Talk:Seminary/Archive 1

New Page
I think a page on the LDS seminary should be created for itself. anyone agree to write it?Got118115147 11:32, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

Should there be a list of seminaries?
 * BenFrantzDale 05:03, 19 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Oh dear
This article is neither comprehensive nor well-referenced. It show a distinct Protestant and LDS bias including a lack of historical perspective (seminaries were created in the Counter-Reformation by the Catholic church) - and it needs serious improvement to be credible. Cor Unum 11:55, 1 July 2006 (UTC)

Maynooth
I replaced the link simply because Maynooth is perhaps the single most influential seminary in the English speaking world. It provided thousands of Irish missionary clergy throughout the world, and it's a sort of "prototype" example of a Catholic seminary. I vote keep the link in. Cor Unum 02:49, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

Not happy, Jan
See the note above. Please do not remove this link to Maynooth. What I have said before is correct and verifiable. You undermine the NPOV of the article on seminaries by leaving the multiple references to (later and minor) Protestant foundations while removing the only link to a Roman seminary of great significance in the international English Speaking world.

Cor Unum 09:47, 27 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Cor Unum, I think you have greatly improved the article by adding the list of noteworthy seminaries. I am not sure the non-denominational divinity schools are really seminaries at all, but they were founded as such, and they are mentioned in the body of the text, so I guess they stay too.  Other editors can tweak the list a little, but hopefully your contribution will stop people adding their favorite seminary to external links. --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 21:17, 27 August 2006 (UTC)


 * Thanks. It seems to me the modern (other than Catholic) Americans now use the term to mean a non live-in college, so I am assuming that the great theological schools (which, by the way, almost always include a residence for student of some sort) should stay under the general term of "seminary". In Australian English, a seminary is invariably a live-in institution (otherwise we call them theological colleges - like Moore; which paradoxically has a live-in part too); and I am unaware of any others than Christian ones in this country. I will await other editorial comments on this.

Cor Unum 09:39, 28 August 2006 (UTC)

Category:Reformed seminaries and theological colleges
Removed cfdnotice, cfd has completed. --Kbdank71 16:52, 9 May 2008 (UTC) --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 08:48, 5 September 2006 (UTC)

Should there be mention somewhere on Wikipedia of the other meaning/use of seminary? That is, as a private school for upper or more usually middle class girls. The term has largely died out in the UK, but is still of historical significance. And certainly should not be mistaken for the type of seminary described on this page!


 * Absolutely! I just finished creating a biography of an historical figure and he was instrumental in creating the firstseminary in his town.DeeKenn 02:35, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

noteworthy seminaries, criteria?
I have just reverted an edit that put a baptist bible school on the list of noteworthies, but I think we need some criteria to at least guide decisions which sems are 'noteworthy' and which aren`t. --Isolani 10:16, 5 February 2007 (UTC)

I had previously added Piedmont Baptist College to the list because of its international influence in Baptist circles. The school has campuses in North America, Egypt, and S.E. Asia. The graduates from the school comprise a significant percentage of Baptist missionaries and pastors. It also has a high reputation in terms of the quality of graduates. I agree that there should be some criteria for what is considered "noteworthy," but I beleive that in Baptist and conservative Christian circles, that Piedmont Baptist College would generally be considered noteworthy. However, I won't add it back to the list until criteria are set up or there is a general concensus to do so. Marcus Constantine 18:27, 10 February 2007 (UTC)

Criteria for Seminaries
I have come up with a list of criteria for what is a "noteworthy" seminary.

1.) The school must be at least 50 years old.

2.) Must confer graduate and post-graduate degrees in religion, theology, and/or ministry(Th.M, M.Div, D.Min., etc).

3.) Must have had an impact in the area of ministry in a particular denomination/group within Christianity.

Marcus Constantine 18:07, 25 March 2007 (UTC)

stronger citeria for "Internationally notweworthy Seminaries"
When I started this list ages ago (I'm pretty sure it was me?) the three criteria listed above by Marcus Constantine were certainly in my mind - with strong emphasis on # 3 ( ie. significant international impact). The reason for the strong emphasis on #3 was practical - you just can't list hundreds of good seminaries- so my view was we ought to note only those that already have established an internationally significant reputation. This will not be totally easy to decide, but it seems to be a good rule of thumb. comments? Cor Unum 03:45, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

Bible Colleges?
I'm wondering why Bible College redirects here since it seems to me that there is a very distinct difference between a Bible College and a Seminary. Bible Colleges are normally 2-year institutes for higher education with a focus on the Bible for the purpose of giving laypersons a biblical foundation--a foundation which they often then take to a liberal arts college, or directly into the work force. Seminaries, on the other hand, have the distinct purpose of training missionaries, pastors, and other non-laypersons and are often the end of an individuals education. They seem very distinct to me. I see that there is a short paragraph mentioning Bible Colleges under the "Formation and Education" section. This section does not, however, discuss the historical significance of Bible Colleges in the United States or the "Bible College Movement" which took place in the early to mid 20th century, along with leaving out many other important facts. Should a larger section be added to the Seminary article discussing Bible Colleges as distinct entities, or a new article created? --DatraxMada 11:03, 4 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I agree with you. From my POV there is a clear difference evcen though the term seminary is being used more loosely in the USA Cor Unum 07:09, 6 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I have created a separate Bible college article, so the term no longer redirects to Seminary. --orlady 02:03, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

"Ladies' Seminary"
While Gilbert and Sullivan are not sources for the history of theological education, this phrase, "Ladies' Semin'ry", which occurs in The Mikado, must have made some sort of sense to its audience. What is a "Ladies' Seminary"?142.68.130.152 (talk) 20:55, 18 June 2008 (UTC)


 * You have to read the first sentence without inserting religious expectations into it. Yum-Yum and her friends attended a higher level girls "finishing school." All quite English of course. A not infrequent term for a higher level school in the late 19th century in England usually.Student7 (talk) 00:18, 19 June 2008 (UTC)


 * Having said that, since you were not educated when you first read it, maybe you want to suggest changes? Maybe it could be better worded. The trouble is it has to cover a lot of bases. But maybe too terse now? Student7 (talk) 00:20, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

Charles Borromeo
Shouldn't St. Charles Borromeo be mentioned? He is the one who wanted priests to be more like theologians, and apparently founded the seminary system as we know it today. Pop6 (talk) 17:16, 13 July 2008 (UTC)

Unification Church Filed Under "Christian"
The Unification Church is considered a cult by most Christians. I don't think it should be filed under the "Christian" section —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.156.95.245 (talk) 03:34, 24 November 2008 (UTC)

Genevan Academy?
It is true that a university education, not seminary, was required for clergy in early Protestantism (the Protestant seminary as we know it did not emerge until the 18th century). However, though it has long since become the University of Geneva, the institution was first founded by Calvin a college for clerical education specifically.
 * there was also a tradition of so-called cloister schools in early German Lutheranism. These were often protestantized Catholic monasteries turned into schools for training boys for the protestant clergy. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mwd321 (talk • contribs) 13:48, 10 March 2009 (UTC)

Catholic sex abuse cases
I was reading about Catholic sex abuse cases and I saw that many of the abuse cases involved institutional problems at seminaries, where homosexual teachers would pry on homosexual seminarians, something that was a serious factor in the corruption of the priesthood by groups affiliated to the Lavender Mafia. For instance, certain seminaries had earned homosexual nicknames such as Notre Flame (for Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans), Theological Closet (for Theological College at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.) and The Pink Palace (for St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore) has earned the nickname. ADM (talk) 15:52, 30 April 2009 (UTC)