Seminary is great.
A number of Taylor University students (where I taught from 2005-2007) asked me about seminary. I think seminary is a wonderful thing. It is a chance to read great books and devote time to the intellectual side of faith. Meanwhile, if you are intentional, you can work on spiritual formation with a group of friends. You can also get involved in a local church and get ministry experience. There is no replacement for seminary if you are going to work with adults.
Start on it early if you want to.
Another thing I always tell students is that they can start right away from wherever they are. For example, I took Church History 1 and 2 from Gordon Conwell through their extension program. They sent you a bunch of tapes or CD’s and you have to listen to them. Then you have to have someone unrelated to you proctor your exam. Then you have to send in your paper. It is great!
Most credits will transfer from school to school. Check on this but I think this is almost always true.
How to pick a seminary:
1. When you are nearby traveling for other reasons, check out the seminary, visit a chapel, talk to an admissions person, meet with a prof, and see what you think of it.
2. Pay attention to the books you like (and don’t like). Where did the authors go to school? Where do they teach?
3. You will likely have some interests. Are you looking for apologetics? Are you looking for mentoring? Are you looking for innovative church ministry? Do you want a seminary that hates the megachurch or loves it? Do you want a seminary that likes the emerging church conversation or hates it? Do you want a seminary with a wider statement of faith or a narrower one? Many schools have some kind of specialty.
4. Check out the websites.
5. Realize that where you go to seminary will often influence where you end up living. You will tend to settle down nearby.
6. A seminary will certainly form you so this is a big decision.
7. Go to Regent College’s summer school. They have awesome 1-2 week classes in May, June and July with professors from many seminaries.
8. Seminaries accept most everyone. I'm not saying not to take the admissions process seriously. Write good essays, turn in your recommendations, send your transcripts, follow the directions, etc. But, it bothers me when people say, "I got in so that must be the right place!" Hmm . . . no. Most everyone with a college degree and a C average without a criminal record gets accepted at most every seminary. Hmm . . . again, you should check on whether this is true. Princeton and Duke are definitely more picky. All I am saying is that getting in is not necessarily God saying "Go here." Talk to your friends and family, visit, read, etc.
My List of Seminaries
Below I have listed a number of seminaries where Taylor University grads have attended. I have tried to list them from most liberal to most conservative. There are some schools that I don’t exactly know where they lie so I have guessed.
Certainly there are many, many more seminaries. There are many more that are smaller and more denominationally oriented. There are many that are more liberal. There are bible colleges. There are many in other countries!
After naming the seminary and providing the link, I have listed some of the more famous faculty members. Now, this “fame” is just my opinion and is most often determined by authors I have happened to have read. I just thought it would get you started on your search. I have also listed some friends of mine and where they went to school. If you email me, I can probably give you their contact info.
The List
Princeton Theological Seminary – Princeton, NJ. Darrell Guder, Ellen Charry, Kenda Creasy Dean, Bruce McCormack, Daniel Migliore, George Hunsinger. Friend: Brendon Benz – fellow 1998 Taylor grad.
Duke Divinity School – Durham, NC. Ellen Davis, Stanley Hauerwas, Richard Hays, Richard Lischer. Friend: Ryan Moore – 1999 Wheaton grad. 2011 update: Me (Th.D. work) and many friends now that I have been here 5 years.
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary – Pittsburgh, PA. Craig Barnes, Edith Humphrey.
The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology – Seattle, WA. Dan Allender. Friends: Jon Stanley, Atta Dawahare, Ken Peer, Jason Jost, Jon DenHartong, Chris Keller – all Taylor grads.
North Park Theological Seminary – Chicago, IL
George Fox Evangelical Seminary – Portland, OR.
Fuller Theological Seminary – Pasadena, CA. Colin Brown, Eddie Gibbs, Archibald Hart, Don Hagner, Richard Mouw, Joel Green. Friend: Jacob Gaines – 1998 Taylor grad.
Truett Theological Seminary – Baylor University, Waco, TX. David Garland, Roger Olsen.
Palmer Theological Seminary – Wynnewood, PA. Ron Sider.
Asbury Theological Seminary – Wilmore, KY. Ben Witherington III, Craig Keener. Friend: Sally Evans – 1997 Taylor grad.
Regent College – Vancouver, BC, Canada. J.I. Packer, Gordon Fee, 
Bruce Waltke, James Houston, and John Stackhouse. Friends: A million because I went there. Amy Rowell, Matt Ghormley, Ben Suriano, Cynthia Bennett, Jon Yeager, Brad Brummeler – all Taylor grads.
