back their orthodoxy/orthopraxy responsibilities.