Cross-disciplinary Studies and Good Servant

　　I have been here for more than fifteen years and have seen quite a lot of changes. The general trend is that the academic standard and ethos of our seminary have risen significantly. In the Bible division we now have four fulltime faculty and three regular adjuncts. This is as strong as it has even been in all the years I’ve been here. The introduction of the Th.D. degree and the strengthening of the Th.M. program are also contributing factors. As a result our teachers have to do more research and write more, and this will have a trickle-down effect on the other programs. I joke with my students that they groan about writing a paper of a few thousand words that only one (very sympathetic) teacher will read. However, we, the teachers, have to write books that are more than a hundred thousand words each and which anyone can read and critique! So they should be thankful and stop murmuring like the Israelites in the wilderness.

　　In my opinion, the best scholarship is in vain if it does not help train our students to become better ministers for the Lord. This is, after all, a seminary and not a secular educational institution. To this end, there are various attempts at cross-disciplinary studies. For example, the nature of our Senior Integrative Colloquium’s topics are not purely academic. Instead, they are attempts at integrating biblical and/or theological studies with “practical” issues faced in the church. Another example is the revival of the graduation sermon. Each graduate, under the guidance of a teacher, is required to preach a sermon on a biblical passage that integrates skills like hermeneutics, homiletics, and pastoral ministry. We hope that these will hone our students’ ministerial skills so that they will be good servants of our Lord when they get to the churches.