3.14.2006

Other Seminaries

Tell us your experiences with other seminaries. If we get two, I'll give them their own heading...

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am currently a student at Bethel Seminary in St.Paul MN and I love it. I am in the distance program there and I doing an M.A. in Transformatinal Leadership. The school is doing a great job with holding on to traditional theology while embracing new methods, styles and philosophies of ministry.

Personally I enjoy being at a school that isn't Wesleyan. I graduated from BBC and have been in the Wesleyan church my whole life. (I am committed to the Wesleyan church and not planning on leaving.) Learning to identify and connect with people that have other perspectives and denominational ties has been a great experience. It has helped me to see the church through a whole different set of lenses.

nathan richardson said...

anybody know anything about northeastern seminary?

Anonymous said...

Currently I am working on a Doctor of Religious Studies degree at Trinity Theological Seminary of Newburgh, IN.
This school is firmly evangelical and will most likely receive full accreditation this summer.
For students in the Wesleyan theological tradition, I would recommend Trinity if they already have a firm foundation in Wesleyan theology. If they do not, Trinity will make a good Baptist out of them. But on the doctoral level, with a Wesleyan theological foundation already in place, the school is great. Good teachers, good classes, and much of it online. Adn they have great expository preaching courses.

Russell Purvis said...

Can we get a Columbia International sectioin

Anonymous said...

Does amyone know much about Emory?

Anonymous said...

Dr. Schenck what about all those Free Methodist seminaries? Anyone like those?

Ken Schenck said...

Be glad to put up a space for any of the FM schools. If someone makes a comment here on one, I'll give it its own spot!

Allison said...

I am currently attending Ashland Theological Seminary in Ohio and really am enjoying the experience. The professors and students are real in their spiritual journeys and the authenticity rings through in each chapel. We are blessed with so many gifted professors, and the staff seeks to build community, through social events and spiritual formation groups, though we are mostly a commuter campus. As well, I have enjoyed the diversity that is amidst our campus, both in ethnicity and denominational affiliation. Overall, I just feel blessed to be there.

Anonymous said...

I am curious about Denver Seminary. Anyone have any opinions/experiences? I'll even take unsubstantiated ones! Thanks-Cody Lewis Oaks

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have any experiences or knowledge about Yale Divinity School?

Anonymous said...

Does amyone know much about Emory?


I visited Emory in the fall of 06. They are a United Methodist seminary in Atlanta, GA. Emory's School of theology is better known as Candler school of theology.

Candler is probably the UMC's most liberal divinity school. They have a lot of students and probably rank in the top five of divinity schools in regards to scholarship money and funds. Candler is very academic which I think to be a good thing. Candler boasts the second largest theological library (Pitts Library) in the U.S. (only behind PTS)
I sat in on an intro to O.T. and found it very boring. (or possibly just over my head!)
I sat in on one of their worship services and found it very inspiring. I think that Candler balances their ministry training with their academics well. This is a good thing.

Candler is, in my opinion, a solid school. However, I would pick many others over it like Duke, Princeton, and Asbury.

TFox said...

I am new to posting here. I stumbled across this blog while searching for answers to the following question:

Does anyone know of a resource that has a list of seminaries and Bible colleges that are categorized as liberal or conservative/traditional?

I appreciate any help, and for now will check in here from time to time to gain some knowledge.

Ken Schenck said...

Generally all the seminaries listed here, except for Princeton and Duke, would be considered conservative seminaries. Most of them are in the Wesleyan-Arminian tradition, given the origination of the blog. Conservative seminaries to be added in other traditions could easily be names--
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago. I think Calvin College has a graduate program. Gordon Conwell is already listed. Of a more fundamentalist nature is Dallas Theological Seminary or any of the southern baptist seminaries. I think there is a fundamentalist seminary in Colorado Springs.

Duke and Princeton are not as liberal as some think. Generally considered "liberal" are the other Methodist seminaries (Candler, Perkins, Garrett, Methesco, Wesley, Drew). Certainly Christian Theological Seminary is generally considered liberal.

Anonymous said...

This site is very helpful. Does anyone know of any other similar websites?

Ken Schenck said...

