# Good Seminaries outside the USA?



## Ianterrell

Are there any excellent seminaries to be aware of outside American soil? I'm sure there are. I'm wondering what's out there, because I might want to move to the UK or something like that.


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## JonathonHunt

Ian,,,

NO!

Don't come. Not until you have gone to a good seminary in the USA. There is literally nothing here. For my purposes as a reformed baptist, the LRBS is great and good, but part-time.

Seriously, there are no full time reformed seminaries in the UK that are either distinctively Baptist or Presbyterian, and that take a stance on charismatic issues, worship issues, etc. There is no seminary here I would recommend. Stay there till you are done, then come.

J


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## Mary

Wow. That's pretty sad.


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## JonathonHunt

Yes it is sad. You guys may think america is a terrible sinful continent, but you have some big advantages, believe me!

I know one or two brits on here might disagree with me, but there really aren't any seminaries here in the uk where you would get a full time, fully reformed, distinctive (credo/paedo) education.

If you're happy to do a part time course, the course I follow is good. There may be a seminary in scotland I haven't considered, but the best known one is the Free Church of Scotland, and the President of that Seminary denies the literal creation, so I'd say not.


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## jfschultz

[quote:89bd5d4b87][i:89bd5d4b87]Originally posted by JonathanHunt[/i:89bd5d4b87]
If you're happy to do a part time course, the course I follow is good. There may be a seminary in scotland I haven't considered, but the best known one is the Free Church of Scotland, and the President of that Seminary denies the literal creation, so I'd say not. [/quote:89bd5d4b87]

Ah, a bit of light on another topic. I knew of the split that formed the Free Church (Continuing) and that it centered on the President of the Seminary. But no specifics.


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## Ianterrell

[quote:1bf734240f][i:1bf734240f]Originally posted by JonathanHunt[/i:1bf734240f]
Ian,,,

NO!

Don't come. Not until you have gone to a good seminary in the USA. There is literally nothing here. For my purposes as a reformed baptist, the LRBS is great and good, but part-time.

Seriously, there are no full time reformed seminaries in the UK that are either distinctively Baptist or Presbyterian, and that take a stance on charismatic issues, worship issues, etc. There is no seminary here I would recommend. Stay there till you are done, then come.

J [/quote:1bf734240f]

Haha. You're just trying to scare me away aren't you.


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## Ianterrell

Seriously though Jonathan that makes me very sad. I'm really wondering though how I can help the Reformed church over there.


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## duke

There are some excellent Seminary / Colleges in the UK.

1. Oak Hill Theological College : http://www.oakhill.ac.uk/
2. Highland Theological College : http://www.htc.uhi.ac.uk/main.html
3. London Theological Seminary : http://www.lts.u-net.com/
4. Evangelical Theological College of Wales : http://www.etcw.ac.uk/
5. Reformed Theological College : http://www.rpc.org/college/
(Actually in Northern Ireland)

In Australia
1. Moore Theological College : http://www.moore.edu.au/

Now obviously you will not agree with everything in every Seminary/College but in all the ones I have listed there are some of the most godly Reformed men in the UK and perhaps the world.

Duke.


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## JonathonHunt

My tone might have been too dismissive and dogmatic. In fact, it was!

It was Highland I was trying to think of in reference to Scotland. They may be good - in fact I think they probably are. I have heard good things about them, just couldn't remember the name. If I could go somewhere by choice, it would probably be there.

They are all 'okay', but it comes down to what you want. [i:4c7b5d2680]I'd be glad to go to any of them[/i:4c7b5d2680] given the funding and the time, but what I'm saying is compared to what is available in the states, its worth getting your education in the States!

And I say again, the two I am particularly thinking of (on that list) take no specific paedo/credo stance, no stance on worship (specifially the RP), and skirt around contemporary issues rather than addressing them.