Calvin Theological Seminary – Grand Rapids, MI. Cornelius Plantinga, John Witvliet. Friend: Mark Dykstra – 1998 Taylor grad.
Bethel Seminary – St. Paul, MN. Associated with the Baptist General Conference. [Update: August 2013. This is where I am a professor now.]
Denver Seminary – Littleton, CO. Craig Blomberg, Douglas R. Groothuis. Friends: Brooks Penner – 1999 Taylor grad.
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary – Hamilton, MA Robert Coleman, Scott Gibson, Walter Kaiser, Haddon Robinson, David Wells. And Charlotte, NC. Friends: Brad Bitner and John Noble 1998 Taylor grads. Eric Kniffin – 1998 Wheaton grad.
Beeson Divinity School — Birmingham, AL.
Wheaton College Graduate School – Wheaton, IL. Kevin Vanhoozer, Doug Moo, John Walton.
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School – Deerfield, IL. D.A. Carson, Grant Osborne. Friends: JR Kerr and Jim Matter – 1998 Taylor grads.
Multnomah Biblical Seminary – Portland, OR. (I don't know much about where to place this school).
Talbot School of Theology – La Mirada, CA. William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, 
Michael Wilkins, Norman Wright. Friends: Hank Voss – 1998 Taylor grad and Brent Croxton – 1998 Wengatz hall director.
Reformed Theological Seminary – Jackson, MS. Orlando, FL. Charlotte, NC. Atlanta, GA. Washington, DC. Boca Raton, FL.
Covenant Theological Seminary – St. Louis, MO. PCA seminary. Bryan Chapell.
Westminster Seminary California – Escondido, CA. Michael Horton.
Westminster Theological Seminary – Glenside, PA. Presbyterian and Reformed.
Dallas Theological Seminary – Dallas, TX. Darrell Bock, Howard Hendricks. Friend: Jon Easterhaus – 1998 Taylor grad.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary – Louisville, KY. Thomas R. Schreiner, Albert Mohler. Friend: Joseph Bonura – 1999 Taylor grad.
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary – Fort Worth, TX. Paige Patterson, Craig Blaising.
The Master's Seminary – Sun Valley, CA. John MacArthur.
Update March 8, 2007:
See the post by John Stackhouse (a professor at Regent College): Seminary: Who Needs It? from March 8, 2007.
Update July 31, 2010:
Embarrassed by some of my previous ordering, I have revised the order a bit.
Update September 21, 2011:
I have again fixed some of the egregious goofs and changes. Feel free to comment with changes I should make.
See also my other posts under the category Seminaries including some where I look at the data for the biggest seminaries in the United States and Canada.
Comments
52 responses to “Seminaries for Evangelicals”
Hi Andy,
Thanks for this useful list.
Here’s another for your students to consider:
Westminster Seminary California
http://www.wscal.edu/clark
Among our faculty are Mike Horton (ST), host of the White Horse Inn and editor of Modern Reformation magazine; Bob Godfrey (History), and Steve Baugh (NT), David VanDrunen (ST/Ethics).
Cheers,
rsc
R. Scott Clark, D.Phil
Associate Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology
Westminster Seminary California
rsclark@wscal.edu
http://www.wscal.edu/clark
“For Christ, His Gospel, and His Church.”
Thanks, Professor Clark for reminding us about Westminster Seminary California. I have added it. It is indeed independent of Westminster in Pennsylvania. Michael Horton is one of the most well-known younger Reformed thinkers and writers.
Thanks for this list of seminaries that will be helpful to “younger” scholars who want to remain faithful. To your list of PTS professors should be added Robert Gagnon, Scott Sunquist and Andrew Purves, all “salty” professors with a love for the Lord.
Best,
Edith M. Humphrey
Thanks Edith for commenting. Edith herself is an excellent New Testament scholar from Pittsburgh Seminary. See her website at http://www.edithhumphrey.net/
A very helpful list! Along with attending a denominational seminary, I graduated with a M.Div. from the more liberal Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. As a moderate Evangelical and Anabaptist, I enjoyed being in an atmosphere where there could be some exchange.
Depending on when this post was done, it is not important, but… Joel Green is now a NT prof at Fuller Seminary, the best seminary on the face of the planet. (I’m biased if you can’t tell) 🙂
Thanks for posting this useful list! I was wondering where Portland’s Western Seminary would fall on you ranking from liberal to conservative?
