Theologizing & Philosophizing: A Seminary Update

Being able to take seminary courses while serving on staff with a local church has been one of the tremendous blessings of Generation LINK. It is easy to see how God is using formal theological training to sanctify me and prepare me for current and future ministry. I already appeal to much of my past and current course work when ministering to people and preparing for teaching opportunities although I’m only 24 hours into my degree. The opportunity to learn in this context has been extremely beneficial. However, it has also been challenging.

This semester I have quite the “heady” course-load. (Yes, heady, not heavy, although it is certainly that too when all required textbooks are accounted for.) The two primary courses I am taking are Philosophy and Systematic Theology?PHI5100 and THE6110 for you seminarians. The material I’m learning has been extremely difficult at times, requiring much patience and study on my part. I have already had plenty of late night study sessions since August, causing my wife to at times refer to herself a “seminary widow.” (I think she’s only joking…I think.) She, like many other gracious and godly wives of seminarians, has been a real blessing to me as I’ve labored in my studies, listening to me ramble on about the newest theories and ideas I’ve been processing and helping me think through all that I’ve been learning. Working in a ministry setting while taking online and extension center courses certainly creates tension when it comes to balancing family, work, and education, not to mention informal ministry opportunities and one’s personal devotional time. There is always sacrifice involved. But God has taught me a lot through this process, and already I see the fruit of pursuing a seminary degree in this way.

The most immediate application from my studies this semester has come from learning proper argumentation and logic. I’ve learned how to craft a formal argument by following the rules of logic and avoiding common fallacies. Already I have seen this pay dividends as I’ve interacted with others on beliefs different from my own. I’m learning to work hard at understanding others’ arguments before assuming I know what they are saying and automatically disagreeing with them. I’m also learning not to primarily interact with the character of another person, but rather with the argument they are presenting. In other words, God has used this training to make me slow to speak and quick to listen when discussing theology (or anything else) with other people. God has also humbled me by exposing how often I have argued with common fallacies in the past. The whole process has been profitable in stretching me and how I interact with others.

Of course, in practice, this has resulted in much better conversations with college students on campus and in my small group. Not only am I equipped to think through my beliefs and communicate them more accurately and effectively, but in doing so I am also able to lead others to think properly about different issues. As I’ve applied these lessons in philosophy to the theology I’m also learning, I’m able to better disciple the students I’m leading. In this way, formal theological training is immediately impacting my work toward fulfilling the Great Commission.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow both formally and informally in the context of the local church. While I am certainly ready for the day when I never again have to write a research paper or take an exam, I hope to never stop being trained and sharpened through theological training.

Gray Gardner, Generation LINK Clemson