Category Archives: Theological Education

New Master of Reformed Studies Degree Presented in English at the University of Geneva

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For those looking to do an MA aka MRS degree in Reformed studies, here’s an opportunity. A hybrid: first semester coursework online. Second semester, in residence at Geneva. Third semester, back home and by distance working on your thesis (it is a three semester degree). Very affordable, other than the semester in Geneva (living costs etc). But the program itself is also funded, which makes it that much more doable for the right person.

Here is how the degree itself is introduced and described at the University of Geneva’s website:

The University of Geneva’s Faculty of Protestant Theology is pleased to offer a new Master, taught in English: Master in Reformed studies (MRS)

This program, which is offered in partnership with the University of Geneva’s Institute of Reformation History, is designed for students from across the world who wish to gain an expertise in the Reformed tradition, from its roots in the Swiss Confederation to its current existence across the globe. The Reformed tradition emerged in the independent city of Geneva in the 1520’s and 1530’s. It is a multifaceted tradition, and to study it calls for an interdisciplinary approach that combines history, exegesis, theology, and ethics.

This is the goal of the present Master program. Courses explore the history of biblical interpretation and the emergence of Reformed communities, the study of key theological developments across the last five centuries or the main characteristics of Reformed ethics and practices (past and present).

The University of Geneva’s Master in Reformed Studies is the ideal program to deepen your expertise on a significant, vibrant Christian tradition. It offers the possibility to study in one of its key historical places : the city of Geneva, home base of John Calvin and the starting point for the spread of the Reformed tradition to France, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, Hungary and, eventually, all over the world. It is an excellent way to deepen your knowledge of Protestantism and, for those who are interested in this path, to prepare for further, doctoral studies.

The Faculty of Protestant Theology is a direct heir of the Academy (Académie de Genève) which John Calvin founded in 1559. Since the 19th century it has been a part of a distinguished state university to which it gave rise : the University of Geneva. The Faculty of Theology is both anchored in the Protestant tradition and open to the modern world, to the critical, historical as well as the systematic study of the Christian faith, its sources, and its implications.

The Institute of Reformation History, founded in 1969, is a research center at the University of Geneva, dedicated to the historical study of the ideas, institutions, and practices of the Reformation. It hosts several international research projects and houses a unique collection of rare books and archives on early modern religious history.

Click Here for more information.

An Intention to Teach

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Addendum: When I write a post that I intend to fit the theme of this particular post, I will note that in its title. To be clear, most of my posts will just be me writing and speaking freely still 🙂 .

I am thinking that it’s time to start “teaching” through some of my blog posts. In other words, it is time, at points, to take the time to nuance the precision theological language often used here in my posts. That is my intention, anyway. There will still be many posts where I am thinking out loud (which is my normal cadence here at the blog). But I think it would serve others well, and myself included, if I took the time to break down what some of these technical jargony words entail, and write posts focusing purely on that. Indeed, one single post could be explaining a single term by way of getting into its definitional range along with paying attention to the varied implications said word or words are packaged with.

So, just know in days to come, when I have the time and energy, I will be writing more posts that intend to “teach” or break down what I typically leave as my raw off the top thoughts as I’m processing what I’m reading. The reason I haven’t been prone to do that is because it does take more time and effort to engage in that process. I’ve always thought that I should be paid to do that level of work. Now some of you are paying me through my substack account, and so it’s time that I attempt to make this effort to explain things with greater detail and clarity (i.e., unpack the precision and technical language I often use in my posts).

An Index: On My Higher Educational History

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Some jackalope came at me on X/Twitter a few days ago. He said he has been a reader of mine for years; even praying for me (which apparently makes him all knowledgeable on my life and motivations). He appears to be an Orthodox person, with a foul and aggressive mouth (behind the keyboard). His main attack on me was based on the premise that I don’t start what I finish: that I, “bail.” You cannot be more absurd and presumptuous. One of the things he said that I consistently bail on is my education; starting but never finishing. Assertions abound online, without knowledge. But I thought it would be an interesting exercise, then, to detail my educational history. The reality is that I ALWAYS finish what I start. I consider it my “Yes” before the living God, my Father. The following history illustrates something: i.e., I have high aspirations; I take steps of faith (to see); I am a determined soul. Ironically, the reason I have remained so focused on getting a PhD over these last two decades is because of a commitment I made before God to do so; and because I believe He has been leading me that way for years (even if He hasn’t made it easy, or even viable). At this point I don’t care if I do or I don’t finally get the doctorate. If I do, the Lord is good. If I don’t, the Lord is good. For me, it is simply a matter of finishing what I believe I “started” years ago. Anyway, the following index turned into a labyrinth. Within this labyrinth I have achieved two accredited degrees: the BA and MA degrees (some of the schooling prior was transferred into and thus contributed to the earning of the BA degree). The early years reflect on someone who wasn’t quite sure what he was doing in life, per se. The middle part reflects someone who settled in and finished the degrees he set out to do. The latter part reflects someone who isn’t quite willing to ever throw in the towel; thus, my willingness and openness to some treks that haven’t ultimately worked out.