Thanks again.
Andy — a helpful post, even years after it was first written. Sad to say, I think it’s time to remove Ray Anderson from the list of Fuller faculty. He passed away this week. Similarly, Don Hagner is now retired, although I think he continues to teach occasionally — and I suspect an exceptional student might be able to persuade him to mentor him/her for Ph.D. work. That’s an unsubstantiated guess on my part, though 🙂
Hey Andy- Just an update here. I am Taylor grad (08) and am presently attending George Fox Evangelical Seminary in Portland, OR.
Andy, I just read this interesting post. I’d move Truett considerably north in the vicinity of Regent College on your scale. Truett is clearly Baptist but decidedly moderate Baptist: no inerrancy pledge, no signed confession, full support of women, etc. Denver through Trinity in Deerfield are more conservative on all of those counts. Truett does require of faculty to be active in a local Baptist church, but in at least one or two instances that includes McClendon’s definition of ‘baptist’. Peace, Steven
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary are both very conservative.
where are Southeastern, New Orleans, and Midwestern
I don’t know my Southern Baptist Convention seminaries that well and I don’t know that they draw students from outside Southern Baptist circles besides perhaps Southern.
See my post about the size of seminaries. Certainly the SBC seminaries are big:
http://www.andyrowell.net/andy_rowell/2010/09/the-22-largest-seminaries-in-north-america.html
I realize this list is several years old, but as a current Duke student (and someone who is pretty conservative) I have to disagree with Duke being rated as the 2nd most liberal. For instance, I know for a fact that Fuller is much more liberally inclined than Duke is.
I also think it’s important to note that ‘liberal’ means different things to different people. It’s plain to see that in this list seminaries that harbor more Arminian theology are on the liberal side, while the more ‘conservative’ seminaries are of a Calvinist/Reformed bend. In all instances, especially this one, I think it’s important to define your terms.
@Marty, You are right that definitions of liberal and conservative are confusing. Are we talking politics, theology, liturgy, social issues, or economic issues? For example, Duke Divinity’s Roman Catholic faculty exert a “conservative” influence with regard to social issues by lining up with the Vatican. But I am using “conservative” in the way evangelicals tend to use it–with regard to the strictness and narrowness of their statement of faith, especially with regard to biblical authority. These in turn give a strong indication about where the faculty and students come down on the fundamentalist to modernist spectrum which is the historical roots of the conservative to liberal range evangelicals think of.
I would still say strongly that Fuller is more conservative than Duke. Consider for example its statement of faith http://www.fuller.edu/about-fuller/mission-and-history/statement-of-faith.aspx
vs.
Duke Divinity’s “mission.” http://divinity.duke.edu/about/mission
It is also important to remember my list concerns schools that evangelicals tend to attend. You are right that Duke Divinity is conservative on the mainline theological schools spectrum. I didn’t mention Union or Harvard! There are certainly more “liberal” schools than Duke Divinity among the 13 United Methodist seminaries http://www.gbhem.org/site/c.lsKSL3POLvF/b.3474255/k.64EB/United_Methodist_Theological_Schools.htm
Furthermore, “evangelical” is a confusing polyvalent term. For example, someone might think that all United Methodists are evangelicals but I am referring to evangelicals as those who see their primary identity as evangelicals rather than a denominational affiliation. There are lots of definitions of evangelicals but the most famous is by David Bebbington who describes the movement as those who emphasize: the need for conversion, high biblical authority, focus on the cross, and emphasis on evangelism. Not all United Methodists would emphasize those things. All of the schools I list have a significant number of evangelicals by Bebbington’s description.
I also think your theory on the Calvinist/Reformed as being related to “conservative” in my list misses the mark. Duke Divinity has Pittsburgh and Princeton on either side–both Reformed / Presbyterian schools. Dallas Theological Seminary is not reformed nor are Southern Baptists typically “reformed” though the ascendancy of Southern Seminary might make one forget that.
I am an evangelical and conservative Presbyterian and am in my second quarter at Fuller. Fuller is unbelievable liberal. I was deceived by their statement of faith and knowing the president, Dr. Mouw who is a member of my church, into thinking this school was more moderate. It is not.