You will have good reformed men coming out of these colleges and others who are not reformed at all. Of course no seminary makes a man a pastor or educates a man fully, but there are large omissions which lead to huge variance in the quality of gradutes. For example. my church contacted both the Evangelical Theological College of Wales and the London Theological Seminary, asking if they had any men who would affirm the 1689 confession, stand for traditional reverent worship, and be cessationist. The reply came back 'we have none'. Enough said!

Regarding the split in the Free Church of Scotland and the creation of the Continuing Congregations, for what its worth I believe in the cause of the seceders, having seen the evidence relating to the [i:4c7b5d2680]allegations[/i:4c7b5d2680] of sexual misconduct against the Principal of the College. Its a very sad situation with believers on both sides.

[Edited on 6-7-2004 by JonathanHunt]


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## duke

Yeah, I get your point Jonathan. The States does seem to have some excellent Seminary options. I know of some young men in the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (which is slowly going the way of PCUSA) who went to WTS rather than the PCI's own college in Belfast.

Your three requirements - 1689 Conf., traditional worship, and cessationist - sounds like a reformed baptist of the Met Tab variety. So if reformed baps are not sending their men to any of the colleges I mentioned then it is unlikely that any would come out. Highland would have a Presbyterian slant and Reformed Theological College is primarily for the Reformed Presbyterians in Ireland (who are exclusive Psalm singers without musical instruments). OakHill would be primarily evangelical Anglican with some Independents thrown in for good measure (although I note that Gary Williams from OakHill was one of the speakers at the Banner of Truth conference this year).

I suppose I would be comfortable going to any of them (I am a reformed bap who belongs to a Presbyterian congregation) because godly pastoral training is not just restricted to reformed baps. In fact, the Reformed Theological College in Belfast has some exceptionally gifted Profs. but every one of them pastors a church somewhere in Ireland.

I think Derek Thomas (now of First Presbyterian in Jackson) completed his PhD work via Highland. He seems to think it is a good college.

Duke


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## duke

Ian, You may be interested in the fact that the NT and Greek Prof. from the Reformed Theological College in Belfast - Ted Donnelly - preaches at those Reformed Baptist family conferences.

You can here some of his sermons online at:
http://www.vor.org/mebane/sermons/conference2003.cgi
http://www.vor.org/mebane/sermons/conference2001.html
http://www.vor.org/mebane/sermons/conference1999.html
http://www.vor.org/mebane/sermons/conference.html
http://www.ebcfl.org/sermons/conferences.htm#2003 EBCMC

Duke.


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## JonathonHunt

[quote:84fa2d0eec][i:84fa2d0eec]Originally posted by duke[/i:84fa2d0eec]

Your three requirements - 1689 Conf., traditional worship, and cessationist - sounds like a reformed baptist of the Met Tab variety. So if reformed baps are not sending their men to any of the colleges I mentioned then it is unlikely that any would come out. Duke [/quote:84fa2d0eec]

True - so you ask yourself 'what is going on?'. I believe that because of the paucity of what is available many men are not getting a formal training in the UK these days.

'A reformed baptist of the met tab variety' - interesting thought, but there are a decent number of churches in the same 'constitutency' in the UK still (partially evidenced by the fact that the Met Tab School of Theology is the largest 'Reformed' conference in the country) who seek the same things broadly speaking - and most of them have Pastors, many of whom have come out of the seminaries and colleges mentioned.

So what does this indicate? That seminaries and colleges were once more distinctive, or that for many these days the needs of their churches prevent them from going away to study... or...


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## kceaster

I know a man from Wales who would concur. He came to GPTS to get his education because he didn't find anything in the UK that was sound.

It may have also been a money issue as a secondary. It looks like it is rather pricey over there, too.

KC


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## Ianterrell

Duke,


Thanks for the links. I'll keep these schools in mind. My Pastor's going to be preaching at that conference this year as well. I'm not going to be attending unfortunately but I'll check out those sermons you provided the links for. Thanks.


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