Seminary Education and the Globe Aug 21
By bock - Posted on August 21st, 2009
We launch into the new semester this week. At our faculty retreat we took a look at seminary education these days from a global perspective. There is a significant international issue in terms of untrained leadership around the globe (especially where the faith is exploding in growth). Part of the problem involves their inability to get to seminaries (or being able to afford it). Ramesh Richard, a fine colleague from India, walked our faculty through the issues from an international point of view. It is a practical problem we as a community are trying to pay attention to and think through how to address (or at least begin to address). It actually is an issue far too large for any one school or group. Thanks to Ramesh for doing such a nice job of alerting us and clearing the decks so we can begin to think clearly about this. It may take two T's to begin to address the issue: Teaming and Technology. We may need to do a better job of going to where the need is and be more creative about how to team with others in these locales to make a start.
Dr. Bock:
One of the problems PBC discovered was when pastors from third-world regions came to PBC for education was that they were pulled out of their communities for several years while pursuing their degrees. Four years out of one's native region is a long time. Things change. I think PBC is convinced that the ways to fix this problem are 1) Internet, online education, and 2) satellite locations. PBC has one in Egypt and one in Bangladesh. Some education needs to take place in a classroom setting, so these 2 areas compliment each other.
I think DTS has a satellite location at Andy Stanley's Church here in Atlanta. Do you have locations in third-world countries?
What is DTS's policy about receiving financial contributions? I spoke with an individual at DTS about paying the way of a PhD student in exchange for that individual committing to teach in Knoxville, TN for 5 years. During that talk, I remember the individual telling my something about DTS's policy of receiving money. He mention DTS would not go the way of Harvard of Princeton.
Brett
Brett:
What is PBC?
We do some remote teaching in the US and use the Internet for a China program.
You can do scholarship sponsorship at DTS, I think.
Dr. Book:
Sorry. PBC is Piedmont Baptist College, out of Winston-Salem, NC.
They are a fairly small college, 380 enrollment. They merged with Spurgeon School out of Florida, which is their Online school now. Their online program is growing fairly rapidly from what I've heard. If you need additional information, just let me know. I still technically work for them and am good friends with the President, Charles Petitt.
Brett
dr. bock,
i appreciate this post. i'm a phd student in hebrew bible and i'm definitely interested in volunteering to teach during summer in places needing theological education. i suspect this task involves fund-raising and the right networking, things with which i'm not very experienced. do you have any suggestions for a starting place to do further inquiry into such possibilities?
Mike:
I'd contact the mission organizations that underwrite schools or contact the schools directly.
dlb
Short questions...
First: Some scholars is quoting the "Pseudo-Clementine Recognitions 1.60.1-2 " to back up their claims that the disciples of John did not believe Jesus to be the Messiah.. What value should one put on this ancient source in reconstructing the historical setting of the first century??...
Lastly: Would you agree on these assertions that:
(i). the followers of the Baptist and the followers of Christ were in competition with each other regarding converts to their type of spiritual branch...
(ii) the author of the Gospel of John omitted Jesus's baptism because he did not want Jesus to seem inferior to John by submitting to his baptism.
Sincerely
Magnus, Sweden
Magnus:
It is amazing that these sources are being rehabilitated with little justification.
Questions: (1) There is no evidence these groups were in competition. What we do know is that some of John's followers were slow to connect to the new movement.
(2) This is special pleading. John the Baptist witnessed to Jesus seeing the dove. The natural question is where and when did the dove descend? At the baptism, where else? The story assumes the synoptic account or the tradition behind them.
dlb
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