Southern Seminary – Michael Haykin http://www.sbts.edu/blogs Fri, 17 May 2013 19:52:29 +0000 en hourly 1 web@sbts.edu (Offices of Communications and Campus Technology) web@sbts.edu (Offices of Communications and Campus Technology) http://www.sbts.edu/media/posters/sbts-podcast-sm.jpg Southern Seminary – Michael Haykin http://www.sbts.edu/blogs Christianity Copyright 2013, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Spiritual formation and the modern seminary http://www.sbts.edu/blogs/2012/08/08/spiritual-formation-and-the-modern-seminary/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=spiritual-formation-and-the-modern-seminary http://www.sbts.edu/blogs/2012/08/08/spiritual-formation-and-the-modern-seminary/#comments Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:18:36 +0000 Michael Haykin http://www.sbts.edu/blogs/?p=237 One of the classic introductions to theological studies is B.B. Warfield’s The Religious Life of Theological Students, where his primary concern is to argue for the necessity of personal piety in the life of those studying at a theological seminary. He expects that the seminary be a place of piety, where piety is inculcated and where the students experience what we call today “spiritual formation.” Reading my dear friend Carl Trueman’s recent post atreformation21 on “Witsius, Character and Cleaning Rosters” I was honestly surprised to find the following remarks in which he clearly disagrees with his distinguished Presbyterian forebear:

“I find the whole notion of ‘spiritual formation’ within seminaries to be somewhat problematic: seminaries impart knowledge and skills which are essential for ministry and which cannot be acquired with like ease in a practical mentoring situation; they also provide a context for developing important and useful friendships which will last a lifetime; but they cannot really engage in spiritual formation in any deep way.”

Trueman argues that this is because seminaries are not centers where the means of grace like the Lord’s Supper and the preaching of the Word are observed:

Read the rest at AndrewFullerCenter.com. 

]]> http://www.sbts.edu/blogs/2012/08/08/spiritual-formation-and-the-modern-seminary/feed/ 0