Higher Educational History

  1. Southwestern Conservative Baptist Bible College (now, Arizona Christian University). Attended just after graduating from high school: dates: 08-1992—12-1992. Program of study: Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology.
  2. Long Beach City College (CA). Dates: 1993—1994. Program of Study: General Studies.
  3. Liberty University (online). Dates: Spring, 1995. Program of study: Biblical Survey, OT&NT. Degree: Certificate.
  4. Calvary Chapel Bible College (CA). Dates: 1996—1997. Program of Study: Biblical Studies, Systematic Theology, and Koine Greek. Degree: One Year Certificate. 
  5. Multnomah Bible College (OR). Dates: 1998—2001. Program of Study: Double Major, Biblical Studies and Systematic Theology, Minor, Koine Greek. Degree: Bachelor of Arts.
  6. Accepted to Talbot School of Theology (Biola). Dates: 2001. Program of Study: Master of Arts, Philosophy of Religion. Status: never started, financial and logistical problems.
  7. Multnomah Biblical Seminary (OR). Dates: 2002—2003. Program of Study: New Testament Studies, Historical Theology. Degree: Master of Arts.
  8. Accepted to Fuller Theological Seminary (CA). Dates: 2004. Program of Study: PhD, Historical Theology. Status: never started, financial and logistical problems.
  9. Accepted to Talbot School of Theology (Biola). Dates: 2004. Program of Study: Master of Arts, Philosophy of Religion. Status: never started, financial and logistical problems.
  10. Accepted to Chafer Theological Seminary (CA). Dates: 2004. Program of Study: ThM, Systematic and Historical Theology. Status: never started, financial and logistical problems.
  11. Accepted to Regent College (Vancouver, British Columbia). Dates: 2004. Program of Study: ThM, Systematic and Historical Theology. Status: never started, financial and logistical problems.
  12. Accepted to South African Theological Seminary. Dates: Winter 2010. Program of Study: PhD, Systematic and Historical Theology. Status: never started, financial problems.
  13. Princeton Theological Seminary (correspondence). Dates: Spring 2014. Program of Study: Continuing Education Theological credits.
  14. *Concordia Academic Theological Consortium, Intl. (PR). Dates: 2022—2022. Program of Study: ThD, Systematic and Historical Theology. Degree: Doctorate of Theology (gave it back, not accredited/other reasons.)
  15. *University of America Curaçao. Dates: 2022—2023. Program of Study: ThD, Systematic and Historical Theology. Status: the school turned out to be fraudulent, based on a highly elaborate and persuasive scam.
  16. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Dates: Present, 2024. Program of Study: PhD, Modern and Patristic Theology, Comparative Theology. Status: pending (prayer and consideration).
  17. St. Alcuin House Seminary. Dates: Present, 2024. Program of Study: PhD, Systematic and Historical Theology. Status: pending (prayer and consideration).
  18. [University of Aberdeen. Dates: Present, potential start date, January 20, 2025. Program of Study: Postgraduate Diploma, New Testament and Early Christianity. Status: pending (finances).]

Some might question why my hard press to continue formal higher theological education. In a way, I view such work as part of my sanctification process. But also, as I already noted: I want to finish what I feel I started. I’m way beyond the “vanity” of it all. Ultimately, nobody really cares if you have these higher degrees or not; unless you’re in the middle of the academy (which I’m not, nor ever want to be, really). I am not sharing this to receive any further advice from anyone, in regard to my educational prospects. I am a fifty-year-old man who has been faithfully walking with the risen Christ for decades upon decades. Of course, we always are and should be learning, being sanctified, and hopefully growing etc. But I have real life people (and some online folks) who I look to for advice. I share the above because the joker who came at me made me think about my higher educational history. It is very organic and involved, representative of a long journey from the time I was 18 till now. I finish what I start, by the grace of Christ at work in me. Solo Christo

On Theological Education: Does It Need to Be Reconstructed?

