Which Seminary Would You Choose for this Approach?

[RamistThomist]

Jackson, MS is affecting my language too much. This is ridiculous. I am from Illinois and I talk as a dumb southerner.

Them sir, is fighting words!

I am now taking Frame for apologetics; if I could do it over again (I can't) and if I ahd the money (I don't), I would go Orlando.

 

[RamistThomist]

Scott,

At the risk of being chastised by the seminary crowd, I believe you would be best served by doing something on your own - perhaps using the free lectures at Covenant's website. RTS also has the entire Systematic I course with Doug Kelly available as a download through iTunes. Greenville also has a good distance program. An MA at a seminary will be of almost no help to you in the academic world (e.g. as a prerequisite for some secular doctorate). The only real reason to go to seminary is for pastoral training (in my opinion). It is a very expensive and time consuming option simply to be "better studied." A better approach would be to find someone (your pastor, an elder or another minister) to go through Calvin's Institutes and Cunningham's Historical Theology with you. There are also tons of free audio lectures online - Van Til, Murray, etc. Sermonaudio is a great resource for this. If you needed it, I could burn a CD with a hundred or more MP3s of this sort and send it to you.

Ditto to Fred. The only possible (no, that's not accurate) way a MA could work in the academic world is if you do a thesis, and even then it is slim (and usually it would only work overseas). The RTS Itunes deal looks good (Doug Kelley is an awesome theologian and preacher, no other way to say it). Me personally, I learned a tremendous amount from Greg Bahnsen's theology mp3s (and to meet the TR crowd on neutral ground, it was his exposition of the confession and his 80+ lectures on Calvin). That is just one example. They are cheap and you can listen to them whenever. Can't always do that with class notes.

You could always do the presbyterian thing and that is to start your own study center. If the money ever came in, that is what I would do. I would call it "Kilt and Crown Tavern," or something like that.

 

[fredtgreco]

Them sir, is fighting words!

I am now taking Frame for apologetics; if I could do it over again (I can't) and if I ahd the money (I don't), I would go Orlando.

Now that is really fighting words! I'd go to Southern before I set foot in Orlando. (Yes, I mean that).

 

[RamistThomist]

I would go to Southern for money reasons. If I heard a certain academe correctly (and I could be mistaken), a year in the PhD program at SBTS is cheaper than a semester in the MDiv in Jackson.

 

[fredtgreco]

I would go to Southern for money reasons. If I heard a certain academe correctly (and I could be mistaken), a year in the PhD program at SBTS is cheaper than a semester in the MDiv in Jackson.

You likely heard right. PhD programs can be less expensive because you are typically not taking classes.

 

[elnwood]

I would go to Southern for money reasons. If I heard a certain academe correctly (and I could be mistaken), a year in the PhD program at SBTS is cheaper than a semester in the MDiv in Jackson.

Tuition per semester credit hour (masters):
SBTS: $158 (SBC students)
RTS: $325
WSCAL: $325
WTS: $360
RPTS: $226 (per quarter hour)
MARS: $200 (up to $2250)

Tuition (PhD):
SBTS: $2900 per semester (SBC students)
RTS: $380 per credit hour
WTS: $2350 per course

 

[RamistThomist]

Tuition per semester credit hour (masters):
SBTS: $158 (SBC students)
RTS: $325
WSCAL: $325
WTS: $360
RPTS: $226 (per quarter hour)
MARS: $200 (up to $2250)

Tuition (PhD):
SBTS: $2900 per semester (SBC students)
RTS: $380 per credit hour
WTS: $2350 per course

Needs to be qualified a bit. An RTS student theoretically can get 2/3 of it paid for per hour, but it gets tricky after that.

 

[polemic_turtle]

My experience at RTS JACKSON has been great, but I am studying to become a Pastor. I wouldn't recommend to someone wanting to do an MA in Theological Studies to necessarily come here (I wouldn't not though either). I am also of the same opinion as Fred that seminary should typically be for those who want to enter pastoral ministry. I think RTS JACKSON is great for that purpose. If you want to do Theological Studies I would suggest those above that I suggested.

I believe I am witnessing the meltdown occurring. :-|

P.S. Where is the Doug Kelly series link? Also, what's wrong with Orlando? Please explain.

 

[RamistThomist]

Also, what's wrong with Orlando? .

Nothing.

 

[AdamM]

Freinds, fill me in more on what exactly is the purpose of the MA degree programs that most seminaries offer? I have to admit to being a bit puzzled by the programs myself, because from what little I've seen of them they are an awfully expensive way to increase ones personal bible knowledge. It seems to me, to me that purpose of a seminary is vocational (training teaching elders for the church) and increasing the role of MA programs would just introduce a bunch of potential problems.

Another question I have is that I doubt the number of new PCA, OPC and URC church plants combined in year would equal more than 25 or 30, so where are the new MDiv graduates of all these seminaires finding calls?

 

[crhoades]

P.S. Where is the Doug Kelly series link?

http://itunes.rts.edu/

 

[3John2]

Pastor Greco, I just sent you a private message.

 

[Davidius]

Scott,

At the risk of being chastised by the seminary crowd, I believe you would be best served by doing something on your own - perhaps using the free lectures at Covenant's website. RTS also has the entire Systematic I course with Doug Kelly available as a download through iTunes. Greenville also has a good distance program. An MA at a seminary will be of almost no help to you in the academic world (e.g. as a prerequisite for some secular doctorate). The only real reason to go to seminary is for pastoral training (in my opinion). It is a very expensive and time consuming option simply to be "better studied." A better approach would be to find someone (your pastor, an elder or another minister) to go through Calvin's Institutes and Cunningham's Historical Theology with you. There are also tons of free audio lectures online - Van Til, Murray, etc. Sermonaudio is a great resource for this. If you needed it, I could burn a CD with a hundred or more MP3s of this sort and send it to you.

I went to itunes.rts.edu to try to get Doug Kelly's lectures into itunes but can't figure it out. I'm probably missing something easy but can someone help me out? When I got to that page I clicked on "launch itunes" thinking that it would load the podcast into my list but it didn't, and I don't see anywhere else to actually get the lectures. There's a log-in for students...but I'm not a student.

 

[VictorBravo]

I went to itunes.rts.edu to try to get Doug Kelly's lectures into itunes but can't figure it out. I'm probably missing something easy but can someone help me out? When I got to that page I clicked on "launch itunes" thinking that it would load the podcast into my list but it didn't, and I don't see anywhere else to actually get the lectures. There's a log-in for students...but I'm not a student.

Hmm, it worked for me. Do you have iTunes already loaded? If not, that's what you need.

Vic

 

[Davidius]

Hmm, it worked for me. Do you have iTunes already loaded? If not, that's what you need.

Vic

I tried it again and it worked this time. *shrug* Thanks!

 

[westminken]

Dr. Ferguson still is Professor of Systematics at WTS Dallas. He comes in and teaches intensive classes for three or four days about three times a semester.

Just thought I should let you know.