CBTS Logo
A Biblical Philosophy of Theological Education (6 of 7)

A Biblical Philosophy of Theological Education (6 of 7)

by | Jul 17, 2018 | Theology Matters

In this post we move from the philosophical to the practical.  I want to explain how we have implemented the biblical philosophy of theological education laid out in my previous posts.

III.     The Practical Implementation of Theological Education
 
From this overview of the material substance of theological education, the general authority over theological education, and the specific responsibility for theological education a number of guiding principles for the ministry of Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary have been derived.  Three such overarching or guiding principles may be identified, and their significance elaborated.
 

A. Submission to the General Authority of the Church over Theological Education

 
The principles delineated above manifest that the actual authority of the church over a seminary must be respected.  It is also clear that it may be recognized and submission offered to the authority of the church in two forms.  It may be recognized, first, in the ecclesiastical authority of a local church or, second, in the ecclesiastical authority of a formal association of churches who have formally united for the purpose of forming and operating a theological Seminary.  While such an association may not exercise actual ecclesiastical authority over its member churches, the churches together associated may exercise authority over an associational ministry like an associational Seminary.

One of the stated purposes of Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is to conduct theological education in a way that represents the whole range of various churches that seriously subscribe to the 1689 Baptist Confession.  It is a fact that no formal association unites all such churches.  It is, therefore, necessary for CBTS to seek to recognize and submit to ecclesiastical authority in a different way than through being operated as an associational ministry by a formal association of churches.  While the value of such an association is recognized, it is not a viable possibility or a practical reality for the churches we serve.

The respect for and submission to ecclesiastical authority required of the ministry called Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary will, therefore, be embodied in the following, several, specific ways.

  • First of all, and most importantly, this will be embodied by way of a connection with a host, local church. This Host-Church will provide the Seminary with its commendation and its recognition as a stated ministry of that church. CBTS will operate as a stated ministry of such a Host-Church and at the discretion of that church and its elders.  Its Chief Executive Officer (President or Dean) will be a member of that church and under its formal pastoral oversight.  In this way CBTS will be a ministry under the oversight of a local church.  It will also provide the Seminary with its primary, physical facilities including classroom, library, and office facilities.  The authority of this local church will also be real and substantial in that it may withdraw, if necessary, not only its commendation and oversight, but also the use of its facilities from the Seminary.  While such a withdrawal of support ought not, of course, to be lightly concluded or precipitously implemented, its possibility is, nevertheless, a clear exhibition of the authority of the Host-Church over the Seminary.
  • Second, the ecclesiastical authority of the church will be honored by the Seminary seeking the commendation of individual churches besides its Host-Church and of associations of churches. These commendations will be sought as an essential requirement of its credibility before the Christian community at large.  The list of such churches and associations will be prominently displayed by the Seminary.  Other local churches will also be encouraged to cooperate with and participate in the seminary by financial support, sharing facilities, and encouraging their pastors as appropriate to serve on the Board, teach, or mentor students.
  • Third, the ecclesiastical authority of the church will be recognized in that no regular student will continue to attend classes who is not a member of a local church. Students in transition between local churches will be placed on a provisional status.  Students who fail in a timely fashion to join a local church will be dismissed from the Seminary.
  • Finally, and fourthly, the governing Board of the Seminary will consist only of the members of churches holding the 1689 Baptist Confession. This Board will be mainly composed of the pastors of such churches.

Part 7

A Biblical Philosophy of Theological Education (6 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 

 

 

Pin It on Pinterest