I don't, other than the individual websites of individual seminaries. But then again, it's not like I've done any kind of extensive research...

As usual, I'd google it!

Mike Cline said...

Bethel Seminary (St. Paul)

Just finished my first quarter and am really enjoying myself. I am actually quite surprised that more IWU students have not even checked out Bethel. The faculty know their stuff, the on-campus housing is a plus, especially for singles, and the consortium of schools that allows you to take classes at 4 other universities is a major advantage.

The school is progressive, but orthodox (which is my opinion of IWU as well). The theology department is almost entirely new, with a strong emphasis on both systematics and contextual theology. A Bonhoeffer scholar and a Kirkegaard scholar on the same team? Count me in!

On another note, you will find yourself at times TOO prepared if you came out of IWU in the last few years. But, the positive is that you can just talk to the profs and get passed into the upper level classes if you know your stuff. Bottom line, you have to challenge yourself. If you aren't a self-starter, this may not be the place for you if you want to go on to PhD work. If you do want to go on though (like myself), you just have to take advantage of all the resources. Definitely take both language tracks and test out of early classes! Independent studies are available as well, which is really nice for forming your degree to your liking.

One more plus, the diversity of the degree programs. You can really tweak your schedule hours wise, and they offer so many concentrations even within the MDiv program that other schools do not. For instance, I am doing an MDiv with a concentration in Theological Studies, which means I take extra theology courses on top of everything else. You can do concentrations in preaching, global /contextual studies, marriage and family, discipleship in community, spiritual formation, Christian Thought etc...It really forms well do a specific interest!

Ok, that's two Schenck. Now give Bethel it's own page! haha

Anonymous said...

I'm an old Regent College grad ('94).

Regent College is not a seminary, per se, although it does offer the MDiv and is formally related to Carey Hall--or now, Carey Theological College. Regent is a Christian graduate school which emphasizes an advanced understanding of Christianity. Regent appeals to students who might often already be well into their career, but now feel especially passionate to integrate an advanced understanding of Christianity into the marketplace. This "educated laity" approach only enhances the MDiv element.

Of great import is that the small campus is located centrally and focally at University of British Columbia and features a prominent architecture befitting its mission. University students freely mingle in the College's coffee/book shop, many of whom are drawn to take courses there, thus creating an interesting synergy since many of them are religiously diverse.

Along these lines, about 40% of the student body are from outside North America.

Still connected with Regent are the great names of Christian evangelical scholarship: Gordon Fee, Bruce Waltke, J.I. Packer, Eugene Peterson. Despite retirement, these scholars are still active. A new group of exciting scholars, however, make up the current faculty.

Regent is broadly evangelical, with the faculty historically consisting of Calvinists, Arminians, Pentecostals & Charismatics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Mennonites, Baptists, etc. Carey Hall/Carey Theological College is operated by Baptists.

Regent offers a very strong Summer School. Because Vancouver is such a highly coveted summer destination, some of the world's best scholars come to teach in the Summer School. In my time there, these included such highly renown scholars as Markus Bockmuehl, I.H. Marshall, David Bebbington, R.T. France, C. Stephen Evans, and N.T. Wright. This summer, sessions are being taught by such scholars as Waltke (Psalms!!!), C. Stephen Evans (Kierkegaard), George Marsden, Chris Hall, Mark Noll, etc.

A degree from Regent College is highly valued by upper academia. For example, Regent has more than its share of grads getting into schools such as Cambridge.

It is an unfortunate reality that in the late 80s or early 90s CBN University changed its name to Regent University, thus muddling things. Nowadays, Regent College students are quick to tack on the city's name Vancouver in order to make the distinction. Vancouver is an incredibly beautiful and fun place to live and study.

In my day, Regent was a good price value, since costs needed to be low in order to compete with other Canadian schools. This made the price tag about 20% lower than the other major evangelical seminaries in U.S.

Anonymous said...

What do y'all think about online seminaries? Are any worth checking out?

Will Riddle said...

The thing to keep in mind about online seminaries is that in order to be accredited by the ATS, at least 1/3 of the program must be on site. So all of the good schools require at least that.

Anonymous said...

have any of you heard about the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary? Any comments on that school?

Anonymous said...

