My husband and I met in seminary. We have fun dating stories; quizzing one another on greek vocabulary, debating the doctrine of election over a bottle of Chianti; being one of 2 couples on an airplane on Christmas Day.
Most people go to seminary because they seek training to be a pastor. That's why my husband and I went to seminary. When we got engaged, we decided that two preachers in one marriage is one too many. At least for us. We would kill each other. So I work with not-for-profits and he brings the Word.
Some people go to seminary because they are curious. One friend of mine was in a cosmic battle of the wits with God. He was determined to catch God in a lie, or at least a blatant contradiction. He studied, he prayed, he debated, he drank a lot. I honestly don't know what happened to him after we left Princeton. My guess is that he flinched and he's a banker somewhere.
Some people go to seminary because they don't know what else to do. Really? This just blew my mind. I barely found the will power to study the Armenian controversy and I wanted to be there. How in the world do you make it through Origen and Tertullian if there is something else, anything else, that interests you.
Some people go to seminary because they want to be popular and liked. Everyone is nice to the pastor, right? Wrong. Let me show you my drawer of nasty mail parishioners have sent us. When it comes to church there is no greater malice than when a pastor offends. I got an anonymous letter berading me for not catering a party at my home; evidently my cooking and hospitality just wasn't up to snuff.
Some people go to seminary because they failed at everything else. This reality I blame on the church. The church finds it "nice" to support people who are lost by sending them to seminary. I can say from personal experience that being a pastor is no easy job. Despite the fact that we only work on Sundays, it is emotionally and spiritually demanding to carry the weight of everyone's burdens. Not to mention spending hours a day deciding what type of cookies to serve or what color carpet would look best in a 50 year old building. It's not a back-up job. It's the quarterback, first string, kind of job.
Today former New Jersey Governor, Jim McGreevey, announced he is called to be Father McGreevey. This is wrong on so many levels. He lied to his wife while having an affair with a man that he hired as a subordinate. He grew up Catholic but is attending seminary in the Episcopal church, which he only joined a few days ago. His divorce is so acrid that a Judge recently had to tell him and his estranged wife to use kind words and remember the welfare of their daughter. Father McGreevey?
Go to seminary if it helps you to exorcise demons, satiate your curiosity, win that battle with God in your head, or just feel good about yourself. But be honest about your motive. Because you are not fooling anyone.
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Posted by: new balance | September 21, 2010 at 12:02 AM