I’ve taken six classes at Fuller; my theology and culture professor – an older man with impeccable academic credentials – believes that his faith, Christianity, and Wiccanism are equally as valuable and in the end the believer will end up in the same place. My OT Instructor didn’t believe in God and thinks the OT is just a bunch of plagiarized stories taken from the Near-Eastern cultures. My ethics instructor is more Marxist than Hugo Chávez and believes in seizing private property, redistribution of wealth, etc. In addition, she hates white people, straight people, orthodox Christians, capitalism, men, Western Civ, and anything remotely considered mainstream and grades accordingly.
Two of the other six profs are liberal, but don’t particularly preach at you. I have only one prof, a NT class, who actually believes the Bible is inspired scripture.
If this place is moderate, I’d hate to see what liberal is 🙂
Ok. Not many people probably will find this post to give another perspective on Fuller but maybe someone will. All the best, Andy
As a very late addition to this informative thread…
Thank you for including Beeson Divinity School on your list, Andy. As a recent graduate, I have been immensely pleased with the education there. Your positioning of the school on the liberal-conservative spectrum seems fairly accurate to me (it is probably more conservative than Wheaton), though one rarely discusses the topics that divide those groups at Beeson. I found that many of the discussions there center on confessional and liturgical divides between the school’s Anglicans and Baptists, Presbyterians and Lutherans (or on why pre-critical exegesis really is superior). Because of this, I did not find much interest in current liberal-conservative skirmishes.
To plug the school, I should say that one of its most endearing factors in my experience was the community. A maximum cap of under 200 students was placed on Beeson when it received its initial endowment, so it will not accept more students than that. This results in deep relationships between students and faculty and among students as well. If someone thrives on being able to get to know all of their professors on a personal basis, they would enjoy Beeson. I’m just one student, but I cannot speak highly enough of the school.
You wrote you weren’t sure about Multnomah Seminary and they are right around in your list where they should be. You didn’t mention Western Seminary in Portland which is a significant seminary and larger than Multnomah Seminary in Portland and they also have a branch in San Jose and the most well known seminary in evangelical circles in the Silicon Valley. They would be right with Multnomah in terms of theology.
I have heard similar reports from other students at Fuller as the one commenter made and I would place George Fox Seminary which you listed a little more liberal than Fuller. It would be great if one day we had some sort of basic grid for seminaries to direct people to that lays out things like you are doing. So helpful and something to send people to. Thank you!
I know Fuller Seminary very well, as a former student who is in regular contact with many current students, and I can assure anyone reading this blog that these comments by “H” are outlandish and laughably ridiculous. I do not want to speculate on the motives for these anonymous comments, but either “H” is completely fabricating these details or has a remarkable capacity for misunderstanding and misinterpreting people’s words and behavior. As I said, I have regular contact with current Fuller students, and also know many Fuller professors, staff and administrators, and I have never heard of a Fuller professor who “doesn’t believe in God” and never encountered a Fuller professor who hates any group of people, much less everyone male or remotely associated with Western Civilization. Any Old Testament who dismissed the Hebrew Bible in the way “H” describes would not even be a scholar, much less a liberal scholar. I can understand that many people consider Fuller “liberal,” but I cannot imagine any credible person who knows Fuller well considers it liberal in the way that “H” describes it.
you forgot ashland theological seminary with David Desilva. Ashland is one of the largest seminaries in the Midwest
Marc
Hi Andy. We met once years ago (at Taylor, I believe). I’m a 2002 grad of Taylor and a 2007 grad of Asbury Seminary (M.Div.). I loved Taylor and had a positive experience with ATS as well. I’d love to chat via email with you since I am currently looking at some Ph.D. Programs in NT.
@Jesse, Sure, I remember you and will email you.
Hi Andy!
Great list – glad to see The Seattle School on there! I work at the school and we recently received an inquiry off your site – thanks!
Our school moved to the Belltown neighborhood in downtown Seattle. Mind updating our location?
@Josué Done.
H is pretty close to my own experience as well. I work in the PCUSA and most of the liberal pastors on the West Coast came out of Fuller. I’ve sat and listened to hundreds of students trying to become pastors in the PCUSA and the vast majority are from Fuller. Most of their beliefs, and I mean MOST, are so liberal I can’t understand why they even want to be Pastors. One even said to the interview group, “Jesus was not fully God, that’s just what Fundamentalist believe.” Fuller grad. If one wonders why the Church is falling, it’s because of school’s like Fuller. Liberalism is the biggest threat to the Church today.
