Does anyone have any opinions about Shepherds Theological Seminary in Cary NC? I know that it is a new School and wanted to know if anyone has any first-hand experience with the Seminary or just what your thought are about the quality of the school. Thank you for your help in advance.
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Shepherds Theological Seminary
- Thread starter broken4u
- Start date
I've visited there and was impressed with them. They have a good start on their library, and seem to want to do things first class. The facility is excellent. You could do a lot worse.
Whether it would be a good fit for you depends on your background. They are independent Baptist, but would be considered moderate so that they are not KJV-only and you may or may not like the music in the church. (Don't know, haven't attended the church, but have a cousin on the staff.
Thank you for your reply, it was helpful. I noticed that several of the Prof used to teach at the Seminary has come from the Master Seminary, of which John Macarthur is president. Do you think that they are trying to build a Masters type of Seminary on the east coast? Also, they appear to be ATS accredited which is impressive for a Seminary so young.
Slight clarification. First I want to say I know nothing about this seminary and don't want to rain on anyones parade I just wanted to get the correct facts out here. I did notice the school is not ATS accredited. They are an ATS associate member, which is while it is usually the first step toward accreditation it does not mean they have been accredited nor does it mean that they actually will be. The standards for associate membership are not the same as the standards for being accredited.
I couldn't say, from what I've read though it seems like the associate membership requires an internal study to basically lay out how the school thinks they could be a candidate. It also is supposed to explain what they will do to get to that point. However to be accredited ATS puts the school under scrutiny.
STS could get accredited, but then again it could as easily stay as an associate or give up all together. I just say all this to recommend to people to not go there if they are expecting it to eventually be something, because it may or may not happen. The decision has to be made on it's current merit. I can speak from personal experience, I attended a school for a bit that was touting it's Regional Accreditation candidacy. Then all of a sudden it just removed all mention of it all together and now operates as a non-accredited school.
If you'll do some bean counting, I think you'll see that there are as many degrees represented from Central Baptist Theological Seminary as Master's. Also, at least one of the Master's grads went on to Southeastern for the Ph.D., which is right there in that same area. A number of the other degrees represent moderate independent Baptist schools, such as my alma mater for the B.A., Tennessee Temple (now SBC), and Dr. Burgraff, the sys. theo. prof., got degrees from Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary and then taught there for some years. A couple of men also have their doctorates from Dallas TS, I noticed. So anyway, the school is solidly Baptist and solidly conservative in theology.
Greektim
Well-Known Member
Just curious (and biased), but why would you go to STS when SEBTS is down the road (30 mins away in bad traffic)??? Does NC need another Bible college or seminary, a baptist one at that? No. SEBTS is more affordable and has a better faculty. Game. Set. Match imo
Actually, SEBTS is only cheap if you are a member of a Southern Baptist church. If you are not, the tuition goes up considerably. Plus, you have to be a member of the SBC church for a year, I think it is, before the discount kicks in.
Another difference is in theology. Shepherd's is apparently firmly dispensational, and even had Charles Ryrie as a prof for awhile (now emeritus). So broken4u's choice may depend on these factors as well.
Greektim
Well-Known Member
The tuition is cut in half for those in the SBC
D)And Ryrie was always emeritus. He visited and taught a class here and there.
But I would put STS in the progressive disp. camp w/ Pettegrew. Either way, SEBTS still has a better faculty, better resources, and better... well everything.
Your prejudice for SEBTS is noted and understood completely. :smilewinkgrin:The tuition is cut in half for those in the SBC
And Ryrie was always emeritus. He visited and taught a class here and there.
But I would put STS in the progressive disp. camp w/ Pettegrew. Either way, SEBTS still has a better faculty, better resources, and better... well everything.
About Ryrie, I thought if you visited and taught you were adjunct, and when you quit teaching somewhere you were emeritus. Wrong?
Greektim
Well-Known Member
Actually, I think the term is more fluid and just means special. But you would know better than me.Your prejudice for SEBTS is noted and understood completely. :smilewinkgrin:
About Ryrie, I thought if you visited and taught you were adjunct, and when you quit teaching somewhere you were emeritus. Wrong?
The tuition is cut in half for those in the SBC
And Ryrie was always emeritus. He visited and taught a class here and there.
But I would put STS in the progressive disp. camp w/ Pettegrew. Either way, SEBTS still has a better faculty, better resources, and better... well everything.
Amen to the tuition. I am in my first semester, coming from an IB church, and I paid full price for 12 credit hours. But we are in the process of joining a wonderful SBC church (Providence Baptist in Raleigh) and I understand we'll get the discount next semester. SEBTS is a wonderful, missions-minded school.