McSeminary? No, no, quicker than that!
In this week's preaching.com email, Michael Duduit talked about a book called The Portable Seminary: A Master's Level Overview in One Volume.
I didn't believe him.
I checked amazon.com and it's there.
For what it’s worth I don’t think this is a good idea. It’s setting people up to think they can spend $23.09, read 704 pages and come out on par with a seminary graduate.
Well, seminary is not Sunday School on steroids, it costs a little more than $23, and I would love to have a class that only had 704 pages.
What is this book missing?
The critical interaction, the grueling quizzes, tests, exegetical papers, and those professors who have devoted their lives to you and are in that classroom to take your questions and impart their knowledge and experience. Some say seminary is a waste of time, it’s cemetery and that all you need is a couple books and a Bible, you can do it on your own. I say, that’s great, just interact with someone who’s a student at a University and believes that Moses didn’t write the Pentateuch, and Paul didn’t write 1 & 2 Timothy. What will you do then?
There is a place for graduate studies, even seminary.
Seminary is a long road that is expensive, painful, yet fun.
It is a road that has twists and turns, but takes you somewhere.
It is a road that allows you to have many traveling companions.
I see this book the same way I see the bare bones outline I just did of Exodus, 40 chapters, 50 or 60 facts. You cannot honestly think that from that outline that one could comprehend the scope and majesty of the Book of Exodus do you? You wouldn't think that if you memorized my outline that you would know everything that Exodus has to say would you? Such is the way I see this book. It could give you a snapshot, but in the end, it's not the real thing.
Dr. Duduit joked about waiting for the How To books to come out for med school and law, and I think it's a good way to look at it. Something as serious as God's Word and as serious as the Gospel ministry should not be treated so lightly. I appreciate the fact that the book has good people behind it, but I do not think it should be presented in such a casual way. Knowledge takes time and experience, you can't get it in one volume.
I hope I don't offend anyone by my comments, but I really think this book is setting people up to think they can have something in a short time that really is a long, hard process.
I didn't believe him.
I checked amazon.com and it's there.
For what it’s worth I don’t think this is a good idea. It’s setting people up to think they can spend $23.09, read 704 pages and come out on par with a seminary graduate.
Well, seminary is not Sunday School on steroids, it costs a little more than $23, and I would love to have a class that only had 704 pages.
What is this book missing?
The critical interaction, the grueling quizzes, tests, exegetical papers, and those professors who have devoted their lives to you and are in that classroom to take your questions and impart their knowledge and experience. Some say seminary is a waste of time, it’s cemetery and that all you need is a couple books and a Bible, you can do it on your own. I say, that’s great, just interact with someone who’s a student at a University and believes that Moses didn’t write the Pentateuch, and Paul didn’t write 1 & 2 Timothy. What will you do then?
There is a place for graduate studies, even seminary.
Seminary is a long road that is expensive, painful, yet fun.
It is a road that has twists and turns, but takes you somewhere.
It is a road that allows you to have many traveling companions.
I see this book the same way I see the bare bones outline I just did of Exodus, 40 chapters, 50 or 60 facts. You cannot honestly think that from that outline that one could comprehend the scope and majesty of the Book of Exodus do you? You wouldn't think that if you memorized my outline that you would know everything that Exodus has to say would you? Such is the way I see this book. It could give you a snapshot, but in the end, it's not the real thing.
Dr. Duduit joked about waiting for the How To books to come out for med school and law, and I think it's a good way to look at it. Something as serious as God's Word and as serious as the Gospel ministry should not be treated so lightly. I appreciate the fact that the book has good people behind it, but I do not think it should be presented in such a casual way. Knowledge takes time and experience, you can't get it in one volume.
I hope I don't offend anyone by my comments, but I really think this book is setting people up to think they can have something in a short time that really is a long, hard process.
posted by Bobby's blog at 12:46 PM
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