World Class Evangelical Seminaries

Though I'm not a dispensationalist (progressive or otherwise), I consider DTS a top-notch seminary. How broad a spectrum has to be taught in order for the seminary to be "world class"? I suspect that DTS teaches a broad spectrum while being fairly unequivocal about what the seminary believes.

Any conservative seminary could be charged with being too narrow by a school more liberal. Then again, liberal seminaries which some may consider "world class" fail because they fail to deal with evangelical scholars.

Unless it has changed, DTS emphasizes biblical languages and exegesis, and that puts it in the upper class, IMnotsoHO .

Blessings,
Bill

 

I applied to DTS back in 1983. I received a phone call informing me that they required an interview on campus. I had just driven through Texas so this phone call was more than irritating. In discussing it with whoever it was that called me, there was no flexibilityl. I never did get an answer as to why they were requiring an interview.

Needless to say, I didn't attend DTS. I went to TEDS instead!

 

TEDS doesn't require a psych interview to enroll, but the enrollment materials, I'm sure, is intended to evaluate one psychologically. And among other things, part of candidacy for the MDiv is a psych evaluation. Granted, it's no rigorous thing. It's an interview and your name is also presented to the professors so they can share if there are any issues about your candidacy. It occurs, as I recall, when you're about 2/3 through the program.

Other seminaries probably do the same thing. I think that's proper because grads are going out as pastors of churches. You shouldn't just be able to get an academic degree and go pastor somewhere.

 

David, you're right part of M.Div. candidacy here is a psych evaluation, but at least it's a personal interview and it is done during the program.

My beef with DTS is twofold: the pscyh. test is an impersonal, streamlined multiple choice questionnaire, and the questions were not tailored to whether or not one was a Christian (i.e., some other group formed the test and many questions did not make sense to me)--I took the test and cannot fathom how it evaluated anything since it kept on asking me questions like "I believe that others are out to get me" A: strongly agree, B: agree, C: Undecided, D: disagree, E: strongly disagree. The first part of the test kept on trying to figure out if I worked better with people or things and the second part tried to figure out if I was depressed and hated the world. Why on earth did my wife need to take it because she was not applying to the school.

No seminaries or graduate schools that I have seen during the last year (this would be over 20 schools including every Baptist and evangelical school--not to mention Marquette, Princeton, and Calvin) require pyschological tests of their applicants for a theological Ph.D. program. It is a rather unnecessary part of any application process and should be removed. Rate applicants on transcripts, research, references, and personal statements---dump the 400 question, fill-in-the-blank pscyh. test as part of the process.

That's my rant for now
BJ

 

Or dump DTS! I have just enough of a stubborn streak that I don't do things just because people ask me to or say its required. Pysch test for my wife? Yeah, right.

I know DTS has a lot of good grads, etc. I think it is a good school. But when they weren't forthright with me, that ended my interest. I was coming out of BJU, I didn't need more of that kind of attitude.

 

It seems really intrusive to me to be testing the wife, for her husband's PhD program. Couples applying to be church planters go through some testing in Baptist associations around here. It isn't psych. testing though. I have mixed feelings about the use of psych testing for seminarians and ministers in general--and I work in the field of mental health.

 

Well, i've been out of town for quite a while and wanted to reply to comments about DTS since i've been gone.

As for the comments that those from DTS are not able to handle challenges...i just don't see where that comes from. many of my classes have required me to read books that challenge and completly disagree with what is taught at DTS. Challenge is not something that DTS students are taught to shrink from...we are challenged to defend our views in every class. DTS has greatly prepared me stand firm in what I believe and how to answer challenges that disagree with my beliefs. and of course, there will always be some students at every school who just don't "get it" and as such there are students who graduate from DTS who may not be able to face challenges.

As for the psych test - yah it was kinda wierd. But I can see why they have students take it. They want to make sure the students can mentally, and emotionally handle what seminary will throw at them. Because DTS is a tough seminary that pushes students more than many other seminaries. At the master's level the spouse does not have to take the psych test. As for the PhD level - well I'm not there yet, but I can also see their reason for having the spouse take the psych test as well. I've heard too many profs share stories about their lives when they were working on their PhD - it puts just as much stress on the spouse as it does the student. That being said - I do see why people don't like the psych test. But you should at least understand why they do it that way.