A Biblical Philosophy of Theological Education (7 of 7)

A Biblical Philosophy of Theological Education (7 of 7)

by | Aug 1, 2018 | Theology Matters

In this my last post on this subject I want to explain a second and third practical application of the biblical philosophy of education which guides CBTS.

B. Recognition of the Specific Responsibility of the Christian Ministry for Theological Education

As explained above the specific responsibility for theological education belongs scripturally to the Christian ministry and especially those members of the Christian ministry particularly gifted for this work.  This is of great practical importance.  Since the work of the Seminary could easily become a distraction to the elders of the local church which hosts it, the regular operation of the Seminary will be placed under the Seminary Board and a Chief Executive Officer (President or Dean).  As noted already, since the work of theological education is the responsibility of the Christian ministry (the pastor-teachers of local churches), the Board of Directors will consist mainly of such pastors.  Deacons and members of such churches, since they are charged to support the work of their pastors, may also be appointed to this Board.

This Board of Directors has authority over all the operations of the Seminary.  This includes overseeing the Seminary in the furtherance of its stated mission; assuring that the mission is being fulfilled; providing for the election and dismissal of Board members; supervising its financial operations including the approval of the annual budget and the compensation of its paid employees.  It will, therefore, meet regularly to give leadership to the Seminary.  This authority will be exercised through the Chief Executive Officer (also called the Dean or President) of the Seminary who is appointed by the Board and is responsible to it.

Experience has shown that individual, local churches who have endeavored to provide theological education may experience internal issues or problems which may destabilize the work of the Seminary or bring its work completely to a halt.  This is especially true if a Seminary is considered as solely a ministry of one local church. The Board of Directors of CBTS provides a broader and more stable basis for the Seminary.  The Board may, therefore, authorize the Seminary in the event of such instability in the Host-Church or for other good reasons to seek the oversight of another Host-Church and transfer the work of the Seminary to such a church.

Therefore, while the Seminary and its CEO are under the general oversight of the Host-Church in terms of the facilities provided to the Seminary and the spiritual oversight of the CEO, the specific operations of the Seminary and the CEO are under the authority of the Board.  Christian cooperation and good communication between the Board of the Seminary and the Host-Church and its elders are, thus, essential.  Since the Seminary is overseen by these interlocking authorities, questions may sometimes arise over whether an issue comes under the elders of the Host-Church’s authority or that of the Seminary Board.  Such issues will need to be negotiated by the Board of the Seminary and the elders of the Host-Church and a solution satisfactory to both entities reached.

C. Subscription to the Creedal Basis for Theological Education

Since the purpose of the Seminary is to communicate the things which Paul taught Timothy, this assumes and requires agreement with regard to the identity of those things on the part of the church hosting the Seminary, the Board of the Seminary, and the teachers teaching in the Seminary.  This necessary, doctrinal agreement is provided for Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary by means of the most historic and influential of Reformed and Baptist Confessions of Faith, the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.  The Host-Church must subscribe to this confession; each member of the Board must be a member of a church which subscribes to this Confession and himself hold this Confession; and the President (Dean or CEO) must subscribe to this confession.  The instruction in the classes provided by the Seminary must also be doctrinally consistent with this Confession.  Though the Seminary may occasionally employ instructors who do not fully subscribe to it, the content of their class instruction must conform to the doctrinal teaching of the Confession.

A Biblical Philosophy of Theological Education (7 of 7)

A Biblical Philosophy of Theological Education (5 of 7)

by | Jul 12, 2018 | Theology Matters

My last post was a brief exposition of the key passage on theological education found in 2 Timothy 2:1-2.  Some important conclusions may be drawn from that passage.

Paul’s poignant emphasis on this spiritual genealogy brings to light three special characteristics of the spiritual instruction (or theological education) required in this passage.

  • First, and very clearly, the spiritual instruction in view has a special class of men in view as its recipients. Though it is certainly true that the Great Commission requires every disciple of Christ to be taught to observe all things that Christ commanded (Matt. 28:18-20), here it is plainly not every disciple of Christ which is to be taught in the way which Paul requires in this passage.  Those to be taught must be especially “faithful” men who possess a special aptitude to “teach” others.  To put it plainly, those to be taught are not the next generation of Christians, but the next generation of Christian pastors and teachers.

 

  • Second, consequently, and clearly, the instruction in view is not the general instruction of all Christians, but the special instruction necessary for Christian leadership. Of course, the subjects of study are generally the same, but the depth of truth into which these men were to be taken was much greater than that into which the ordinary Christian could or should or needed to be taken.  What was true even in Paul’s day is, of course, even more true for us as we apply Paul’s words to our generation.  Of course, the greater depth of understanding into Christian doctrine and Apostolic tradition given to those Paul has in mind in 2 Timothy 2:1-2 must continue.  Yet, as noted above, the exigencies of the history of the church in which the precise implications of the deposit of truth Paul gave to Timothy by means of great theological controversies will require that the instruction given include a knowledge of the accumulated church history and historical theology of 20 centuries.  Also as noted above, the spread of the gospel and the church into nations whose native languages are not Hebrew and Greek will require that Christian teachers be instructed in the original languages of the Bible.  Associated with such studies, the geography, history, and culture associated with these languages will have to be considered in such instruction.

 

  • Third, those specifically charged with the work of theological education in the passage are Paul, Timothy, Faithful Men, and Those Able To Teach Others Also. It is clear that it is a special class of Christians to whom the work of theological education is committed.  It is those men who have been spiritually gifted by Christ to be faithful teachers of the Word of truth.  This means that, while the authority of the church must be respected in this work, the role of faithful teachers in this church must be emphasized.  It is the specific responsibility of the Christian ministry to engage in this work of theological education.  There is something more, however, that may be reasonably deduced in regard to this matter.  The work of theological education is not equally the responsibility of every pastor-teacher.  Just as Christians have different gifts, so Christian pastors have different gifts. It stands to reason that the work of theological education may fall more heavily and squarely on the shoulders of some pastors particularly gifted for this work and their churches than on others.

Part 6 

 

 

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