Saturday, March 3, 2012

Professional or Theological?

Is the MDiv a professional or a theological degree? Certainly it is meant to be a bit of both as the pastor's profession is theological. But at bottom, what is it? More like a Juris Doctor or a Legum Magister? I think the degree, and hence the seminary itself, should be basically theological if for no other reason than that this is the aspect of a pastor's profession that is 1) teachable in a classroom and 2) not very likely to be taught anywhere else. We all learn vastly more about the pastor's profession in the first year out of the seminary than we did in those three-years-plus-vicarage. But I would wager that most men, like me, definitely did not learn more theology in the first four years after graduation. There is less time for reading, thought, and study. There are fewer teachers to be had. Fewer colleagues with the available free time and inclination to talk theology. If you don't get your theological foundation at seminary, good luck catching up.

All of this came to mind recently as I compared the academic journals of our two seminaries. CTQ's contained theological articles - mostly historical theology this time - and I wanted to read almost every one of them and have still made little headway because, like I said, it's hard to make time in the parish to sit down to theological reading. The CJ issue was. . . well, you can look at the table of contents yourself. Let's just say I was not much tempted to make the time for this thin volume.

+HRC

12 comments:

  1. It strikes me that the CJ table of contents looks more like one that might have been found in the general church magazines, like The Lutheran or The Lutheran Witness, of a generation or more ago.

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  2. The CJ issue is embarrassing. What an absolute joke. Thank God for CTQ and CTS.

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  3. Right on Brother; most of the first year out of seminary (if you're doing what you're Called to do, and not just giving everyone a "get out of hell free card" as the COP would have it) is spent being vexed and flayed by those who have no more interest in theology than becoming part of an expeditionary trip to Neptune. Also makes me question (even more) the weird notions behind the "Specific Ministry Program" that hinders the theological training of future shepherds even more.

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  4. Hey, watch what you say about The Lutheran Witness! :)

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  5. The Masters of Divinity is a theological degree with practical applications in our daily life of ministry. I find that CTQ has improved recently. But I also respect the work that the latest edition of the CJ brings to understanding the unique needs of ministry in an aging congregation.

    Our study of theology in a seminary and in our lives as pastors is an enterprise that is designed for proclamation. This blog article creates a false dichotomy between theological and practical preparations for the pastoral ministry.

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  6. I had the same initial reaction to the latest CJ. However, a closer look at the cover suggests that it is meant as a "special edition," rather than a typical issue. Regarding your main query, I think that the the MDiv is more theological than professional. I agree that you learn more about being a pastor in the first year than at any other time. Actually, sixteen years out and I'm still learning.

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  7. Mail call a couple days ago, my wife says: "Concordia Journal. It's about old people."

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  8. Reverend Fathers and Brothers:

    The MDiv is, and should remain, a Theological degree. Reading Journals cannot give you the training in theology that you missed in seminary.

    Keep in mind that my seminary training ended 40 years ago. Since then, I have had little contact with Journals and related publications.

    I had the opportunity to study under some of the best teachers between 1968 and 1972. Among these men was Dr. A.C. Piepkorn of blessed memory. I learned more theology and liturgics from him that from any other professor.

    Mementio Fratres, you are guided to a school; but you are called to an office. The Holy Spirit never places you into a office into which you are not enabled to fulfill.

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  9. Quite right. If you browse the Academic Catalogs of CSL from the days of yore (say ab seminario condito-1940) you'd be amazed at the intensity of the theological education they were given. I often shudder at what I didn't learn in seminary, but the truth is that I simply could not have learned as much theology any other way.

    How ironic that the theological education I received at CSL is what's driving my decision to take my CJ from the mailbox and put it immediately in the trash!

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  10. It's doubly sad when you consider the many shining stars on that faculty. But we hold these gifts in jars of clay: if the administration does not impose the duty to publish, if the faculty as a whole does not create a culture of inquiry and an expectation of publishing, well then, guys won't publish anything in CJ.

    +HRC

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  11. From Rev. Eric Linthicum on Facebook:

    "David, would you agree that many "either or" questions are moot? (Please note I said many and I did not say all). In my anything but humble opinion, a M. Div. had best be both professional and theological. In fact I would submit it is not possible to properly prepare a man for the pastoral office if you do not prepare him professionally AND theologically."

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  12. My response to Rev. Linthicum on Facebook:

    "Hi Eric. I am sorry for the tardy response. Fr. Curtis wrote this post, not me. The way Facebook posts the blog posts it is hard to tell which us was the writer. So you comments are better directed to him. I do find it ironic, however, that generally speaking second career men, like yourself, are often expressing the opinion that the seminary doesn't give them enough training of help in practical things, like running meetings, how to greet people, etc, when that is supposed to be their strength. For my part, I never felt under-prepared the way many second career men did and do for these things. I don't know why that is. But I just feel comfortable with the running of a parish and the administrative tasks that second career men are supposed to have by virtue of age and experience. But I have also always felt inadequate to the task of properly distinguishing between Law and Gospel, understanding the history and development of doctrine and the liturgy, and as to the conduct of the liturgy. So, while I wouldn't want the seminary to offer fewer than one professional class, I would greatly prefer more theology. My perspective of new graduates is that they've been beaten pretty hard with the stick that they have to be nice and winsome, but none of them, myself included, are fully competent to preach. Alas, competent or not, we have the call."

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