Reflections on theological training (Part 2): What do you learn?

In my last post on theological training (click here for the post), I talked about the importance of engaging in the real world. What we learn in seminary and theological college has to be meaningful in real life. In this second post I want to share what I believe as the most important thing to learn in theological studies.

I need to be honest that this is my own personal view. Different people have different opinions here. But this is my story.

In a good seminary or theological college, there will be knowledgeable professors who have in-depth knowledge of the Bible. There are those who have profound understanding of theology. There are experienced pastors and missionaries who can teach us the art of ministry. We learn analytical skills to critique theological thoughts, and we discover ministry insights. We learn how to deliver a good message, and skills in pastoral care. We gain insights into cross-cultural communication and missional endeavours.

All these are good and very important. But I want to suggest that the most important thing to learn is the skill to study the Scripture independently. (I will talk about other important – or equally important – things in subsequent posts.)

Pick up any course on Greek and/or Hebrew if you can, even though it is daunting. It’s okay not to be expert at the end, but the exposure to biblical languages is important. Study the historical and social backgrounds of the Old Testament and New Testament. Don’t be afraid to do exegetical subjects. Do courses that study entire books of the Bible. (Hopefully your professor/lecturer will make those subjects relevant to real life, which is very important, I believe.)

These will sharpen your skills to study the Scripture for yourselves in the future. From then on you can learn from the Bible with relative confidence.

(There is one thing I need to clarify at this point. I do not want any of the above to become an obstacle to know God. That is, your Greek and exegetical skills should be applied appropriately. Don’t be bogged down by over-sophisticated analytical processes. Learn to read the Bible as simple texts that contain God’s stories – stories that we can participate in. Read the Scripture with your “ears” listening to God’s voice at the same time. Your advanced training is a tool. Master it, rather than being mastered by it.)

Simply put, I tend to think that theological training is not primarily about learning some ministry skills, or some sophisticated theological arguments. It’s not mainly about being inspired by some great lecturers who are particularly good communicators. Again, all of these are good. But personally I think it is far more important to use the opportunity to learn how to study the Bible. Of course, reading the Bible has to be done within a reading community. We don’t have all the answers, and we need humility to allow others to teach us. But when we have the opportunity to study at a seminary or theological college, I think we should take full advantage of it and learn the skill of studying the Scripture.

What I find in my own experience is that the skill will be useful for life. I know how to use the Scripture to prepare for a message or a Bible study. When I encounter a new ministry or social trend, I know how to find resources in the Scripture to assist me to critique the trend. When I want to know what God has to say about a particular subject or issue (say, poverty, development, or human rights), I have the tools to help me use the Scripture to critique the matter.

After finishing my MPhil, I worked in a non-Christian profession for a few years. There I encountered situations that were not ministry related, but profoundly connected with real life events. Again, I had the resources and skill set to deal with them through a prayerful reading of Scripture.

Okay, that’s enough for now. Again, I am aware that the above is subjective. It’s my reflection after many conversations with theological students and graduates from a range of Christian traditions. I have taught quite a few of them, and have had the privilege of working with some of them. I think the skill to study the Scripture is still the most important thing for us all.

Reflections on theological training (Part 1): Why bother?

In recent years a number of people have expressed to me their interest in pursuing theological training. It is great to hear their journey and desire to study the Scripture and theology. Our conversations have prompted me to think about sharing my thoughts on theological training in a series of blog posts.

In this first post I want to ask the critical question: Why bother? That is, if theological training does not help us to embody Christ's life, death and resurrection in real life, then why bother?

I don't have the last word on this. But I will share a few thoughts. It may help if I share my own story. I came to faith when I was a teenager. I always wanted to serve God, and was always active in my local church. But it was more than 10 years later that I felt a strong sense of call to go into ministry. After a lot of prayers with my wife, I decided to leave my career to go to a Bible college to study. The good thing about having been a Christian for so long was that I had had the time to (1) read the Bible over 10 times before studying theology; (2) have a good experience in serving in local churches; and (3) have a solid non-church-related work experience.

But before I finished my theological training, I was asked to join the pastoral team of my church. And in a few years I was ordained. Life was really tough at the time. Ministry was hard work, and emotionally draining. We had little money. My wife had to work full-time. I also had to work part-time outside the church for extra income. At the same time, I taught as a tutor in my Bible College. In addition, I continued with my own theological studies, and started an MPhil, in which I engaged in serious research in Biblical Studies. The hectic lifestyle eventually took its toll, and I resigned from ministry to concentrate on my studies.

In the meantime I did more part-time work while I finished my research degree. The subsequent years were more part-time and full-time non-church-related work. I found it a valuable experience to be in the real world again after years of theological training and pastoral ministry. I viewed my work differently, for my studies in the Scripture had helped me to understand better the world that God created.

Years later God gave me a new job to work in an overseas relief and development Christian organisation. Soon I started my PhD on Biblical Studies as a part-time student, while continued to work part-time in that organisation. I am now half way through my PhD. I am not sure whether I am smart enough to finish it. But I will give it my best shot.

So much for my story. But as you can see, in all these years I have had the opportunity to engage in the real world in one way or another. I get to see people from all walks of life, including people from different faiths. I get to talk with them and listen to their cry. And at the same time I engage in theological training. This has been a very enriching experience. I find myself engaging in the Scripture and the real world at the same time. It is not just about theories, or merely about "what works in practice". It is about critiquing the world and its culture with the Scripture, and at the same time allowing real life stories to enrich my own understanding of the Bible.

All that said, I am not suggesting that everyone should do the same thing. There is nothing wrong to take a few years off to engage in full-time theological training. Some may study for one year, simply to consolidate their faith. Others may do two years simply to study the Scripture, but with no intention to become a minister. For some others, it may turn out to be many years of academic studies, if God intends them to teach at seminaries. What I am trying to say is that one should always endeavour to embody the gospel in real life - that is, where people are. We need to hear the stories of the poor and the rich, the unlearned and the educated. We need to get to know people from different cultures, and appreciate what God is doing in their lives, even though we have very different life experiences. We need to identify with the poor and needy, and stand in solidarity with the marginalised and disadvantaged.

My own experience is that I can never be prefect when it comes to these things. But it has been a profoundly enriching experience. The Scripture comes alive when we engage with real people in the real world. If we do theological studies for the sake of study alone, why bother?