THEOLOGICAL TRAINING

Theological Training

Theological Training

This is, of course, an important topic, but one which prompts rather harsh reaction from those involved in the various Orthodox theological schools worldwide. The notorious decline in the quality of American education reflects a problem everywhere, so that almost all those involved in theological training, too, are understandably sensitive to criticism. It is natural that we should react to criticism of that in which we may be sincerely involved and to which we may be wholeheartedly dedicated.

However, it is by criticism that we grow, that we understand the need to correct and to improve what is lacking, and that we are encouraged to fulfill our responsibilities—especially in education—to meet the challenges of changing situations(John, 2008). The observations that we will subsequently make, then, are not meant to insult or to condemn our theological educators, but to point out some serious and threatening flaws in Orthodox theological education that must be addressed, if we are to progress beyond the present state of mediocrity that besets the whole educational scene in the West.

If we are humble and we seek the unity of Orthodoxy in authentic tradition and piety, we will have no difficulty admitting these weaknesses in our knowledge of the Church's theology. Moreover, there are many exceptions to these weaknesses, and we should draw on this richness of theological and spiritual learning otherwise lost in the disunity of Orthodoxy in our age(Ayer, 2006). In so doing, we must re-define and seek to expand our notion of theological training, returning to the systems of education that have marked Orthodoxy in Her highest periods of development.

Firstly, we must understand that the very model of "seminaries" and theological schools is not a classical one in our Church. The idea of separating a life anchored in God from the study ...