Theological Education

Theological Education has for millennia played a leading role in shaping the Church. It has, through various eras and methods, served to inform the mind of leaders, guide the behavior of ministry, and ultimately shape the nature and direction of the Church. The precise nature of its role has varied from time to time based on the particular ecclesiastical tradition in which it is functioning, the prevailing culture and, more significantly, by the condition of the Church at the time. Each of these three influences that shape the nature of theological education are in a significant state of flux within the North American context in these days. While it may seem to be more dramatic than at any other time in history, it may be so only because we personally experience the nuances, influences, and full extent of the dynamic condition around us. Yet the moment remains significant and requires careful, prayerful engagement in seeking the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in shaping the future of this vital task.

What we find it difficult to believe is that others can receive Christ and find salvation in Him unless they know, or at least in speech employ, our familiar doctrinal expressions. We know, of course, in some sort, that people whose intellectual understanding of doctrinal expressions is very weak, or immature, or even false, do draw near to Christ and receive His grace. We can see in the Gospel story and in the history of the Church, and in our own experience in our own day that ignorance of doctrine does not prevent men from being lovers of Christ, and being saved by Him from vice and sin, and danger and fear. It seems indeed almost ridiculous and profane to think that Christ does not save those who call upon Him, because they have not the power to grasp an intellectual doctrine about Him. We know that the doctrine of the Atonement has been expressed in different ages in very different forms, some of which seem to us untrue and evil; but we know that in all ages men have found atonement in Christ. Nevertheless our doctrine so dominates our minds that we can scarcely believe that men can love Christ and be saved by Him unless they know and use our doctrinal expressions.

Jesus told us how to make disciples by training them to obey His commands (His Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20). I teach in a seminary and find few students, even on the graduate level, who can list Jesus’ commands. They say ‘love,’ then bring up things like Sunday School, choir, youth work, none of which are in the New Testament. They cannot make disciples the way Jesus commands. Books on discipleship that I have read are doctrinal studies: Christ-centered, biblical and edifying, but overlooking Jesus’ instructions for making disciples.

Re-Imagining Theological Education

Theological education – why bother?