On Entering Seminary:
Reflections on a Seminary Education

The study of divinity was once called “the queen of the sciences,” and to this day it remains at the core of preparation for the practice of ministry. Far more than mere credentialing, seminary education seeks to deepen one's faith, broaden one's knowledge of God, and bring one into a lively conversation with the vast experience of Christians and their communities of faith throughout history.

The goal of seminary education is to form leaders for the church’s future who minister in the name of Christ. “This do in remembrance of me,” Jesus instructed his disciples. Those called to the joyful and often difficult task of remembering Christ require the best preparation possible. 

St. Augustine understood that readiness for ministry in the name of Christ required deep engagement with the text and traditions of our faith. As the story goes, his quest for spiritual peace turned on the apparently chance hearing of the words “Tolle, lege” (“Pick up and read”), perhaps a chant of children playing a game somewhere in the street beyond the garden in which he sat in the shade of a fig tree. Augustine took the hint, picked up the Book, and read, “Be clothed in Jesus Christ.” Thus began his journey as a person of faith seeking understanding.

Our prayer is that as you read these essays, you will sense the presence of the God who calls you in and through this learning community that is Austin Seminary.