Hello,
This is my first post on Christianforums.com so I hope this is the right place for this message. Well...where to begin?
In 2003, I got the call to serve God. Since that day my call has remained strong and I thank the Lord everyday for the chance to serve Him. I entered seminary last fall. I was a commuter last year but this year I live on campus. I came here to be among a community of believers. I thought living among devout people would strengthen my faith and teach me how to be a good minister.
Well, here are some highlights of the "Christian" community I've had the pleasure of living in this past semester:
- Two students expelled for drug abuse
- One student facing disciplinary action for confessing that he was a victim of child abuse in (this is unbelievable) a course on pastoral care of people who have experienced child abuse.
- A Student Body president that refuses to hear that our on campus community is crumbling, and responds to calls for change with hostility, shouting, and smear campaigns against those who "oppose" her.
- An "inclusive' community where people who profess Christ are excluded. I sat in a class where a student was laughed at for suggesting that the Holy Spirit guided the authors of the New Testament canon. I can tolerate and in fact enjoy hearing different opinions, but what is the message sent to students at this "inclusive" school when their beliefs are judged to be ridiculous or even offensive simply because they aren't in line with the majority?
- An Orwellian absence of outlets for student opinion, with the only news source being the "E-News" service edited and issued by the administration. Already limited to only event announcements and prayer requests, new proposals (by the above named Student Body president) will forbid any kind of editorial comments. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I do work for the Web Team and my supervisor is an awesome person and a good Christian. But it's a worrying reality that as of right now, there is no other outlet for student opinion or news.
- An on-campus community left to care for itself, with no on-campus chaplain, no chapel to pray in except during normal business hours, and no access to free pastoral counseling. The result? Students who either lock themselves in their room and hide, flee campus as often as they can, or resort to drinking, drugs, or sex to "care" for themselves.
For several weeks now, I've been a part of this travesty and felt a growing sense of the cause being the absence of something vital. I realized a few days ago what that it was: Christ. This is a seminary, but Christ is no part of this community. Christ abides in the fellowship of believers who love one another and build each other up. How can he live among people who, by and large, tear each other down at every turn? How can he abide in a place that is overwhelmed by suspicion, intolerance, and defeat? We have not invited the Holy Spirit to dwell among us and bring to us the fruits of the Spirit. We have not committed ourselves to unconditional love and devotion to God and to each other. We have no covenant to guide us to righteous living.
I don't know what to make of this. I know that I'm tired of fighting, and thinking of transferring to another seminary. Would that be retreat? Is there hope for this place, an ideal worth fighting for? There are good people here, though they are few. Many of them are thinking of leaving, too. At least two are transferring out at the end of this semester.
What is the right path? I'm not sure if the problems we're having here are unique to this school, or if this happens in all seminaries.
Any opinions are gratefully accepted. Please pray for me and especially for the community.
-Jason
This is my first post on Christianforums.com so I hope this is the right place for this message. Well...where to begin?
In 2003, I got the call to serve God. Since that day my call has remained strong and I thank the Lord everyday for the chance to serve Him. I entered seminary last fall. I was a commuter last year but this year I live on campus. I came here to be among a community of believers. I thought living among devout people would strengthen my faith and teach me how to be a good minister.
Well, here are some highlights of the "Christian" community I've had the pleasure of living in this past semester:
- Two students expelled for drug abuse
- One student facing disciplinary action for confessing that he was a victim of child abuse in (this is unbelievable) a course on pastoral care of people who have experienced child abuse.
- A Student Body president that refuses to hear that our on campus community is crumbling, and responds to calls for change with hostility, shouting, and smear campaigns against those who "oppose" her.
- An "inclusive' community where people who profess Christ are excluded. I sat in a class where a student was laughed at for suggesting that the Holy Spirit guided the authors of the New Testament canon. I can tolerate and in fact enjoy hearing different opinions, but what is the message sent to students at this "inclusive" school when their beliefs are judged to be ridiculous or even offensive simply because they aren't in line with the majority?
- An Orwellian absence of outlets for student opinion, with the only news source being the "E-News" service edited and issued by the administration. Already limited to only event announcements and prayer requests, new proposals (by the above named Student Body president) will forbid any kind of editorial comments. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I do work for the Web Team and my supervisor is an awesome person and a good Christian. But it's a worrying reality that as of right now, there is no other outlet for student opinion or news.
- An on-campus community left to care for itself, with no on-campus chaplain, no chapel to pray in except during normal business hours, and no access to free pastoral counseling. The result? Students who either lock themselves in their room and hide, flee campus as often as they can, or resort to drinking, drugs, or sex to "care" for themselves.
For several weeks now, I've been a part of this travesty and felt a growing sense of the cause being the absence of something vital. I realized a few days ago what that it was: Christ. This is a seminary, but Christ is no part of this community. Christ abides in the fellowship of believers who love one another and build each other up. How can he live among people who, by and large, tear each other down at every turn? How can he abide in a place that is overwhelmed by suspicion, intolerance, and defeat? We have not invited the Holy Spirit to dwell among us and bring to us the fruits of the Spirit. We have not committed ourselves to unconditional love and devotion to God and to each other. We have no covenant to guide us to righteous living.
I don't know what to make of this. I know that I'm tired of fighting, and thinking of transferring to another seminary. Would that be retreat? Is there hope for this place, an ideal worth fighting for? There are good people here, though they are few. Many of them are thinking of leaving, too. At least two are transferring out at the end of this semester.
What is the right path? I'm not sure if the problems we're having here are unique to this school, or if this happens in all seminaries.
Any opinions are gratefully accepted. Please pray for me and especially for the community.
-Jason
to hear about all the problems that are going on at the seminary you are attending. I will be praying for you and all the students and staff and the president, dean and everybody else. I will be
that God will open their eyes to see what they are doing is not Godly. I will be praying a hedge of protection around all of you.
