Educational Models & Systems
For many ministers, multivocational ministry is normal. Dr. Darryl Stephens, an expert on the subject, says it has been for the history of the North American church, and Lancaster Theological Seminary is forging new paths to train people for multivocational ministry.
At Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, an In Trust Center Resource Grant helped the school spur innovation and provided a way through the pandemic.
An expert on distributed learning, Dr. Mary Hess provides thoughts for faculty members, administrators, and board members on the future of theological education.
In light of the coronavirus outbreak, many seminaries, colleges, and universities have decided to switch from in-person classes to online instruction.
Here are some online resources that may be helpful.
Robert S. Landrebe, who has just retired as senior vice president at Asbury Theological Seminary, offered advice for finding clarity in your school’s future in the Spring 2014 issue of In Trust. In his article titled “To create the future, selectively abandon the past,” Landrebe offers blunt but empathic advice to schools facing shrinking enrollment (in other words, most schools): “Let me describe theological education as an ‘industry.’ We are part of an industry that has a vital mission that serves the church. But, over the last decade, our student market has been in decline. During this decade we haven’t adjusted our expenses in response to a shrinking market. Rather, expenses have risen even faster than the consumer price index."
In the May issue of Colloquy, the online newsletter from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), two representatives from Andover Newton Theological School and Yale Divinity School offer some reflections on Andover Newton’s transition from a freestanding theological school to an embedded seminary.