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Kyle Strobel recently wrote this post at his blog on Theological Education. This is an issue that is near and dear to my heart as well; and one that I have given considerable reflection to. In Kyle’s post, he is highlighting Mike Breen’s vision-casting for the reformulation of theological education. Strobel, in his post, is simply reflecting on what he thinks could be some problems with Breen’s vision. In other words, Kyle is simply trying to be “critical” of Breen’s approach, as Strobel understands it. All that I have done is read the abstract of the paper that Kyle is referring to in his post, and the one that Breen has up at his blog, here. At the end of the post from Breen he offers a video that provides a snapshot of what he and his ministry are working through in relation to their desire to recalibrate theological education within Christendom. In fact ‘recalibrate’ may be the wrong word for Breen (that would be my word of choice); Breen’s desire, it seems, is to totally reconstruct theological education within our post-Christendom situation. Why don’t you watch the video below, and then I’ll follow with a tiny reflection of my own (my reflection dovetails with Kyle’s concerns, and I will also point you to a source of theological education that I believe reflects a way forward that would satisfy Breen’s and Kyle’s concerns … it is a source that I am personally related to, indirectly).

Along with Kyle, I don’t think we need to start over. Instead, I think we can build, constructively, upon the good that is already present within theological education; and hopefully move forward in a way that better equips men and women to accomplish the ‘mission’ of edifying the body of Christ until we all reach the unity of the faith. I still don’t understand exactly all the aims that Breen & co. have envisioned (I’ll need to research that more in days to come), but something that I am aware of —something that is happening right now—is the ministry of Cor Deo. Cor Deo is a ministry and theological educational directive founded by a former seminary class mate (Dr. Peter Mead), and a former prof (and continued) mentor, Dr. Ron Frost. They too have seen the problems associated with traditional ‘Evangelical’ theological education (both of them being a part of it), and have established Cor Deo with the goal of cultivating leadership for the Christian church (international) that seeks to form folks in a relational way that integrates the false dichotomy of heart and mind (whereas traditional theological education usually does just focus on the mind). The kind of training that Cor Deo does, involves traditional academic and intellectual training; but it provides for this in a context that is necessarily small (no more than 10 to 12 students allowed at a time), and one that operates from a network of support provided by actual churches (in the region that Cor Deo currently takes place, the UK—and also with reach into international church associations through the make-up of the student body at Cor Deo itself). These students, at Cor Deo, live together, eat together, learn together, and minister together. I think Cor Deo represents, a radical, and new way of doing theological education (although this is not really new, just think of The Spiritual Brethren or other groups like that throughout church history) for the Christian church in the 21st century. So I want to lift them up as an exemplar to both Breen and Strobel.

One point of critique: one thing that potentially could be a danger, with even a Cor Deo, is that the group itself could become too isolated. The important thing, I think, for theological education like this to flourish—and it is one of the things that Cor Deo has in place already—is that as a centerpiece, the education must be tied to concrete (as Breen wrote praxeological) actions of ministry amongst real life people. This way the goal of mission is in fact what shapes even the ‘academic’ piece of the overall theological education. This is an ideal that traditional seminaries (in the Evangelical movement) have sought to employ, but, I think, because of too much overhead (and corporate style shape—or ultimately, impersonal), etc., traditional education models have ultimately failed (true, the Lord can and does still use traditional models of theological education, but I would suggest that that is usually an exception, and I mean personally [not Providentially], and not the rule to trad theo education).

Ultimately, the point that both Strobel and Breen are highlighting , is one that I am on board with as well; there needs to be a shift in Christian theological education. I should note, I do think that trad seminaries and bible colleges still have their place. But I think there needs to be some serious thought put in place wherein traditional theological education can better situate itself in a way that fosters both meaningful spiritual formation (i.e. not just a class you take for credit, or something), and continues what they are most strong at; ‘academic’ theological education. I think what I take away from this, is that there is work to be done; and that we need to be more vigilant about this, than we are passive-aggressive.

What do you think?