London, GB | Formerly of New York, Buenos Aires, Fife, and the Western Cape. | Saoránach d’Éirinn.

Can’t See the Forest for the Trees

Today I came upon this old article from the Christian Science Monitor.

NEW HAVEN, CONN. – Seminary studies once meant submersion in the finer points of Christian theology. Today, they can translate into submersion of a different kind – in the frigid waters of the Maine coast, for example. Bangor Theological Seminary is offering a week of sea kayaking in Penobscot Bay this summer as a noncredit course in “Wilderness Spirituality.”

With a 25 percent drop in enrollment since 1996, Bangor, like theological schools across the United States, faces the mounting challenge of making ends meet in an age when clergy retirements quickly outpace ordinations.

Translation: Seminary studies used to be about Christianity. Now its about kayaking. With offerings like Wilderness Spirituality, is anyone surprised by a 25 percent drop in enrollment?

[On Union Theological Seminary here in New York] Helping churchgoers respect the legitimacy of non-Christian religions is sure to be a Union mission in the future, [President] Hough says, and one that could attract a variety of benefactors.

These seminaries have been diluting Christianity for a generation now, and when they see they have no more students left, their ingenious solution is to dilute Christianity further. Further, and faster.

Published at 8:54 pm on Wednesday 23 June 2004. Categories: Church.
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