World Class Evangelical Seminaries

You said:
WHAT INSTITUTIONS do you consider to be the three or four top Evangelical seminaries in the world:

1. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

2. Gordon-Conwell Seminary.

3. Dallas Theological Seminary.

4. Others?

==I would agree with your list but I think Dallas should be removed. It use to be a great seminary but it seems that over the past few years (since Chuck Swindall was made president )they have not been that great. I would be tempted to replace Dallas with either Southwestern or Southern followed by Southeastern.

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WHY do you rate them the top seminaries?

==Several things. Influence, academics, advancement (etc).
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Martin.

 

Trinity of Newburgh used that SAME phrase of themselves four years ago in print. We are "world class." Must be so if they say it. A Christian school would never fib

 

I would include SBTS in that list.

Of course, being a student, I'm severly biased, but we have faculty that taught there as well as profs that got their PhDs from there (including one of Carson's former PhDs)

Additionally, I think Mohler is playing "Fantasy League Seminary" where he is going and finding the top people in the field and bringing them on campus (Dembski, Donald Whitney, Stuart Scott this fall).

 

As a recent graduate of TEDS, I would place it up there because it has a diverse range of degrees for both the future minister and scholar. There is also a large diversity of views among both the faculty and student body, but there is still unity here regarding the essentials. This is no place to be spoon-fed doctrine without any critical investigation of other views.

I had a great experience here, and if financial aid was more available for their Ph.D. program and the north shore of Chicago was a little cheaper to live in, then I would seriously consider Ph.D. work at TEDS.

 

Ummm Let's see....

Andersonville
Slidell
Rocky Mountain
Anything accredited by ACI. Loved that picture of their Morgan building on the web site and the 3 staff in their Sunday go to meeting best in front of some public building as if it was one of their seminaries. I think those are now gone from their web site.

Seriously though.......

Dallas Theological Seminary
(Fantastic reputation for academics and known as Evangelical Harvard)

Gorden-Conwell
Superb reputation.

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
(Dr. Mohler is achieving much in terms of bringing that seminary up and just a darned good witness for Christ. Saw him on Donahue a year ro so ago and he was calm, kind, intelligent and firm)

Fuller
Good well rounded seminary

Personal favorites include LRS (the little seminary that could) and SES (Geislers seminary is coming on strong).

 

My picks include:

#1 Gordon-Conwell
#2 Trinity Evangelical Div. School
#3 Asbury Seminary
#4 DTS
#5 Fuller

 

Southern has to be high on the list.

 

what about Talbot Theological Seminary of Biola University (baptist institute of los angeles)? many of their graduates are a who's who among genuine bible expositors and seminary profs.

 

Sorry, r.d. (I'll bet you don't let your students get away with that either, ha, ha)

I'm impressed, first of all with GCTS for the scholars that teach there--all well-published folks. They have also never compromised in regard to inerrancy. TEDS comes very close to GCTS for the same reasons. Asbury seems like the finest seminary from a Wesleyan perspective. Everything I hear about DTS suggests it's world class, as well. I struggle with fuller, even though I have a lot of respect for its alums and the many contributions its alums have made, as well as their many degree programs, etc. Sometimes they appear to move too far to the left for me. I'd put the more conservative seminaries on my list ahead of them for that reason. I didn't put any SBC seminaries on my list because many of them still appear to be adjusting to the conservative make over. The growing pains are causing some instability IMO.

 

I can't believe you left out the Bible Way Institute of New England! They offer just about every "doctorial" degree you could want.
http://www.bible14.org/

 

Southern would be at the top of my list because of the faculty, and because they have made such a major turn around under Dr. Mohler. It is a world class place of learning now that is rock solid conservative.

 

DTS would not be on the list.

I can't believe someone referred to it as the "Evangelical Harvard". LOL

Fuller is good, but has moved way too far to the left, IMO.

I think Southern would have to be my pick for best all-around. It is highly academic, and at the same time offers practical degrees for those who desire specific sort of training (church planting, evangelism, etc.)

 

1) TEDS - World class professors in a truly evangelical seminary that holds to inerrancy of Scripture.

2) Gordon-Conwell - An excellent choice for congregational churches and other evangelicals. Solid in inerrancy but open to women's ordination. I don't believe in women's ordination for the Senior Pastor position, but I would encourage my daughter to attend here if she felt called to preach!

3) Southern Baptist Theological Seminary - Not as broad in background but solidly commited to inerrancy and a recovery of reformation principles. Truly needed in SBC cirlces. SBC seminaries have had a reputation of not always being that rigorous. IMO that still hurts Southern.

4) Westminster - Excellent but one dimensional. Great for Presbyterians.

Not on the list:

DTS - Too dispensational for me but moving towards Progressive Dispensationalism.

 

I think even a very good seminary as TEDS may produce grads who do not do good work. I have a ThM thesis purchased from TREN by a TEDS grad who had Grudem as his first reader. This thesis is poorly researched and written. It even has many spelling and grammatical errors.

A good thread might be ,instead of what makes a world class seminary, what makes a world class student?

 

Good suggestion.

 

it's right here:
http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/8/542.html