What to Expect in Seminary

by Virginia Samuel Cetuk and Mary Louise Kelly

Book Overview

In What to Expect in Seminary, Virginia Samuel Cetuk looks at the various facets of theological education -- the call to ministry, classroom learning, community life, field education, financial realities, time-management challenges -- through the lens of spiritual formation. In each chapter she challenges readers to view the particular topic as an avenue to spiritual growth instead of as an obstacle to the same. Offering readers the conceptual...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0687017289
• ISBN13: 9780687017287
• Release Date: November 1998
• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Experiencing Seminary Shock?

If you are a new seminary student wondering what you've been hit with, or if you are just considering seminary enrollment, then this book is what you need. It will help you get mentally and emotionally prepared for the demands of seminary study and help you avoid the crash and burn associated with misguided expectations of the demands. I wish I had read it at the beginning of my first year instead of at the end.

Great expectations...

Virginia Samuel Cetuk, an associate dean at Drew Theological School, put together this book in the hope that potential seminarians would gain some insight into what happens in a seminary setting. Cetuk set for herself a difficult task -- there are many different kinds of seminaries, different kinds of programmes at these seminaries, and different kinds of people enrolling in them. Seminaries strive for community; some succeed better than others, but most have a continuing struggle to maintain a community setting -- in this regard, it matches many church settings, who have to continually work at maintaining community. But often the students feel they are alone (from my own seminary experience, I can testify that many feel this way) -- they feel lost, they question the appropriateness of the tasks of seminary education, they question their vocation and their hierarchies (both church and seminary). There are an increasing number of second-career seminarians, which means the students have been out of school for a time (some as long as twenty to thirty years), so the idea of regular reading, writing, research and study is daunting. Cetuk looks at many practical issues, from time management and money management to how to approach courses in different disciplines. Being experienced with ATS-accredited seminary curriculum, her guidance here applies broadly -- most every seminary will require courses in Bible, church history, systematic and philosophical theology, culture, ethics, pastoral ministries and practical ministries. Some may have more of a direct applicability than others, but all are important in different ways (which is why the many schools of the Association of Theological Schools agree that these broad topical groupings are important components of the overall curriculum) -- Cetuk explores the different disciplines and relates them to the overall concept of ministry. There are some that could use a bit more development (given the reaction I've had in systematic theology classes I've taught, much more convincing needs to be done to show the worth), but overall it is a good development in the chapter dealing with classroom learning. Cetuk also looks at the overall issue of call -- what is a call to ministry, and how does seminary help this call become something we call 'ministry'? Students come to seminary for a variety of reasons -- to try to experience God, because they have a desire to serve others, in order to grow spiritually, etc. Some students come for healing (of one sort or another) -- this is not always appropriate, but it is often difficult to determine. Most often, the reasons are a mixture of impulses and desires. Cetuk develops this along with historical ideas (she looks at Luther's idea of faith, vocation and priesthood; she looks at other denominations' ideas of ministry and ordination) as well as her own personal experiences. Cetuk designed this book so that it might be useful as a course or a primer at the

Good reading for prospective seminary students

"Theological education is not about learning, it is about change." This statement, not original with the author of this book, is nevertheless the most important sentence in "What to Expect in Seminary." The goal in moderate-to-liberal mainline seminaries is change, and just how the student will respond makes all the difference. She/he will be challenged with new ways of thinking, which may seem threatening to her/his faith. This book makes an attempt to equip the prospective student with a proper mindset to regard theological education as spiritual formation. Every aspect of seminary life is covered, from classroom to community life to financial and time management. I wish this book had been available when I first attempted seminary 25 years ago, and I'm glad to have it now when I am once again preparing to further my theological education.

A must read for seminary students.

In this pilgrim's progress of theological education, students of all ages and ethnic backgrounds will find wise counsel about the potential for positive spiritual formation in theological education as well as honest and sensitive discussion of various pitfalls. Spiritual formation is always part of the seminary experience, weither intentional or not. The issue is what kind of spiritual formation, and how are you responding?