I will be attending Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary this fall. Looks like an excellent school and I understand it to be a little more liberal than Princeton which is a PCUSA school, too. I also have an interest in liberation theology as I have spent the last 4 years as a missionary in Argentina.

Anonymous said...

1) Fuller (any campus)
2) Gordon (founded by the same guy who founded Fuller)
3) Regent (not as "women friendly")
4) Princeton
Why? They will teach you things about the Bible that will blow your mind; you will learn to love Jesus on a deeper level; they stray from teaching one strand of "theology" like Dallas (dispensational only).

Anonymous said...

I'm curious about Western Seminary. Although it's based out of Portland, I am interested in commuting to Sacramento to take classes. Any thoughts?

Oyan Simatupang said...

I'm Indonesian, currently a TV executive here in Jakarta. The Lord called our family to full time ministry in our local church. I applied to Fuller and Regent College in Vancouver BC. After many contemplations, meditations and prayer we decided to go to Regent College starting next year (2009)

From the very beginning the guys at Regent has been very personal in their approach. You will never feel like you are a number attached to your application. They also emphasize this sense of community and the importance of being an integral part of that community. I even got a letter from the President for Chai and Chocolate, a tradition he does every year inviting 5-6 new students to his office to chat and get to know each other. They remain intentionally small 500-600 total student body, so you really become a part of a body when you are there.

Last June I had a chance to visit Regent and I can sense that they really practice what they speak. It is a community of believers working together in an academic setting.

On top of that who can resist studying under the names like J.I. Packer, Gordon Fee, Bruce Waltke who technically have been emeritus but was still actively teaching when I visit, and of course the newer generation professors such as Rikk Watts, John Stackhouse Jr, Ian Provan to name a few in Vancouver BC, the #1 most livable city according to The Economics.

I recommend anyone to investigate Regent College further.

Unknown said...

My husband and son are both grads of Biblical Seminary in Hatfield, PA (suburban Philadephia). The seminary president, Dr. David Dunbar, is a leading voice in the missional discussion. My husband in particular graduated as a transformational leader equipped to ministry in a changed culture. He serves our church on staff plus co-counsels with me at a crisis center. My son serves our church as a deacon, and has taken his training to the secular workplace. Biblical just finished a theology conference on campus that invited speakers from the full spectrum. Some courses online, most on campus. Best kept seminary secret out there.

Anonymous said...

If your passion was Biblical Studies, specifically Old Testament, where are the top five schools and why?

More specifics about my scenario
1) I could be married
2) She has interest in a masters (or small accelerated program) as well, more practical ministry in urban-mission-at risk children
3) want to live on or very near campus/classes
4)Good financial package (healthcare, meal plan, on-campus- married-graduate housing)
5)Something within a days drive of Central PENN
6)Undergrad is Sociology, Minor in Bib Lit. at a Nazarene School (I do not have any real foundation theologically, and am not necessarily completely bought into Wesleyan-ness of my current school(at least not the Wesley I have been taught so far))

Thanks so much. I know that's a lot to look at, just seeing if there's some magical school that I have never heard of that's just for me.

Jen Ellison said...

Western Seminary (Portland, Sacramento, San Jose)
I have a MAET from Western Seminary in Portland and I'm currently working on a ThM at the Portland Campus. I have greatly enjoyed my experience with Western. Being a Wesleyan-Arminian I am definitely among the minority in the school but this has worked to my advantage. Because I went to a Weselyan College, I want to experience theology from a different perspective. While I haven't changed much from my previously held convictions I have been given the opportunity to think deeply about a variety of things from perspectives I might not have encountered at a Weselyan-Arminian school. Profs are always available for interaction and focus most of their time on students (rather than writing) and the ministries they are actively involved in. I was also thrilled that, even though I come from such a different theological perspective, profs were always respectful and helped me explore the scriptures even when they didn't agree with my starting position. I've visited the Sacramento and San Jose campuses and have had positive experiences there as well.

nicklac said...

I am wondering if anyone knows anything about Harvard Divinity's admissions process. I am applying for the fall 2010 admissions, and I'd like to find out more from people who have investigated or have had experience with HDS' admissions process.

Jonathan Dodrill said...

