So You're Thinking About Going to Seminary

by Cooper, Derek

• ISBN13: 9781587432149
• ISBN10: 1587432145
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-11-01
• Publisher: Brazos Pr

Summary

I think I want to go to seminary, but is seminary right for me? What is seminary like? How do I figure out where to go? If you or someone you know or counsel is asking these questions, this book is for you. A true insider, Derek Cooper answers the questions of anyone considering or just starting seminary. He explains what seminary is, how to research and choose the right school, what the different degrees entail, how to pay for it, the meaning of different theological terms, and what to expect once you arrive. The only book of its kind, this engaging, insightful, and user-friendly guide will help prospective students make wise choices and beginning students overcome uncertainty as they begin this life-changing experience.EXCERPTTheological education has actually changed considerably over the past few decades from the traditional classroom full of men wearing ties and slacks to the contemporary classroom full of women and men dressed in shorts and sandals. Although there still are many traditional schools available to you--if that is your persuasion--it is not necessarily your parents' seminary any more. This is because seminary education has evolved like everything else with the changing culture in North America. Seminaries in the twenty-first century differ in many ways from seminaries of the twentieth-century--which is one reason why a guide to seminary is now necessary.

Author Biography

Derek Cooper (PhD, Lutheran Theological Seminary) is visiting professor of New Testament at Biblical Seminary. Due to work, family, and program requirements, Derek has attended classes at six different seminaries. He lives in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, with his wife.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 9
Introduction	p. 11
Orientation to Seminary
Learning about Seminary	p. 19
Different Names of Seminary and Professional Education	p. 27
Discovering Whether Seminary Is Right for You	p. 35
Things to Consider before Seminary
Theological Affiliations, Traditions, and Denominations	p. 49
The Outside of Seminary	p. 61
The Inside of Seminary	p. 73
Financing Your Seminary Education	p. 83
Steps toward Finding and Applying to the Right Seminary	p. 95
Things to Consider during Seminary
Managing Your Time, Maintaining Your Faith, and Adjusting to Your New Life	p. 111
Technology and Classroom Instruction at Seminary	p. 125
Coursework and Classes: Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology	p. 133
Coursework and Classes: Church History and Practical Theology	p. 143
Different Degrees of Seminary: Basic Programs	p. 153
Different Degrees of Seminary: Advanced Programs	p. 169
Post-Seminary Things to Consider while in Seminary
Careers Requiring Ordination or Licensure	p. 179
Careers Not Requiring Certification	p. 193
General Things to Consider about Seminary
Seminary Past and Present	p. 207
Seminary Checklists	p. 215
Glossary of Theological Terms	p. 219
Bibliography	p. 227
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