What is the Level of Education that a Pastor has?

[lionroar0]

In OBOB we were discussing the level of eduction a priest has before becoming ordained. Education level of Catholic Priests.

Then I started wondering what level of educations non-catholic pastors have.

So here it goes. What level of education do non-catholic pastors?

Peace

 

[Dragons87]

A degree from a seminary, at least?

 

[Peaceful Dove]

A degree from a seminary, at least?

Does anyone know how long that takes?

We have a few folks in our area, one I know very well has only been a Christian about 2 years who is starting his own Church.
He has no formal training or schooling at all above High School.

 

[Gwenyfur]

My husband who is now in seminary, will have a bachelor's degree in theology...when he finishes in 4 more years...
That makes 5 years total education after high school...

We'll be pushing 40 when he's done...

He takes both secular courses such as math, science, history, english as well as theology courses...
Hope that answer the question..

Oh and he's baptist...

 

[Peaceful Dove]

My husband who is now in seminary, will have a bachelor's degree in theology...when he finishes in 4 more years...
That makes 5 years total education after high school...

We'll be pushing 40 when he's done...

He takes both secular courses such as math, science, history, english as well as theology courses...
Hope that answer the question..

Oh and he's baptist...

Ahhh, very good, solid education.
I can see why Baptist Pastors are so well grounded in their faith.
Congratulate and encourage your dear husband for me, please.
Oh, and congratulations and encouragement to you and your family.
This is a tough time for you all.
My husband got is graduate degree after we were married and I know what
it can be like.

 

[Gwenyfur]

Ahhh, very good, solid education.
I can see why Baptist Pastors are so well grounded in their faith.
Congratulate and encourage your dear husband for me, please.
Oh, and congratulations and encouragement to you and your family.
This is a tough time for you all.
My husband got is graduate degree after we were married and I know what
it can be like.

Thank you PeacefulDove

God's blessings and peace be with you as well

 

[IgnatiusOfAntioch]

Doctorate in Theology

 

[mesue]

I posted this in another forum

Allow me to take liberty in a comparison of training for vocation. I'll use nursing, because that's easier for me. And I think it will help my point out when I get to the pastor part.
Does education make a nurse a good nurse? Not neccessarily.
I know LPN's that can out nurse a BSN (RN with a Bachelor's Degree)
There are 3 different levels of education for RN's.
Hospital based 3 year training.
Associates Degree RN
Bachelor's Degree RN.
I'm in the middle. I will get promoted faster than a nurse with hospital based training because I have a colloge degree. The nurse with the Bachelor's degree will get promoted before me because that degree is higher than mine. Even though we're all qualified to do the same job.
Does that mean a nurse with the BSN is better than a nurse with the ASN? Heck no! It has been my experiance over the last 16 years that the nurses that come from the hospital based training make the best hands on care nurses. This is because of the training. Hospital based learning has a lot of hands on care. ASN there's half classroom and half hands on. BSN is ASN training and then a lot more of administrative training.
I think the same goes with for the office of pastor. It all depends on the training. I've seen pastors with PhD's and they're cold as fish, but man! are they smart! I've also seen pastors with Bachelor's degrees be very warm and give a good genuine message. They may be lacking in the administrtive aspects of the job, but the pews are filled because he's giving the people what they need, maybe not what they want, but what they need.
The Apostles were ordained. They didn't have PhD's in theology but they had awesome training.

 

[lionroar0]

Hi Mesue

I like your post very much. It reminds me that while education is important eudcation with out formation can also be lacking. I guess my next question would be does education also inlcude formation?

Peace

 

[Peaceful Dove]

I posted this in another forum

I think it goes a bit broader than what you are pointing out.

In fact, I think it does with nursing, too but that is another topic.

My best buddy is a Catholic Priest. He is my age, 69 yrs old and it is possible some of the schooling might have changed. He has had 12 years of formal education.
He is a Bible Scholar. Part of his schooling was in Hebrew College where he studied scripture in ancient languages. He knows the translations and pretty much the meaning of the Gospels and Jesus teachings. This is good education.
He also spent many years learning Church history, in his case, the first 5 centuries which he dovoted much time in.
I won't go into more but hoping you get the idea.
Along with that, for every day of those 12 years, he also spent a minumum of 3 hours a day in prayer.

