4
DECEMBER 2
SPIRIT OF A SEMINARY
1 Thessalonians 2: 8-12
Seminary continues to run in the academic groove that theological
schools have traditionally followed. This school, however, is unconventional
in at least two respects. Yes, we are unconventional in our ecclesiastical
relationships, and, while we follow the traditional groove, we are
unconventional in our spirit and attitude. For example, we have
inaugurated a new type of occasional get-together, which we dignify
with the name Faculty Forum. It's a glorified bull session in which
we professors and students very openly and frankly discuss things in
general—munching cookies, popcorn, and apples as we do. Our aim has
been to abolish any social distance between faculty and students; and
to cultivate breadth of understanding and the ability to talk freely about
differences in opinion without becoming heated. I honestly believe that
these Faculty Forums will prove of great benefit to everybody—not
excluding the professorial par ticipants!
Speaking about our objectives as a Seminary, I came across a statement
by J. B. Phillips that perfectly describes the job to which the preachers we
train are called:
