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2024-2025 Student Handbook 18 Professional Behavior The student demonstrates behavior that is congruent with the professional context of their chosen field of study, including but not limited to: timeliness, meeting deadlines, keeping schedules, understanding the expectations regarding professional appearance within their chosen field, preparedness, self-control, maturity, psychological and emotional health, interpersonal effectiveness, positive member of a team, and administrative effectiveness. Through Denver Seminary's educational programs and mentoring process students are challenged to grow spiritually, intellectually, and professionally in order to lead God's people in the accomplishment of His mission in the world. Denver Seminary is a community that is committed to the processes involved in equipping students with the skills and sensitivities to be competent in their chosen vocation both as professionals and ministers of the gospel. As such, Fitness for Ministry and Professional Disposition provide a framework for the qualities, character traits, skills, and core competencies the Seminary expects its students and graduates to exhibit. Faculty, staff, mentors, and others with evaluative responsibilities will have these two rubrics in mind when assessing student behavior and performance. For information about the process, the Seminary utilizes to address concerns related to a student's Fitness for Ministry and Professional Disposition, see the Student Remediation and Formation section of this Handbook. Gender Roles and Ministry Training in an Educational Setting Denver Seminary is committed to training both men and women for all forms of Christian ministry. All who meet our admissions requirements and agree to a common, evangelical confession of faith as reflected in the National Association of Evangelicals Statement of Faith are welcome to any degree program and are supported by the Seminary in their pursuit of any ministry vocation. This commitment does not represent a theological stance on the relationship of gender to ministry. Rather, it reflects our educational mission. Denver Seminary provides graduate-level training for ministry but does not offer ordination or credentialing for ministry. Therefore, churches, denominations and other ministry organizations are responsible to make their own decisions about who is eligible for particular ministry roles and functions. Within the parameters of our statement of faith, Denver Seminary celebrates the diversity of traditions and theological distinctives represented within our community by students, staff and faculty. The contributions of our different backgrounds provide a rich educational opportunity as we listen to and learn from each other. Such a rich formational opportunity always involves tensions and challenges. Many Christians who are equally committed to biblical authority will differ on issues such as gender roles in ministry. On this issue, Denver Seminary intentionally does not take an institutional position so that there is opportunity for continued exploration, engagement, mutual learning and growth in our respect for each other even when we disagree. Denver Seminary takes neither a "complementarian" nor an "egalitarian" stance on the issue of gender roles in ministry. Our faculty reflects a diversity of opinion on the particulars of this question while valuing a climate of charitable orthodoxy, i.e. a clear commitment to biblical authority combined with a commitment to mutual respect and civil discourse. Disagreement on this issue is not a matter of biblical orthodoxy or a litmus test for fellowship, even though we may hold our opinions with great conviction. Recognizing the range of commitments on this issue, even among evangelical Christians with a strong commitment to biblical authority, Denver Seminary expects all students to demonstrate mutual respect for the rights of all other students to prepare for any form of ministry. Charitable, respectful dialogue on the issue is encouraged within these boundaries. Disrespect or demeaning treatment of other students, in any form, will not be tolerated due to the educational and formational nature of our Seminary's mission.