Luther Rice

Most folks here speak rather highly of Luther Rice.:thumbs: :godisgood:

 

One of the professors there is a long-time, close personal friend of mine for over 35 years, and I recommend that he, at least, is top-notch. :thumbs:

Of course, I am not remotely biased in this in any possible way!

Ed

 

BTW, a belated welcome to the BB.

Ed

 

Luther Rice University has a good reputation in ministry circles. Most seminaries accept transfer credits and honor degrees from Luther Rice. However a few don't. So if you desire to build upon your Luther Rice degree at another seminary/university, make sure you FIRST verify (in writing) that the other school will honor your degree/credits from Luther Rice.

God bless you as you seek to do His will!

 

I've been very impressed with Luther Rice. I attended another seminary with a good reputation :BangHead: (in Fort Worth), yet I decided to transfer to Luther Rice and finish. Luther Rice requires many classes in their core courses that are useful in ministry. As a pastor, that is important to me.
I'm glad that I chose to finish at Luther Rice, and I live less than 20 miles from SWBTS! Everyone that I have dealt with at LRU has been very professional and trustworthy, and when I get my MDIV in May I'll be proud to count myself as a graduate.

 

LRU is not bad, and I would recommend them. To some extent, the quality of a given class comes down to the professor. I recently took three online courses there (working on an MDiv) and two of them were excellent. The prof for the third one hardly put time into the class and it was obvious. In that class, unlike the others, substandard work could fly. Still, I managed to get a lot out of the class by putting forth the best effort, even though I knew that I could get by with less.

 

I'm afraid my MDiv experience is now 22 years removed from the present. Rhet's not the only geezer around here!

I think you'll get good training at LRU. However, if you have the ability to do resident study on campus at an accredited seminary, I would go that route. LRU would be a viable distance education choice.

Bill

 

LRU should only be used if space and or money prohibits the experience of being at Southern Seminary....er, I mean a good, solid on campus seminary

 

I agree that a "good, solid on campus seminary" might be better, but even close proximity does not make a seminary "good" and "solid." I have 95 hours on a "campus seminary," but other factors made Luther Rice still a better choice.

 

LR is not in the same league as Southern seminary. Period.

 

If I lived near Louisville, I would have finished at Southern. It is an excellent school. I don't, and the ways in which the Fort Worth seminary changed over the many years that I attended part-time made me look elsewhere.

 

Going back to the original post that asked the question about LRU, as you have seen, there are many differing opinions about various schools including LRU. I only speak as one who spent alot of time looking at my choices before recently finishing at LRU, yet I attended another seminary for many years. I will tell you that you will receive a good education at either choice. From your profile I could not ascertain your physical location, so I have no idea whether or not a good brick-and-mortar seminary is nearby. When choosing, pray constantly, and then look at each school and academic reputation carefully, ask graduates about their opinion and experience, and see whether or not the school's situation has been stable. Listen to a broad-range of advice, not just someone who has an agenda. I'll be praying for you!

 

What kind of changes do you mean?

 

There were many changes concerning faculty, and the treatment of them. They left in droves, and I doubt that I would recognize anyone beyond one or two in the School of Theology. Policies concerning treatment of professors, regardless of anyone's opinion, were troubling. There is more, but I'll stop. I'd rather look forward. I will say that, if anyone is wondering, I did leave in good academic standing and could return if I wished.

 

What about teaching and taking classes part-time?

 

I don't remember your family situation, but I left an 8-year pastorate in 1996 in Georgia with my wife and three daughters to go to SBTS. It was hard but worth it. We lived on my income because my wife homeschooled our girls.

You could perhaps teach around the Louisville area and attend SBTS on Friday evenings and Saturdays. It really depends on how badly you desire a quality education.

Blessings,
Bill

 

I'll toss in here, a bit late so my apologies, that your best bet would be sticking with Southern in my opinion.

Vocationally (granted I don't know you're denom affiliation) in my circles in the SBC LRS is not looked upon with the same merit as a Southern, SWBTS, TEDS, DTS. This is a major decision which should be entered into with council and prayer (I think you're doing great in these areas.) LRS simply isn't a worthwhile seminary. The degrees aren't respected as much as other seminaries. While LRS is a nice place with terrific faculty people, but academically it just isn't on the same field as the others listed above.

Of course calling and God's plan will lead you far beyond what any seminary can offer...yet part of that calling fulfillment is your preparation. Do what God leads you to do and you'll be fine.