 

[lionroar0]

Along with that, for every day of those 12 years, he also spent a minumum of 3 hours a day in prayer.

Survey says Ding!

Peace

 

[eladoni]

Does anyone know how long that takes?

We have a few folks in our area, one I know very well has only been a Christian about 2 years who is starting his own Church.
He has no formal training or schooling at all above High School.

In the lutheran church, you go to the seminary. I think it takes about 5-6 years. you leave with a doctorite of divinity I believe.

In the lcms lutheran church, you have to serve a 1 year vickerage, where you are essentially the assistant pastor, etc. this takes place after your 3rd year, and you go back and finish in the 5th.

another differance that I'm not sure exists, is that all the lcms lutheran pastors have to know greek and hebrew, so they can read the bible in the original languages. they also should probably have a smattering of german and latin too.

My dad was ordained as a pastor, so if you have any questions specific to that denomination, I'd be happy to ask him.

I personally plan on taking the route also.

 

[eladoni]

spent a minumum of 3 hours a day in prayer.

I could definatly see that. taking care of a congregation is a HUGE responsibility. It takes me a while to get through my prayers, and my friends are very limited.

 

[FriarTuck]

ElCA Lutheran Pastors have to have a bachelors degree, preferably in the social sciences. Then they do Three years of seminary. They have to know greek before entering seminary and learn Hebrew as well. In between middle and senior year they have to do a year internship. They also have spend some time doing clinical pastoral education (CPE) in a hospital. They graduate with a Master of Divinity.

This is Luther Seminary's program http://www.luthersem.edu/catalog/05_07/mdiv.asp

 

[mesue]

I think it goes a bit broader than what you are pointing out.

In fact, I think it does with nursing, too but that is another topic.

My best buddy is a Catholic Priest. He is my age, 69 yrs old and it is possible some of the schooling might have changed. He has had 12 years of formal education.
He is a Bible Scholar. Part of his schooling was in Hebrew College where he studied scripture in ancient languages. He knows the translations and pretty much the meaning of the Gospels and Jesus teachings. This is good education.
He also spent many years learning Church history, in his case, the first 5 centuries which he dovoted much time in.
I won't go into more but hoping you get the idea.
Along with that, for every day of those 12 years, he also spent a minumum of 3 hours a day in prayer.

I expected as much, and you are entitled to think.
Is this a written law somewhere? This 3 hour limit? What if they can only pray 2:59:59? Does that count?
Anyway, I've been a nurse for more than 16 years. Experiance takes over after a fashion. I had a few Catholic Priest friends, and a few Pastor friends. I find that scholarly education counts for little if you're not in God's will. And squat if you do nothing but profile with it. As I've seem some pompus "went to Hebrew school" church leaders do. More commonly known as Religiously Lost Gas Bags. Or tinkling cymbols as Paul so aptly put it.
Peace be unto you.

 

[Iollain]

I think a faithful man would go with the ministry well. Able does not always mean faithful.

 

[mesue]

I think a faithful man would go with the ministry well. Able does not always mean faithful.

Nor does well educated mean capable.

 

[Iollain]

True, education cannot instill faith

 

[Iollain]

Education does not equal called either.

 

[Gwenyfur]

I expected as much, and you are entitled to think.
Is this a written law somewhere? This 3 hour limit? What if they can only pray 2:59:59? Does that count?
Anyway, I've been a nurse for more than 16 years. Experiance takes over after a fashion. I had a few Catholic Priest friends, and a few Pastor friends. I find that scholarly education counts for little if you're not in God's will. And squat if you do nothing but profile with it. As I've seem some pompus "went to Hebrew school" church leaders do. More commonly known as Religiously Lost Gas Bags. Or tinkling cymbols as Paul so aptly put it.
Peace be unto you.

My husband entered already knowing Hebrew...thanks to his jewish inlaws

However he is having to learn greek, and he's struggling with it a bit. He caught onto Hebrew easily...so he's confused with Greek being difficult for him...but he's doing his best to muddle on through.

I ordered a parallel Bible for him for his b'day (hope it gets here in time!) but it's english/greek/hebrew so I do hope it will help.