DBTS Senior Doctrinal Seminar

Following the lead of one of my colleagues, I thought some might find it interesting to know about one of the classes I have opportunity to lead here at Detroit Baptist Seminary, viz., the Senior Doctrinal Seminar. This class is a new one developed just last year after a faculty curriculum evaluation meeting. During that meeting, it was determined that a key adjustment would be made to the graduation requirement in order to improve the effectiveness of the seminary curriculum. Previously, each graduating senior was obliged to prepare a whole doctrinal statement and appear for 90 minutes before a committee of the faculty, who peppered the candidate with questions in a manner much like a church-organized ordination council. We as a faculty found this exercise a helpful one: identifying new wrinkles, tensions, and points of confusion in theology; revealing deficiencies in our instruction; discovering the most promising graduates, etc. It also compelled students to craft out personal belief statements in preparation for ordination and, ideally, some kind of pastoral ministry. The drawback of this defense was that it offered no chance for students and faculty to dialogue at length about specific, individual, unanswered questions and points of confusion.

In the interest of addressing this deficiency, we created the Senior Doctrinal Seminar. The structure is simple. By Tuesday of every week, each candidate for graduation prepares a one-page statement on a major head of theology (bibliology, pneumatology, soteriology, and the like), and distributes his statement to the rest of the class. Then each Friday the graduating class (or a section thereof depending on class size) meets for two hours to discuss the statements. I usually lead out, asking a question about, say, some imprecisely worded sentence, an unusual proof text, a minority view, etc. Then the discussion begins. We ask one another to explain “stock” definitions and phrases borrowed from historical creeds. We offer each other refinements of key points of doctrine. We add precision in expressing the non-negotiables of theology. We strive for clarity, accuracy, and grace when characterizing orthodox views alternative to our own. We defend our views biblically, discovering, at times, where we are making straw defenses.

Above all, each student adjusts his statement as necessary: deleting, adding, or replacing proof texts; refining vocabulary and syntax for added precision; adding whole sections; curtailing defenses of “pet” doctrines that really aren’t all that important; even changing positions after gaining greater understanding.

While every once in a while there is a deer-in-the-headlights moment during the seminar, the class is, in the main, a surprisingly relaxed and enjoyable exercise with lively dialogue, candid clarifications, cordial disagreement (oh for more of this in the blogosphere!), humble corrections, and above all, a chance to be immediately immersed in our chief end: knowing, glorifying, and enjoying God forever.