Distance Seminary Education/Brick and Mortar Education

[Blue Tick]

I know we’ve discussed this before but it’s been awhile; so what do you think about Distance Seminary education/Brick and Mortar education?

What are the benefits of going the distance ed route or the brick and mortar path?

What are the pros and cons of both?


Also, feel free to vote!

 

[bconway52]

I'm going to say a "brick/mortar" institutional seminary. I believe it has several benefits over distance education:

1) Face to face interaction with professor
2) Face to face interaction with fellow students
3) More teaching methods available (though this might be a more subjective one- i.e. some students can't do self-study)
4) Resources - full time professors are there to answer your questions, library resources, etc. Distance ed. typically doesn't have these things.
5) Credibility of the education - whether for positive or negative it is pretty much a fact that most people in the USA give more credit to those who attend a brick/mortar school

 

[Blue Tick]

What would be some of the benefits of distance ed?

Hands on practical experience laboring in the local church...

 

[bconway52]

What would be some of the benefits of distance ed?

Hands on practical experience laboring in the local church...

I would argue that this could take place both with distance ed and with your traditional seminary. While arguing for the traditional academic seminary model we should not divorce a pre-ministerial students training from the local church. Internship type of training is essential in addition to the academics.

So, hands on training is not limited to distance ed.

 

[Calvinist Cowboy]

One of my ruling elders is a parent and a lawyer (state-employed though, so not much $ compared to private practice) and doesn't have either the time or the money to go to a brick & mortar seminary. He wanted to get a seminary education though. So he is now enrolled at Whitefield Theological Seminary, a distance-ed seminary in Lakeland, Florida. He highly rates their curriculum, considering it more stringent than just about everything else he's seen.

I truly believe that a distance seminary education is the best way to go if you have commitments that make going to a seminary impossible. There are a few pitfalls, such as making sure your denomination will accept a degree from your seminary, or ensuring that your degree will be accepted for post-graduate education.

It all depends on your situation. If you are able to physically pack up and move to a seminary for three or four years and have the finances to do so, I would say go for it. If times are hard, but you really, really need/want to get a seminary education, take a serious look at the distance route.

Some believe that it has to be one or the other, either distance or brick 'n mortar. I don't think the two necessarily rule each other out.

 

[SolaScriptura]

I'm adamently FOR brick-and-mortar education. There is something about the formative process of engaging with the prof and the other students that is missing from distance ed. I, and most of the ministers I know, can almost always "tell" a person who studied at home via distance ed. It isn't that distance ed is less academically intense... but the ethos and demeanor of the person is "different."
I'm convinced that we NEED the process of interacting with others to make us healthy theologians.

 

[Ivan]

Again, I agree with the statement "it all depends on your situation". I would not choose to have an exclusively distance education. Some of both can be a very good thing.

I'll say this: do what the LORD calls you to do, do your very best, and serve the LORD with gladness.

 

[tellville]

Well, I have taken some courses distance ed. I think there is actually MORE interaction when you do distance ed, at least at my seminary. The reason is because we are forced to interact on discussion boards every week discussing our readings, etc. So not only do you discuss more you actually take the time to read the books well otherwise you look like an idiot and the prof will be able to tell you never read the book. You also are forced to read much more and do more assignments because you are not in class while still having online lectures!

In classes done in the classroom you can get away with never touching your textbook and there is no obligation to join the classroom discussion as you rarely get marks for that anyway. Personally, the sinful side of me prefers taking classroom classes because there is much less work involved and I can slide when life gets in the way and still pass the class with excellent marks. Distance ed is much more intense and time consuming, just much more convenient (you don't have to move and can do it anytime in the day).

Anyway, that's my from my own experiences. I think both should be considered fully legit as long as the content is there. You should have a "both are legit" option. I can't vote for any of the current options.

 

[SolaScriptura]

Interaction on an online discussion board in which you can access resources and read and re-read your comments before you post them is NOT the same thing as actually having a discussion face-to-face with someone.

I.e., engaging in a debate on this forum about infant baptism is a whole lot different than raising one's hand in a class at a Baptist seminary to engage the prof...

In real life ministerial situations we don't engage others online. We have to do it face to face. That is a lot harder. But it needs to be done so that you can come out more rounded.

It helps mature a man to feel the glares of people who disagree with him.

 

[Ivan]

It helps mature a man to feel the glares of people who disagree with him.

You mean like now...

 

[Ivan]

BTW, "real life ministerial situations" isn't seminary.

 

[CharlieJ]

Having been to two theological institutions (Bible college and seminary), I can't imagine trying to replicate that experience distance. There are several components that can't be easily matched.

1. Research requires a developed theological library. For one of my classes, in addition to the four main textbooks we use, we are often required to do reading either in other books or in theological journals or in published articles. For any paper I write, I strive to have at least two theological journal articles and at least 1500 pages of reading. Most of the distance seminaries I've seen tend to concentrate on one or two textbooks, with a paper that is more like a book report. Since I read around 1000 pages per week, I'd exhaust my own library quickly.

2. Peer relationship building happens face to face. Seminary is a great way to grow in Christ through healthy relationships. Praying together and ministering together on different projects forges long-term bonds and trusts. I've even gotten together with friends outside class just for fun. Especially in the Presbyterian system, it's wonderful to know the hearts and passions of those in your presbytery and denomination.

3. There will be more exposure to mature Christian leaders. Not only do you actually see your professors in class, you may also go to church with them on Sunday. At GPTS, we have a prayer meeting every Friday with our academic advisor. Once a week, we have a pastor from the area preach in chapel. We hold conferences. The net result is a lot of wisdom and mentoring opportunities being thrown your way.

That being said, I think that taking some classes distance is a good way to go, perhaps to reduce cost or diffuse your class load over a summer. In college, I saved some money and graduated in 3 years through some summer and distance work. In seminary, I made a mini-semester over the summer by doing three classes distance, so I would have greater schedule flexibility.