H is pretty close to my own experience as well. I work in the PCUSA and most of the liberal pastors on the West Coast came out of Fuller. I’ve sat and listened to hundreds of students trying to become pastors in the PCUSA and the vast majority are from Fuller. Most of their beliefs, and I mean MOST, are so liberal I can’t understand why they even want to be Pastors. One even said to the interview group, “Jesus was not fully God, that’s just what Fundamentalist believe.” Fuller grad. If one wonders why the Church is falling, it’s because of school’s like Fuller. Liberalism is the biggest threat to the Church today.
Hey Andy. Thank you for your work here. I’m considering Duke next year. I am a very conservative Pentecostal. However, while studying Hebrew in undergrad (with a liberal prof)I was challenged to articulate, under pressure, what I knew to be true. Would you consider Duke to be a place to cultivate Biblical knowledge while being challeged but not attacked? How sympethetic would the faculty and atmosphere of the Duke Divinity campus be to my views? Thanks.
You would be challenged but not attacked at Duke Divinity School. The faculty are passionate about sitting under the Scriptures and having them speak as authoritative for Christians.
Hi Andy,
Help please? Can you recommend a credible MA program in Church Administration? I know many MA programs offer specific courses, but do you know any that offer the degree in Church Administration?
I did search the list you suggested, with no success.
Blessings
David Holt
Dear David, I don’t know of a course in church administration per se. I did just today see this though:
http://www.christianitytoday.org/inside-story/2013/april/first-things-first.html
“The new ChurchLawandTax.com http://www.churchlawandtax.com/ that launches later this month. Nowhere else can churches—and specifically church administrators, treasurers, managers—get the expanse of accurate, timely, and user friendly resources for navigating the always challenging world of the practical “business of ministry.”
Off the top of my head, I would look at the Master of Arts in Global Leadership (MAGL) program at Fuller Theological Seminary http://www.fuller.edu/campuses-online/fuller-online/magl.aspx and the M.A. in Transformational Leadership at Bethel Seminary http://seminary.bethel.edu/academics/st-paul-programs/transformational-leadership/ for help with church administration.
I’m researching seminaries and I’ve found Asbury to be the best Wesleyan seminary to produce pastors that have a high view of Scripture. That is how “conservative” and “liberal” should be defined, by degrees of how high a view they take Scripture; is it the Word of God, inspired, or just word of men?
Duke isn’t as bad as most UMC seminaries. All the pastors here in CUMC in Fayetteville, AR came from Asbury. All believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven and that the Bible is the Word of God. The other pastors around here who hail from SMU (Perkins) are in one fashion or another universalists. I had a pastor in Little Rock tell me that if I believed that those who do not confess faith in Christ were not going to heaven then I didn’t really love them. I know of a notable exception: a wonderful, Bible-believing pastor who leads a Spanish congregation and hails from a strict Pentecostal background (like myself) and, like myself, was led to the UMC. He recalled for me a distinct memory of being in class when the professor asked all those who believed that only Christians go to heaven. He said that the professor came right up to his face and completely assailed him on how bigoted and stupid he must be for believing such a thing… The seminarians were gathered together upon graduation and asked what they would do upon graduation. His response? “Read my Bible.” They didn’t care for that too much.
Andy,
What do you know about Bethlehem College and Seminary in Minneapolis, MN (John Piper is the chancellor)?
I know they only accept 15 graduate students per year because each one is mentored by a staff member/elder of the church, but I really am drawn to the idea of a seminary so closely associated with the church and run by the church.
Any thoughts?
I have a friend who recently graduated from Duke Div tell me that the faculty was terribly pro-homosexual/gay marriage–generally liberal. This seems odd because Duke carries more John Wesley fellows than any other seminary. I’m trying to get a clear idea of DDS before committing the time and money to go there. Can anyone shed some light on these issues? Thanks.
