Theological and Hermenutical Training

[pastorkevin73]

I am intersted to see what the level of theology and biblical interpretation training we all have. Realizing that most theology degrees require a student to do some part of their program with other than theology and biblical interpretation, please give a percentage of that program being theology and biblical interpretation. Feel free to mention any theological and biblical interpretation training received outside of post secondary education.

Edit: The poll is set to have more than one choice.

 

[Mallon]

I don't have any formal theological training, save for two years in confirmation class. Besides that, my theology has been formed by conversations I've had with other Christians, sermons + devotions + Bible studies, independent reading, and classes I took as an undergrad on the historical Jesus and science philosophy.

 

[pastorkevin73]

To answer my own questions:

I have a BCS-PS.
I am taking my last class and will graduate this April with my M.Div.
Before I attended any post secondary institution my youth pastor discipled me in biblical interpretation.

About 40% of my BCS-PS was Theology and Hermenutics.
My M.Div was 50-60% Theology and Hermenutics.

Part of my theology has been influenced by doing indepth studies on topics in scripture and scripture passages. This has included time spent in pray, first asking the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to the truth and what He wants me to learn from the study.

 

[Mallon]

Do you have to write a thesis? If so, what's the subject?

 

[pastorkevin73]

Do you have to write a thesis? If so, what's the subject?

No, which I thought was weird. My school focuses more on the practical side of ministry. My m.Div is 30% internships.

 

[KerrMetric]

To answer my own questions:

I have a BCS-PS.
I am taking my last class and will graduate this April with my M.Div.
Before I attended any post secondary institution my youth pastor discipled me in biblical interpretation.

About 40% of my BCS-PS was Theology and Hermenutics.
My M.Div was 50-60% Theology and Hermenutics.

Part of my theology has been influenced by doing indepth studies on topics in scripture and scripture passages. This has included time spent in pray, first asking the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to the truth and what He wants me to learn from the study.

Where if you don't mind?

Please don't take offence but more than anything outside the heating & AC degree mills the theological and pastor creation colleges are prone to shoddy academics and have no standing in the mainstream academic world. I have known pastors who got degrees from US Bible college degree mills and these people couldn't string a sentence together or perform long division.

 

[pastorkevin73]

Where if you don't mind?

Please don't take offence but more than anything outside the heating & AC degree mills the theological and pastor creation colleges are prone to shoddy academics and have no standing in the mainstream academic world. I have known pastors who got degrees from US Bible college degree mills and these people couldn't string a sentence together or perform long division.

No offence taken, but why would you make such a reply? It's the purpose of a seminary to train "Heady" people or equip people to do effective ministry?

I'll give an answer after you take the poll and share in a post about your T and BI training.

 

[KerrMetric]

It's the purpose of a seminary to train "Heady" people or equip people to do effective ministry?

Which has nothing to do with theological scholarship and seldom much to do with hermeneutics.

I'll give an answer after you take the poll and share in a post about your T and BI training.

I did. (just now) - no formal training, which probably puts me on a par with 99% of pastors.

 

[rmwilliamsll]

i worked on a MAR at Westminster Seminary in Calif.
i didn't finish when it became apparent that i did not and do not have the call to teach.

i'm in the middle of rehashing that, my Pastor and session think that i might teach. i've shared 3 Sunday School classes and the best i can tell people got something out of it.

so i'm rereading and rethinking about the issues of the internal and external call.

my interest is in systematic and historical theology more than hermeneutics and certainly more than the languages, i really am bad at language acquisition, and probably couldn't pass the Hebrew and Greek exams without going back to school for it.

i'm too old to go back to school now. i'll just spend this last years reading.

 

[rmwilliamsll]

No, which I thought was weird. My school focuses more on the practical side of ministry. My m.Div is 30% internships.

i'd be curious to see your school's website and what textbooks it uses. i looked but didn't find where you posted it's name. so where are you going to school?
tia.

 

[ProDeoEtVeritate]

Which has nothing to do with theological scholarship and seldom much to do with hermeneutics.




I did. (just now) - no formal training, which probably puts me on a par with 99% of pastors.

Dude, not cool. I suggest doing a study on respecting those people who God has placed in authority. Check out Rom 12 and Hebrews 12.

 

[ProDeoEtVeritate]

I have a bachelors and a masters in theology.

 

[rmwilliamsll]

I have a bachelors and a masters in theology.

what school?

 

[shernren]

I read a lot. Does that count for something? XD

 

[Assyrian]

It does to me. I read a lot too. Formally, I have taken 1 module on hermenutics (Amos) with the Irish Bible School. I really value the exposure to very different approaches to understanding the bible I find on the forum here.

In a way this could be a big problem with bible colleges. Students can get trained in a hermeneutical 'monoculture' of their denomination or the college's position on the literalist / liberal spectrum. Even if a student chooses a college outside their denomination they will tend to pick one considered 'sound' in their own church.

The question for people's hermeneutic training is at what level they get beyond the party line and look at different approaches taken across the church and throughout church history, at more than simply a 'this is why they are wrong' apologetic.

 

[Mallon]

The question for people's hermeneutic training is at what level they get beyond the party line and look at different approaches taken across the church and throughout church history, at more than simply a 'this is why they are wrong' apologetic.

You speak sooth, Assyrian.
One misconception I find people have about grad school is that it just reinforces scientific dogma (how many times have you heard a YEC tell an evolutionist they've been "brainwashed"?). But nothing could be further from the truth. Never before have I been so encouraged to question traditional thinking.
I wonder if the same is true of most hermeneutic training?

 

[bullietdodger]

Which has nothing to do with theological scholarship and seldom much to do with hermeneutics.




I did. (just now) - no formal training, which probably puts me on a par with 99% of pastors.

Dangerous! Those pastors would be light years ahead of you in studying the scriptures. I suggest treating pastors with the proper respect they deserve. They have a heavy task leading their churches in God's direction.

 

[rmwilliamsll]

Dangerous! Those pastors would be light years ahead of you in studying the scriptures. I suggest treating pastors with the proper respect they deserve. They have a heavy task leading their churches in God's direction.

an interesting statement that probably warrants it's own thread.

do i owe respect to pastors from other denominations, other than my own?
i capitalize my Pastors names and titles as a matter of conscious respect. As well as those i know are PCA/OPC/CRC and sister churches.

Do i owe heretics respect? of course not. they are evil and wrong. why i would i respect them or their positions/theology?

so between my denomination and heretics, where am i supposed to draw this imaginary line?
at arminians?
at protestant reformed?

tell me exactly how you draw these lines, perhaps start another thread even. so i can learn from your "pastor" viewpoint.

let me explain here with a bit of proof texting (*grin*)

Matt 23:
15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

 

[philadiddle]

I took one semester at a bible college towards a degree in music, then decided i wouldn't use that degree so I dropped out to think about what i really wanted to do. I may take a 2 year diploma in science, and possible take some theology classes via distance ed just for interests sake.

My brother goes to Canadian Bible College in Calgary AB. (http://www.auc-nuc.ca/http://www.canadianchristianity.com/cgi-bin/na.cgi?options2006/coll_canadian) In his 4th year he's had several OT profs, none of them have taken Genesis literally. We often discuss this and he teaches me about some hermenutics. I also learn through this board (of course I don't just accept everything I hear, even if it sides with me)

 

[KerrMetric]

Dude, not cool. I suggest doing a study on respecting those people who God has placed in authority. Check out Rom 12 and Hebrews 12.

Will someone point out exactly where God placed any pastor in authority over me?

I am not criticising pastors for the work many do that is good. My problem is when they talk about things they haven't a clue about outside of their church issues.