Princeton Theological Seminary & Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Discernment

[TheoQ]

Hello! I am reaching out to get some help with the seminaries that are on my radar. The two seminaries are Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary. I have been accepted to the MDIV programs at both seminaries. Woohoo! Here is some information about me that might be helpful:

• I am PC(USA) and adhere to most reformed theology (that I am aware of).
• I am fairly moderate-conservative if I have to categorize myself.
• I am from the Midwest.
• My future goals are focused around pastoral ministry. I do not have any plans on pursuing a PhD at the moment. At most I might get a ThM or a DMin. Those are future plans though.

Being that I am PC(USA) I know that PTS will likely contribute 100% aid for tuition. GCTS offers scholarships that cover tuition but there is no guarantee that I will receive them and to my understanding I will not know until I have firmly committed to attending the seminary. I have been blessed to receive some financial help from my church, but even with that, GCTS is still significantly more expensive than PTS. Overall, money wise, PTS is cheaper than GCTS.

One difference that I believe I have come to realize is that PTS in more ways than GCTS is preparing students for PhD work instead of ministry. GCTS seems to be more focused on preparing students for pastoral ministry.

I have visited both schools and feel they are both great in their own ways. A concern of mine is what kind of teaching PTS offers in comparison to GCTS. I have heard that GCTS is very bible and language focused. They are more conservative, however, that is not a selling point for me. I have heard that PTS is a very well-rounded seminary. However, and I hope not to offend continuing, but a direct concern of mine is whether PTS is a school that a moderate-conservative student would find themselves at home. My biggest issue is that I simply do not know and can only go off of what I hear from other people. What I have heard from other people is that PTS has become more focused on gender equality, racial concerns, and other similar areas, and in pursuit of that, reformed / systematic theology, and biblical rigor no longer take the spotlight. I agree that these topics need focused on, I just worry that it will be the center of my education at PTS. Again, my biggest problem is that I am hearing these things from "one side of the room" and not the other. I am not asking anyone to convince me, but rather share light on what you've experienced and believe the main focus of teaching is at PTS.

Also, are there other students there that have the same concerns that I do? Did they or you enjoy your time at PTS?

How about those who went to GCTS? My visit to GCTS was great. They seem to be very dedicated to the languages and teaching of the Bible. There seems to be a strong focus on mission work. What has been your experience at GCTS? Were you in a similar position as me?

Something on the side that has been brought to my attention is the recognizability of PTS vs. GCTS. Both schools are well known. However, PTS is more well known. So, although I am hoping that doesn't play a large role, I think in a way it still holds space.

Thank you to any who take the time to read this and I appreciate any feedback given. God bless!

[runit]

Hey @TheoQ!

A few (probably relevant) details about myself: I come from a conservative background and I did my Th.M. at PTS. 

I don't know a lot about the M.Div. program at Princeton, but here's some info about my experience at PTS. Because I did the ThM program, I was free to choose my courses. I focused mainly on the New Testament. Both Dr. Allison and Dr. Black were very rigorous! Should one "wing it," have flimsy arguments, and/ or be superficial, both professors will most certainly point it out. They're "old school" and, as a moderate-conservative, you might like that. But both liberals and conservatives can expect to be rigorously evaluated by the two professors (I'm referring to the two of them because most of my classes were with them). The classes I took with them forever changed my view of the Bible, and that's in a good sense! Oh, and Dr. Black's courses are always geared toward the Church. At every step, you are encouraged--indeed required--to "translate" the technical part, and outline the implication(s) for the church. 

Is PTS "focused on gender equality, racial concerns, and other similar areas"? Sure. But that's not a bad thing. On the contrary, I personally enjoy being exposed to issues that were not addressed in my conservative circle. Nevertheless, I cannot say how much of your M.Div. program will be focused on these concerns. Maybe others might be better guides in this regard. 

I hope this helps. Should you have additional questions, feel free to reach out. 

 

[Thulcandran]

Hi! I did my MDiv at Princeton. I came from a conservative evangelical background, and while I had applied to schools hoping to have a different experience, I was still nervous, having been told a lot that PTS was essentially a godless bastion of liberalism. I was showing up right around the time they had the big Tim Keller incident, which didn't help their reputation in the circles I was coming from. 

My experience was that PTS really does have all sorts of people- you would probably be able to find lots of people with similar life experiences and perspectives. For me, that was one of the richest parts. I got to learn about all sorts of Christian traditions that I had no experience in. 

Culturally, the leadership is very mainline-y. (Not a knock- I'm a minister in a mainline church now!). To me, chapel services usually felt like being at PCUSA services. The faculty is diverse in many ways, but I think theological conservatism is probably not one of the facets of diversity expressed there (in the faculty- lots of conservative-ish students), if that's a concern. As the above commentor mentioned- there are lots of incredible profs there who care a lot about the Bible and the church. I learned a ton and ultimately grew in my faith, though that process was often painful. I enjoyed it hugely.

My brother did an MDiv at GC and we would often compare notes. I think you're right on about GC's priorities. They are an evangelical school that cares about training pastors and emphasize Bible and language classes for MDiv students. At PTS, you'll find people exploring a lot of different career trajectories. Languages weren't required there either. 

My sense is that it's really a question of what sort of setting you want to be in. (Other than resources- PTS just simply has a lot more resources than GC. Better funding, an incredible library, plus access to all Princeton U stuff.) If you have specific questions, DM me and I'd be happy to speak further.

One other thing to mention about PTS- it is an interesting moment there, since President Barnes has just retired and Dean Lapsley just announced she is taking the presidency at Union Seminary VA. I'd imagine that almost by default the culture there will evolve a bit in the days to come, in ways no one can quite predict yet.