While a graduate, I am not a pastor. I do believe that seminary is extremely beneficial to a pastor for several reasons. Here are a few:
First, as many have noted, the preacher should study (whether in the structured environment or through personal study). Seminary is beneficial here as the professors as well as the students are able to provide insights that can be evaluated through corporate study (iron sharpening iron). This is not typically achieved through personal study.
Second, in seminary you learn about diverse views within the body of Christ. I also believe that this should be a factor in determining which seminary to attend. Apart from this aspect of education, there is a danger of becoming dogmatic over interpretations and views that are not perhaps explicitly expressed in Scripture.
Lastly, and perhaps more importantly, seminary provides an opportunity to develop and prove your own theology. It is a time when you are challenged to defend your position and develop a more refined explanation of your own view and interpretations while being confronted with other views in a learning environment. (In some ways it’s like the BB but without the hostility and dogmatic resistance to consider the views of others). I found that I held many views simply because that was what I was taught. In retrospect, some of those beliefs couldn’t be adequately defended by scripture and were in reality opinion – I believed someone else’s opinion that was taught to me. While I still hold some of those views, and am able now to defend those views, I was forced to acknowledge that they are based on human reasoning and those with whom I disagreed held views that were just as legitimate.
So my answer is that seminary is definitely beneficial to pastors – although I do not believe that it is a requirement to be a pastor (and I do see dangers in professionalizing the ministry or accepting one’s teaching over another simply because one is a seminary graduate).
First, as many have noted, the preacher should study (whether in the structured environment or through personal study). Seminary is beneficial here as the professors as well as the students are able to provide insights that can be evaluated through corporate study (iron sharpening iron). This is not typically achieved through personal study.
Second, in seminary you learn about diverse views within the body of Christ. I also believe that this should be a factor in determining which seminary to attend. Apart from this aspect of education, there is a danger of becoming dogmatic over interpretations and views that are not perhaps explicitly expressed in Scripture.
Lastly, and perhaps more importantly, seminary provides an opportunity to develop and prove your own theology. It is a time when you are challenged to defend your position and develop a more refined explanation of your own view and interpretations while being confronted with other views in a learning environment. (In some ways it’s like the BB but without the hostility and dogmatic resistance to consider the views of others). I found that I held many views simply because that was what I was taught. In retrospect, some of those beliefs couldn’t be adequately defended by scripture and were in reality opinion – I believed someone else’s opinion that was taught to me. While I still hold some of those views, and am able now to defend those views, I was forced to acknowledge that they are based on human reasoning and those with whom I disagreed held views that were just as legitimate.
So my answer is that seminary is definitely beneficial to pastors – although I do not believe that it is a requirement to be a pastor (and I do see dangers in professionalizing the ministry or accepting one’s teaching over another simply because one is a seminary graduate).
