People not in the realm of theological circles tend to have a very simple opinion about theological students. What do they do in a seminary? What do you study in a Bible College? For sure, only Bible day- in and day-out. Seminarians must know the whole Bible from cover to cover. Any question about the Bible and it’s at the tip of their fingers. Yes, yes, we know the background and the art of interpretation and a whole bunch of some this and that theology. But wait, what do you mean by theology? Simply, it means, “study or discourse about God.” But not according to the Bible, only human opinion or study of God. So, it’s only human theology, not Bible.
Today, if you ask an average Bible college student to quote some Scripture verses from the Bible. Hardly 20 to 30 references and the memory run out. Did you say you’re a Bible college student? What subjects are taught in your lecture halls? I think you must be studying all the 66 booksof the Bible and that too, in a detailed form, from book-to-chapters-to-verses. Sorry, that’s not taught. Only cover, and very less ofits seed... “This is not a Bible study class,” says a professor. Aye, then what are we studying? If not the Bible, then what are we devoting ourselves to? They say, theology, theology, theology.
We’re baffled to know that seminaries teach more of worthless theologies rather than God’s book. Maybe, that’s one of the reason why there is so very little of God’s word in our pulpits. What about entertainments and functions? They’re prospering. But the word of God lacks. Therefore, there need to be a serious deliberation, an evaluation and reassessment of the subjects taught in theological schools around the globe. The Bible-centred and prayer-focused theological seminaries is the need of the hour because we believe that God’s book is the same yesterday, today and forever.
“While some books inform and others reform; only the Bible transforms.”- Billy Graham
“Only the Bible has the answer to the problems of today’s world.”-John Haggai
Pavi Pao and Vebu Khamo
Kohima Bible College
