Midwestern BTS

I know the president of the seminary is Calvinist, but I do not know about the seminary as a whole.

Does anyone know if Midwestern is heading (or has already gone) toward an entirely Calvinist faculty (like Southern), or does the seminary president just happen to be Calvnist?

Thanks.

 

That's what I anticipate as well, go2church. I just do not know where MBTS will fall. They only adhere to the 2000 BFM, not additional statements of faith like the antebellum Abstract of Principles at Southern, so I would assume that a Calvinist "takeover" (so to speak) might be a bit more difficult.

With the way the strong Calvinist / quasi-Calvinist dichotomy is going in the SBC, it seems like I shall be forced to choose one or the other. This is a quandary for me since I'm not a strong Calvinist, for on one hand I don't want to study at a place like Southern because of the faculty being all Calvinist because I don't want to feel like an outsider or "inferior," but on the other hand I would really like to study under some of the Calvinist professors because many of them are highly respected scholars.

I suppose I see no justification for doctrinal requirements for an SBC seminary beyond the official, current doctrine of the SBC itself.

 

Yes, I'm pretty much married to the SBC for a few reasons. I'd like to go to a school that is Baptist in focus that believes in the infallibility of scripture, and the SBC schools are very economical for a Southern Baptist like me. Also, from what I've seen in some searches for pastors of SBC churches, the committees prefer graduates of SBC schools.

However, if I decide to study for a Th.M, Ph.D, or D.Min, I would not be totally averse to studying at a non-Baptist evangelical institution like Trinity EDS. I would simply prefer to get an M.Div. from one of the SBC schools.

 

I know Southwestern Seminary has a satellite M.Div. program at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Building, but I am unaware of the program you mentioned, Joseph.

I would really prefer to attend a seminary full-time at its main campus, so I would be able to maximize the number of professors I could study under and to finish the degree in 3 years. Additionally, I want to have easy access to a good theological library. Since Little Rock is severely lacking in this area, I'd have to do inter-library loan (which is not appealing at all).

I suppose I shall have to give Golden Gate more consideration in my search. A seminary out of convention politics would be refreshing. Now if only I could get rid of that insanely high cost of living in California!

As an aside, I looked at the apartments on GGBTS's website. They make dorm rooms look spacious!

 

Yes, I live in Sherwood.

 

I just have qualms about attending a seminary that is COMPLETELY Calvinist. In my mind, that doesn't exactly offer a diverse range of perspectives. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to go to a seminary that had NO Calvinists for the same reason.

But more importantly, I do not want to be the token non-Calvinist, so that I do not become a pariah for dissenting theologically. I would not expect the professors to treat me that way, but perhaps some studens may. However, I'll readily admit that I may be wrong, having never attended a seminary.

 

That's good that no one gets actively snubbed for being non-Calvinist, but do you know if one is "looked down" upon for not being Calvinist?

As far as schools go, if not for the Calvinism issue, Southern would be my first choice. However, if it turns out that everything would be fine, I'd definitely look forward to packing my bags for Kentucky!