Matt, My general sense is that the Duke Divinity faculty are divided about 1/2 and 1/2 about whether they are affirming of gay marriage. Duke Divinity is more liberal than Asbury Theological Seminary–in terms of United Methodist Church seminaries but it is probably more conservative than the other 12 UMC seminaries. Many of the Duke Divinity faculty grew up in liberalism where they were not taught the Bible or urged to obey Jesus and they have repudiated that approach–insisting on the authority of Scripture and the importance of “not being conformed to the pattern of this world” (Rom 12:2). In terms of John Wesley fellows on faculty, I know some of these folks are or are very similar if they are not: Richard Hays, Laceye Warner, Jeff Conklin-Miller, Randy Maddox, Stephen Gunter. I am not great on navigating the United Methodist Church world but Andrew Thompason http://www.andrewthompson.com/ was a year ahead of me in the Th.D. program and is a master guide toward that world. Besides these Methodists, there are many other “conservative” or at least “not liberal” (postliberal) faculty at Duke Divinity School–virtually every faculty member at Duke Div would deny the label “liberal.” It is a very bad word at Duke Divinity because it connotes brainless American relativism. (Many lean Democratic not Republican in politics but that is a separate issue than theological posture).
Jared, I think you are right to want to be involved in a church and be mentored while in seminary. You will be required to participate in that at any seminary through “field education” or “supervised ministry” but your enthusiasm and belief in this will improve your experience greatly. As you probably know, John Piper is a polarizing figure in that some appreciate him for his passion for Scripture, theology, and missions, while others are turned off by what they perceive to be his harsh Calvinism and idiosyncratic complementarianism (approach to women).
as a Fuller’s graduate in 1999, I like to comment on the discussion regrading FTS as posted between H, Joel, and Nick (Jan to April 2012).
I came from a conservative, evangelical, Presbyterian style church which strongly hold to Reformed/Calvinist doctrinal confession. When I first came to FTS, I was very disappointed since the first Professor that taught me came from Biblical Criticism’s point of view on OT. She was a graduate from an UMC Seminary, I guess this seminary is part of those seminaries that was referred as the ‘liberal’ wing. As I contemplated the idea of moving to Talbot, I pray and ask God about why he send me to FTS. He indeed showed me why ! You see, I don’t learn much about systematic theology in FTS (that’s probably due to my upbringing in a church that preach much about the Great Doctrines of Christian faith) but FTS has equipped me much with the tools, attitude, and mindset necessary to exegete the Bible deeply. I knew this fact from the pastors that listened to my preaching and other scholars that read my writings. It was FTS that made me realize the role of a minister not only to preach but more importantly to teach and be mentor. The great mandate of God to care for the weak that prompts Christian to step out from their comfort zone into public spheres (even to politics).
There’s truth in what ‘H’ said regarding those (unique) Professors, but I also knew why FTS hired them. They are ‘giants’ in academic sense based on their academic credentials and publications. But I also met with Professors (mostly senior ones) that are very mature in their faith and they often acted as our fathers and mothers in nurturing our restless quest for theological excellence. One thing that struck me the most about these Professors, is their humility. I personally witness how Prof Mouw used to take time to talk (and spend quite amount of time) with the gardener, garbage collector, cleaner, etc. And that was the time when he is the President of the Seminary! I was humbled when a senior Professor that was part of worldwide leadership of AOG accepted me in his private office and asked me to sit down in his leather reading chair while he took a secretary chair and then sat down to listen to me. The point is when you go to FTS, you must be ready to learn in the ‘tension’ ( a lingo that I learned in FTS). Many time Christian truth is found within the point of equilibrium where the tension is, between liberal and conservative, right and left, Biblical authority and Biblical criticism. One advice, find a worthy Professors and learn as much from him or her. Trust me when I say, if one except to find a manicured lawn of theology in FTS, you will be disappointed. FTS seems to make it a goal to have faculties from as many traditions and denominational backgrounds. I guess it is FTS’s goal or spirit to reach as many as possible with the Gospel of Christ that made it viewed in many occasions as “compromising” fundamental Christian truth and doctrine. I confessed that it is very dangerous to walk on the edge, may God preserved FTS on this matter. But when you are led by a philosopher, you will find that he will go straight to the ‘core’ of things and what is the heart of Christianity but John 3:16 – God, love, Christ saves, faith, restored relationship. naked from form, traditions, denominational confession, contemporary worldviews, in or out group, identities, etc.
To Nick, I met a lot of PCUSA’s students in FTS. My impression of them, they tend to form exclusive group(s) apart from the rest of FTS students. Some of them are very arrogant (speaking from my personal experience). I doubted that they learn much from the culture and atmosphere of FTS since most of them are so concern with academic excellence so they can score well in PCUSA’s test for pastoral position. I doubt that the individual(s) who professed his or her view to you regarding Christ got it from FTS. Because in my time at least, any student who openly said that view in the class will have to be ready to defend it before a classroom of highly intellectual students that will grind him/her to the teeth ( I know I will ), not to mention the lecturer. I witness a dean from a reputable university in UK (a visiting lecturer for summer class) must bear the scrutiny of FTS’s student when he taught that someday the Church will learn to accept homosexuality as Biblically OK. He failed to defend his position !
