Why I came to seminary...

This week I was reminded of why I came to seminary...and perhaps this post is rather pompous-but eh, isn't that the power of blogging?

Anyway, After attending my main three classes this semester-- Christology, Presbyterian Polity and Reformed Worship--I was reminded of why I came to seminary.
On my return flight from visiting Princeton on October 1, 2003, I journaled:

Goal of Seminary: Develop leadership skills to pastor (lead, equip) a culturally aware church.

Sadly, until these random, uberPresbyterian courses this semester I felt "jipped," misled, and disappointed with the classroom experience at Princeton. I would have agreed, and somewhat still do, with one of my mentors and strongly suggest people not come to seminary to become better ministers.

[pompous point coming]While I try not come across and interact with a sense of hubris and self-righteousness, I felt as though my education has been a "been there done that," "can't we move on?" experience. I realize now that is due to my heavy involvement with the Church as a youth, a strong sense of call from the age of 16, and a wonderful education at a reformed insitution, Davidson College. I remember being confronted by my undergrad professors regarding Scripture's authenticity; being introduced and challenged by the Patristic, Reformed and particular theologies (i.e. Liberation, Black Liberation and Feminism); exploring Individualism in America; discovering God in intrareligious studies; so these "confrontations" which typically occur in the Introductory courses were bland, simple concepts that I had already been through.

Therefore prior to this collection of classes, I had not felt better equipped to be a minister.

In fact, like the Indy Colts, I felt as though my ministerial skills that had been developed, encouraged and sharpened through my previous work within the church was becoming rusty and ineffectual.
So what has changed in a day and a half...hope...
...my hope is that Christology will cover (which our first reading promises) the ministry and resurrection of Christ, Christ's relation to human suffering, Christ's relation to postmodernity's questions, and reinterpreting the church's language of salvation.
Polity promised to cover conflict resolution, ministerial responsibitlies so that mission may occur effectively within the PC(USA) denomination.
And in Reformed Worship we were promised to learn the tools to balance scriptural tradition with cultural needs.

Sounds exciting right?

Uberpompous, nerdy post I know.