# Reformed Baptist Seminary



## NoutheticCounselor (Mar 28, 2016)

I am planning on obtaining a Master's Degree in Theology. Since I hold to the LBC 1689, I have narrowed down my choices to one of the following seminaries:

Reformed Baptist Seminary
http://rbseminary.org/

Covenant Baptist Seminary. 
http://www.cbtseminary.org/

They both seem like they are great schools and would fit my needs. Does anyone have experience with either school or would recommend one over the other? 

Thank you.


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## arapahoepark (Mar 28, 2016)

I'd been eyeing both at some point. We have a couple on here who have attended the latter and absolutely love it. As for Reformed Baptist they actually have most of the same faculty.


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## Tyrese (Mar 28, 2016)

NoutheticCounselor said:


> I am planning on obtaining a Master's Degree in Theology. Since I hold to the LBC 1689, I have narrowed down my choices to one of the following seminaries:
> 
> Reformed Baptist Seminary
> http://rbseminary.org/
> ...



Hi Chris!

I don't know a whole lot about Reformed Baptist Seminary so I cant really provide you any information about it. However, CBTS is a seminary that's very much committed to the 1689 confession of faith. I think that's very important when choosing a program to study at. You should really consider whether or not an institution will provide you with a solid confessional foundation that will give you a solid understanding of the Scriptures. My Church has access to the courses there and I have nothing but good things to say about the ones that I've taken. Lord willing I'll be able to attend the Mdiv program full time over the net sometime this year. I just moved into a new house so I don't have the time I need to fully dive in. 

Here's something I would also consider: look into some of the recent controversies in Reformed Baptist circles and see where these seminaries have landed. Did they land on the side of Scripture and our confession? or did they land on the side of 'New Calvinism' and the redefinition of our confessional standards? These are questions that I would consider.

Good luck, and do keep us updated!

Your brother, Tyrese


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## JML (Mar 29, 2016)

I have nothing but good things to say about Reformed Baptist Seminary and Bob Gonzales who is the Dean of the school. I have also heard good things about Covenant. My experience is with RBS and I would recommend it.


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## Pergamum (Mar 29, 2016)

Tyrese said:


> NoutheticCounselor said:
> 
> 
> > I am planning on obtaining a Master's Degree in Theology. Since I hold to the LBC 1689, I have narrowed down my choices to one of the following seminaries:
> ...



Are you insinuating that Reformed Baptist Seminary is a "New Calvinism" school? 

Preposterous!


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## Tyrese (Mar 30, 2016)

Pergamum said:


> Tyrese said:
> 
> 
> > NoutheticCounselor said:
> ...



At first I thought to just move on when I saw your response, but then I thought it best to give you the benefit of the doubt that maybe you didn't read the entirety of my original post when I said I couldn't speak on Reformed Baptist Seminary as a whole. However, the author of this thread would be doing himself a disservice if he didn't look into the views of the dean and all of the teaching fellows who are apart of the Seminary. This goes for Covenant Baptist and Reformed Baptist Seminary. I think leadership matters when we consider the future of any theological institution. If you don't think New Calvinism has had any influence on our Reformed Churches and Seminaries than I don't know what else to say. If you disagree than you certainly have the liberty to do so without having a back and forth. At the end of the day our brother will decide for himself. Remember, he asked the question. If you have an alternative perspective please share with him so that he can be helped in his decision. 

Your brother, Tyrese


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## AThornquist (Mar 30, 2016)

I finished about 40 credit hours at CBTS several years ago when it was still called the Midwest Center for Theological Studies. There is so much overlap between RBS and CBTS, especially if you are doing all of your coursework at distance, that I wouldn't fret about choosing one over the other. Pick the less expensive option. However, if you plan to do much coursework in person, I would probably choose Reformed Baptist Seminary. 

My experience at MCTS--which is now CBTS--was useful at a head level but did very little to foster a deeper walk with the Lord or maturity in the faith. I had virtually no discipleship, just heady academic instruction, and my spiritual life eventually shattered. I grew so emotionally and spiritually tired that I dropped out of the school and had no desire to read "deep" theological texts for quite some time; rather, the Bible, sermons, and some Christian audio books were all I could stomach. Almost all of my classmates also were my friends and members of the same church, and though I will not speak for anyone but myself, I will say that my experience was not unique. I have grown more and more convinced that deep theological training needs to be done in the context of true discipleship, not merely a classroom. 

Regarding talk about New Calvinism, neither school fits the bill. Dr. Gonzales does hold a different view about the practical outworkings of the Sabbath than Dr. Waldron does, but I agree with Dr. Gonzales on the matter. Some other relatively insignificant matters could be delineated, but none of the people in this discussion could be called "New Calvinist" in the same breath as Mark Driscoll or some other figurehead of the movement. Additionally, I lived with Dr. Waldron's family for a few weeks and have also stayed the night and spent time with Dr. Gonzales' family; both are exceptionally good people and I love them both.


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## NoutheticCounselor (Apr 4, 2016)

I would like to thank everyone for your responses -they definitely gave me some things to think about.


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