Does a Theological Education Matter?
In a recent book on the state of education and the Knowledge of God, The State of the University: Academic Knowledges and the Knowledge of God(Blackwell. 2007), Stanley Hauerwas decries the lack of seriousness with which theological education is undertaken and perceived. His comparison with another “education” is revealing:
“The intellectual and moral seriousness of medical education compared to seminary education, I think, can be attributed to a set of cultural presuppositions that are crucial for how we understand the training of students for medicine and for the ministry. Quite simply, no one believes in our day that an inadequately trained priest might damage their salvation; but people do believe an inadequately trained doctor can hurt them. Thus people are much more concerned about who their doctor may be than who is their priest. That such is the case, of course, indicates that no matter how seriously we may think of ourselves as Christians we may well be living lives that betray our conviction that God matters.” (p. 46)
Hauerwas’ statement probes deeply in a lot of directions. For our purposes it is worth asking how and why Evangelicalism might have limited both the intellectual seriousness and moral seriousness of theological education. Rather than trying to answer those questions here and now, I would rather just reflect on the possibility. For if Hauerwas is correct, even if only in part, just asking the question is a step in the right direction.
Comments
Randal Kay Feb. 9, 2012 at 10:49 AM
I appreciate the simplicity of this argument. As a pastor I would agree that the majority of those I serve are more concerned about the qualifications and education of their doctors than they are of their pastors.
I might even go has far to say, they are more concerned about their physical well-being than their spiritual well-being, which may be one reason they are more concerned about the status of their physician over that of their pastor.
Arlan Mulford Feb. 9, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Hauerwas has touched upon a subject that has sadly been neglected. Christians are more concerned about the qualifications of their physical physicians than those who minister to their souls.
The phrase, "people don't care how much you know until they know how much you are" has become an excuse for theological sloppiness.
When I take my automobile to a mechanic I don't care how friendly and nice he is. My concerned is with how good is he. How knowledgeable, and skilled is he? Plus is he a person of integrity and honesty? These things matter much more that how much he cares. The same holds true for a physician or a surgeon. We may not like the T.V. character Dr. House, but if we have a medical problem we want someone with his skill and determination to find a cure for our case.
We Christians should be demanding the best trained, and those exhibiting the godly qualities listed by the apostle Paul for those who would stand behind a pulpit.
Ken Way Feb. 9, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Good word, Mickey!
Dana Dill Feb. 12, 2012 at 3:52 PM
I appreciate the post Professor Klink. Recently, I came across something in Charles Hodge's biography that goes along the same lines. I thought you may appreciate the same truth spoken a bit different.
At the christening of Andover Seminary in 1808, Timothy Dwight spoke of how Americans, "insisted that their property...be managed by skillful agents, their judicial causes directed by learned advocates, and their children, when sick, attended by able physicians," yet were "satisfied to place their Religion, their souls, and their salvation, under the guidance of quackery." (Paul Gutjahr, Charles Hodge: Guardian of American Othodoxy, p. 95)
I thought the use of "quackery" merited him a gold star.
Jeremy Spain Feb. 20, 2012 at 11:38 AM
This is an excellent question Professor. I believe a doctor is very different from a minister of God. A doctor must know the workings of the human body in order to treat it effectively. All a minister of God, on the other hand, needs is to be surrendered to the Holy Spirit, and to allow God to work in and through him. Does not God equip us whether we have an education or not for effective ministry. Without the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing with the intellectual knowledge we learn in seminary. I understand that proper doctrine is important, but knowledge only goes so far when it comes to things of the spirit. A man totally surrendered to God, who is fully illiterate can do more for the kingdom of God than some of the best educated Christian theologians. Look at Peter, a fisherman, vs. the Pharisees, Jewish theologians.
Karl Dahlfred Feb. 20, 2012 at 1:14 PM
Nice post. As a missionary, I am concerned about the attitude that says, "You don't need a theological education to share the Gospel, so just love Jesus and GO!" Admittedly, any Christian (seminary trained or not) should be able to share the Gospel but for those LEADING congregations and planting churches, the bar needs to be a bit higher.
I got some interesting responses when I wrote a post titled "Do You Need a Bible Degree to be a Long-Term Missionary?" Not everyone agreed with me, some thinking it was counter-productive. The answer is "It depends on what type of missionary work you are doing, but you should seriously consider it and not undermine your long-term ministry just because you want to get to the mission field quicker or more cheaply." Here's the post link: http://dahlfred.com/en/blogs/gleanings-from-the-field/366-do-you-need-a-bible-degree-to-be-a-long-term-missionary
David Steinkraus Feb. 20, 2012 at 3:38 PM
I certainly can tell when a pastor doesn't have a good education. I have seen the lack of good study destroy Biblical truth by misinterpretations of the Word. All of Jesus' disciples were well trained as was Paul and all of his followers. Does education have to be in a Seminary, maybe and maybe not. Picking a good Seminary is a good thing though.