Catching My Breath
With my first semester at Princeton Theological Seminary under my belt and Spring Term beginning tomorrow, I thought it a good time to pause and reflect on my experiences so far on this path to ordained ministry.
Almost without exception, the first question people ask about seminary is some variation on "how's it going" followed by "is it hard?" While it may seem a touch contradictory, the short response of "great" and "yes" is absolutely the truth. Seminary is at the same time the most challenging thing I have done in a very long time (possibly ever) and wonderfully rewarding. This mixture of great challenge and great reward, while it may be cliche to say so, is what makes my time at PTS so rich.
In the Classroom
It is hard to overstate the intensity of classes at PTS. A large number of our professors are not only good in their field, they are the leading experts in the world - often times the authors of the very textbooks we use. At the same time, most professors are also keenly interested in not only helping students learn the content of their chosen discipline, but also helping students become wonderful pastors, counselors, and teachers as well. For example, one of our lecture sessions in my Old Testament Studies class was solely focused on preaching the Old Testament; it was a panel discussion featuring local pastors and the head of our preaching department, and one of the most helpful and inspiring 50 minutes I have had in a long time.
Many of the classes I am in right now are quite large as I am taking many survey and introductory courses. What this means is that for larger classes we have several lecture (or plenary) sessions during the week and additionally we break into smaller groups (called precepts) and meet with a PhD student once per week. These small groups of 8-10 people allow for more personal attention and the ability to get your questions answered more efficiently. The number of huge (80-120 people) classes drops as you move on in your program into more specialized coursework.
One of the biggest changes for me has been shifting to classes where there are very few assignments. Even in my upper level classes during undergrad I would have assignments due at least once per week; that is not the case in many classes at PTS. For example, 50% of our grade in my New Testament Exegesis class came from our final paper. While I certainly prefer the lack of "busy work," it can be stressful to know that your whole grade is riding on just two or three items.
Another challenge for me is the realization that often-times there isn't a "right" answer. It is not easy to come to terms with the fact that in many cases it is about learning the process, not the answer you give. For example, I know that it is very unlikely that I will write something new and groundbreaking in my exegetical papers, but the value comes from me making the discoveries from studying the text, even if those discoveries (which are new to me) are common knowledge among scholars. This is very different from the model in most schools where you simply memorize what the teacher wants you to spit back on the test.
Worship
One of my favorite things about PTS is that we have weekday worship. Every Monday to Friday, just before lunch, our community gathers for worship. We sing together, pray together, hear the Word proclaimed together, and on Fridays we celebrate Communion together. I cannot begin to express how vital chapel services have been to me as I have begun this journey. Not every day is deeply moving, not every sermon is amazingly inspiring, but many are. More than that, however, has been the regular practice of simply worshiping often with the community.
Chapel is not a required activity, and not everyone here goes every day. There are some of us, however, that do. Personally, I find it very refreshing after a challenging morning of class to lay my burdens down on the steps of the chapel as I enter worship; and that is both literal and figurative, we leave our books and such on the steps of the chapel when we worship.
Final Thoughts
I am blessed to be here, it is as simple as that. I have made wonderful friends, I have professors that are inspiring and caring, and I have the opportunity to grow ever deeper in my faith. It is true that I miss my family and friends back home fiercely, but I know that I have their love and support, and that lets me focus on my work here.
If you're ever in the area, drop me a line and I'll show you around! Until then,
Peace.