Starting Seminary

[pacigoth13]

Well, I'm back... I haven't been around here for about a year due to a lot of stuff that was going on in my life, but I'm back now.

 

As it turns out, I've just started divinity school at Andover Newton in Newton Centre, MA. I'm really excited about it... plus now I live closer to cool events in the Cambridge/Boston area that I didn't have access to before when I lived in Ohio (for example, Walter Wink is lecturing in October). :-)

 

Everyone always says that you lose - or at least have your faith challenged - if you attend a "liberal" seminary (AN is a seminary of the UCC). I'm curious to see just how true that is or isn't. I had my faith challenged by a progressive Catholic high school and then a Quaker undergrad school.

 

I still remember my junior year (1998) when I first walked into the room for religion that year (simply called Morality) and saw a poster of Bishop Spong and the new book at that time "Why Christianity Must Change Or Die". We ended up reading it and... at that time... I was rather shocked. But since then, I've had 3 semesters of Greek, taken too many Biblical Studies/Theology courses to name, and found myself drift first into the ELCA and more recently the UCC (A good reason for choosing a UCC seminary).

 

So, here's what I'm trying to figure out... Is it possible to become more liberalized than I already have been?

 

:-)

Everyone wish me luck in grad school... now that I'm back online, I'll be around more often fellowshipping with my fellow progressive oriented Christians.

[JosephM]

So, here's what I'm trying to figure out... Is it possible to become more liberalized than I already have been?

 

:-)

Everyone wish me luck in grad school... now that I'm back online, I'll be around more often fellowshipping with my fellow progressive oriented Christians.

 

Hi Pacigoth,

 

I don't know if it is more possible to become more liberalized than you are or not but I would question the concern in the question. What does it matter whether you become by definition more liberal or not? Is it not truth that you seek?

 

Terms like liberal or more liberal are meaningless to ones journey for truth. It seems to me that one can make a religion out of liberalism. Whatever you become after your schooling, my wishes are that you are closer to truth regardless of whether is is considered more liberal, concervative or whatever.

 

Love in Christ,

JM

[Kay]

Welcome back to the board pacigoth. I've read some of your replies from threads-gone-by. Looking forward to some new input.

[flowperson]

Pacigoth:

 

All the best to you on your new venture !

 

IMHO, it is impossible to become too liberalized in today's world !

 

flow....

[soma]

It seems your mind is opening, blooming and finding freedom. May all your flowers bloom and bring the scent of truth.

[des]

Well good luck. Of course, according to some UCC stands for Unitarians Considering Christ.

I just read this last night, and have no idea why that would be (that I just heard of this!).

Anyway it is considered to be derogatory, but I don't seriously think it has to be. "Considering"

is a very serious word after all. It's not like "playing around with"-- though I think that can be

serious too. I think it is better than (well my viewpt anyway) dogmatically believing in someone

else's belief systems.

 

I think we are mostly a pretty questioning bunch, so I hope you have a good

time (not too good, as I think you might want to study :-)). But I know of many people who

went to UCC seminary and came out ok. :-)

 

--des