When one thinks about the question of top rated seminaries, one of the first things that pops into the mind of a casual reader are that of the Ivy League schools such as Princeton, Oxford, Cambridge and others. These institutions are also rivaled by other so-called top notch schools that are highly praised by the world’s most sought after regionally accredited associations.
It is no more than common knowledge that such schools are the enemy of conservative biblical education. The Bible itself is no more considered God-breathed by these institutions than is a copy of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. Their stance toward biblical criticism goes far beyond mere questions of authorship and hermeneutics, it rather embraces the idea of historical fiction. The bible is not read as a book of redemption or a prime source of moral absolutes, but more as a provenience of estranged literary prose and storyline fables.
This is a primary reason why so many within the Church today make the claim that if one enters a liberal seminary today, his faith will be destroyed tomorrow. The sad fact is that even our more conservative seminaries which share the same liberal accreditation, are feeling the pressure of instituting the severe side of biblical criticism, which will in turn wreak havoc upon the lives and ministries of countless souls around the globe.
It has already been determined that multiple thousands of sitting pastors of several mainline denominations are now agnostics, but are afraid to come forward in fear of losing their position in the Church and society. This my friend is the product of the liberal side of regional accreditation and biblical criticism and the reason that I and others that run non-regional seminaries are concerned about the current state of affairs, because we care about the inerrant , infallible and unchangeable Word of God and the necessity of it being taught within the coursework of our schools.
When one seeks out a seminary, regional accreditation should not be a factor unless he chooses to work as a Military or a State endorsed Chaplain or for a liberal denomination that cares more about State approval than they do about biblical sovereignty and integrity. It is of my humble opinion that Church doctrine and biblical higher learning belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ and not the State, thereby accreditation should be overseen by a credible conservative Christian organization…period!
Seminary students are coming out not only with their faith and many times their marriage in shambles, but also their bank account broken with a huge debt to be paid off for years to come. This alone is unbiblical to say the least. The answer is simple…seek out a seminary where you can learn at home with a very reasonable tuition and still get a superior education. I truly believe that this the more godly route!
By Dr. Jack Nelson