Hope this reaches you Koen, I think I get it. If one elects to attended FTS, being able to function/learn in the “tension” will be needed. I endured that while obtaining my MSW and in my work as an LCSW. If you do see this can you pass along the name of the AOG Prof?
Andy, thanks for posting this list as it provides a means to hear feedback regarding schools one might not see on a seminary’s website.
Hey Andy, thanks for the post! I was wondering what your take on Wake Forest Divinity school is? Does it have strong reputation academically? I am theologically conservative, reformed, and charismatic. The school strikes me as liberal. Any thoughts on how well I’d be received there? I’ve been accepted at Wake and a couple other places for a M.Div/J.D. dual degree.
M. Sorry, I don’t know anything about Wake Forest Divinity.
WORLD Magazine (4/18/15)
Resigned
Leaders at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas, said five faculty members have resigned since Feb. 17 over disagreements with the leadership of the school’s president and board of trustees. They said five trustees have also resigned since November.
I’d like to plug Southeastern University’s (Lakeland,Fl) College of Christian Ministries & Religion. Well-known professors include: Kenneth Archer (MDiv in Theological Studies, Ashland Theological Seminary; PhD in Biblical and Theological Hermeneutics, University of St. Andrews, Scotland), Robby Waddell (MDiv, Church of God School of Theology; PhD in Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield (UK)), Peter Althouse (PhD in Systematic Theology, University of St. Michael’s College and Toronto School of Theology), and Murray Dempster (PhD in Social Ethics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles), just to name a few. I am currently pursuing an MA in Theological Studies at this Assemblies of God school. An MDiv. program is being introduced this Fall 2015. Southeastern University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees.
Where would Claremont School of Theology be in this list?
Great lists great tips. Thank you. The admission proccess is surely easier because it is not as competitive as other courses out there. But you still need to show that you really want to get in and maintain that willingness for the duration of the courses. Write a good essay, coming prepared and show enough enthusiasm are good ways to convince the faculty to accept you.
Andy, where would you place Talbot Theological Seminary (Biola).
Andy, where would you place Talbot Theological Seminary (Biola).
http://www.talbot.edu/about/
Sorry, I just saw it. I have got to keep these glasses clean.
Hi Andy,where do you see the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary?
I recently finished my MDiv at Fuller and I never met a professor that was a Wiccan or didn’t believe in God. There are a lot of very conservative professors at Fuller. There are a good deal that are more liberal. There is certainly a bent to talk about women, inclusiveness, race, and they do try to acknowledge the oppression that has come from a white male dominated society. That said, many people still think Fuller is very white male oriented.
I think the biblical studies professors are more liberal than the theology professors. They are also much more left politically. But there are also professors that believe in inerrancy. There was a NT prof that I had that consistently used the ESV even though it was not a gender neutral version. Another of my NT profs that I thought was too liberal got denied tenure because he was too liberal. I’ve had 2 professors come out and just say, “Paul clearly wrote Ephesians” and that was the end of it. That’s pretty conservative.
Fuller tries to escape the conservative – liberal spectrum. They’re more postmodern if anything. There are very few “debates” in class about typical liberal-conservative issues. Profs tend to avoid them because they don’t think these types of debates are productive.
As a whole Fuller is very eclectic. If you want a conservative education equivalent to DTS and you know which professors are more conservative, you can probably select your professors so as to get a very conservative education. At the same time, you could probably select your professors in a way to get a much more liberal education like PTS.
Hi Andy, any thoughts on Tyndale Seminary? It’s Canada’s largest seminary, as I see Regent is already on the list.
Dear H,
What is wrong with redistributing wealth? Rich people keep oppressing their fellow man in order to get it. Do you think that’s right and just? Of course not, right? Besides its not nice to talk about other fellow Christians like that. Its not nice to speak about Professor Erin Dufault-Hunter in those terms.
James
Hi Andy,
Do you know if there’s a difference in the work load at Duke Divinity School compared to Ivy league Theology schools? Also, is there a difference between the work load of Duke Divinity School compared to Perkins School of Theology (SMU) or Asbury Theological School? The reason I ask is because I’ve been out of a classroom setting for quite some time.
Thank you and blessings,
James