Well, I've been here for a year, I guess I should give my 2 cents about Garrett.

Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary is in Evanston, IL - on the campus of Northwestern University and just a few miles from the north side of Chicago. I'll break down the pros and cons.

Location
It's terrific! You can see Lake Michigan from certain classrooms and it's at the heart of Northwestern's campus. Obviously it's freezing in the winter, but the fall/spring/summers here are amazing. Evanston is a nice town, very pleasantville-esk. A lot of students also live in Chicago - one of the better big cities in my opinion.

Academics
The Faculty is VERY diverse. They span the liberal/conservative scale, come from all different denominations, countries, ethnicities and perspectives. Chances are that you can find a few profs you'll really connect with and some you can't stand. Some of the stronger folks we have here include Jack Seymour (Chr. Ed.) Stephen Ray and Nancy Bedford (Theology) Larry Murphy (Ch. Hist.) Brent Waters (Ethics) and Barry Bryant (Wesleyan Studies).

"Liberality"
It is. But conservative folks are welcome here too (at least 1 wesleyan is here! there's also a handful of Pentecostals and Nazarenes). The big trouble area for most people (including me) is in Biblical Studies. I would say it's the most liberal department by a large degree. However, since GETS can take advantage of the ACTS system (see below), students can take Bible Courses at Trinity or North Park (both are more conservative in their views of Scripture).

Association of Chicago Theological Schools
Want to take a class on Luther from a super-Lutheran Scholar? Check out Luther Seminary in Hyde Park. How about a class on Religion, foreign affairs and the Middle East? There's an expert on that at North Park. There are 10 seminaries (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Evangelical, Catholic, etc) where you can take courses in the greater Chicago area. http://www.actschicago.org/

You can also take courses at Northwestern University which is great.

Downside
GETS is pretty liberal - much moreso even than Duke or Princeton (if you consider them liberal). Inerrancy is scoffed at, Open Theism is rampid, and Postcolonialism is on the rise. However, in my humble opinion, Open Theism and Postcolonialism are issues we are going to have to deal with at some point, so it may not be a terrible idea to get a real grasp on what it's about - not just the biased view against it.

Pros
Location, resources, Methodist background. Also, Barry Bryant is quickly become one of the better guys to study with for Wesleyan Studies. Since Heitzenrater is retired (or nearing it), Barry is one of few Wesley scholars in America teaching at a seminary (William Abraham at SMU is awesome too). He's sympathetic to the Holiness movement since he was raise Nazarene, so he welcomes our kind.

Persuaded By Christ said...

Northwest Baptist Seminary (Tacoma, WA)
NBS is a place where you will get individual attention from professors who care deeply about their students. Each professor has had some kind of overseas experience that has helped broaden their worldview and has also served to compel them to teach students HOW to think, not just WHAT to think. One of our theology profs is famous for saying, "If you don't know how to communicate this to a 5 year old, you don't really know it."

At NBS, we are equipped to think outside the box and are given the tools for a lifetime of learning and growth. I have been forever changed by my time at NBS, and will always be grateful for the way the professors helped me remove a lot of cultural baggage to get to the heart of the Word... to examine it and ask questions and to see how I can apply it to any context in which God places me.

Whether you are preparing for full-time Christian ministry, or simply wanting to go deeper in your study of the Word, NBS is definitely worth checking out! Plus - they offer to buy your plane ticket and provide housing and meals for you if you attend a Campus Visit (www.nbs.edu). Not a bad deal, even if you choose not to go there.

Julie said...

You have a Dallas Theological Seminary listing. I currently attend DTS and love it! and I am an Asian female! At DTS, you get solid biblical teaching. The faculty is amazing, humble and gracious. I highly recommend DTS!

Anonymous said...

I sm currently looking extensively for a seminary for several month. My background is pentacostal, pre-trib, but open to other denomination while off course holding to my truths. I have looked at Dallas, Assenblies of God, Regent, Multonomah, The Masters. I really wast to learn how to preach and teach. Any help????

Anonymous said...

Does any one no more about Dallas Theological or Assemblies of God or Regent University Divinity School? I have researched these scgools and find them as potential Seminary to attend. Almost ready to make a decision please any recomendations.