Recommended Reading
From Amazon.com: "Christians should evaluate philosophy by biblical criteria. This will shed greater light on the developments in the history of philosophy and better prepare us for the intellectual challenges of our time. The fall of Adam brought intellectual as well as moral corruption on the human race, and the effects of the fall can be seen in the work of philosophers, most of whom try to understand the world autonomously through reasoning apart from God's revelation. Some philosophers have appealed to God's revelation, but their work has often been compromised with the wisdom of the world. Revelation should inform reason, and not the other way round. In the past, even Christian theology was corrupted by the movement toward intellectual autonomy, creating the tradition of liberalism, which has unhappily dominated academic theology down to the present day. But there is hope a new generation of Christian thinkers take God's Word seriously. Frame's unique new contribution augments that process."
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Types of Seminaries
In case you didn't know, there are are actually numerous types of seminaries available. I will have pages devoted to each kind in case you want to explore these in more detail, but hopefully this brief introduction will prove useful.
Independent Seminary
Perhaps the most common type of seminary is the independent institution, one that has its own governing body, endowment, and mission. These schools range in size and diversity of students and beliefs. Schools from Andover Newton Theological Seminary to Reformed Theological Seminary fit this description.
Dependent Seminary
There are a number of seminaries that are dependent upon a college or university. They may have their own faculty and seminary-specific policies; however, these schools are governed by the university or college to which they belong. Examples of these types of seminaries are Truett Theological Seminary (Baylor University) and Grace College and Seminary. In case you were curious, these schools generally use the term "seminary" rather than divinity schools because they have a denominational or doctrinal focus.
Divinity School
The
difference between a seminary and a divinity school is confusing to
many. While there are more similarities than differences, some
distinctions exist. Seminaries are usually independent entities with
their own governing board, policies, endowment, and so forth. Divinity
schools are part of universities and in that sense are like a school's
other professional programs such as law, medicine, business, and so
forth.
Though not always the case, seminaries often have either a
denominational focus or specific doctrinal emphases. Divinity schools
are generally more diverse and don't necessarily favor one particular
type of religious training over another. Some see divinity schools as
emphasizing academics whereas seminaries emphasize practical ministry,
but this distinction doesn't necessarily hold.
However, students
in divinity schools often have access to a wider range of courses since
they can draw from the entire university curriculum. And based on my
own experience, it is true that divinity schools also are more likely to
attract students who are interested in theology primarily as an
academic discipline. Examples of popular divinity schools include
Harvard, Yale, and Duke.
Bible College Seminary
Finally, there are several seminaries that are associated with Bible colleges, which generally have a more precise focus than divinity schools or even most seminaries. Because Bible Colleges tend to have a more conservative focus, the associated seminaries are equally conservative. That's not a criticism or praise - just general observation. Examples of Bible College seminaries include Moody Bible Institute and Multnomah University.
As you can see, there are many different types of seminaries (including divinity schools) you can explore; even online seminary degrees are available. As always, I'm glad to help you answer any questions you might have. Shoot me a line if you're interested!
