THE LEVEL OF PROTESTANT EDUCATION
Some times we
hear non-protestant people rejecting Reform exegesis, arguing about the level
of academic formation among Protestant clergy in general, and specially,
disenchanted by the varied ideas of different confessions and the level of presentation
of some of the free-lance reformed churches, which in North-American Spanish
slang are called ‘Changarros’.
Despite the fact
that a variety of ideas exists across protestant circles, and also that some
free-lance ‘protestants’ (If indeed they can be called like that some of them)
meet up in private garages and in sheds, the truth is that this is not related
to the level of education of Protestantism as such, but it is related to its Ecclesiology.
LEVEL OF
EDUCATION IN PROTESTANTISM
It is overlooked
the fact that Protestantism was the engine that promoted education, specially
on biblical disciplines, which were forbidden to the public and reserved only
for the ordained hermetic clergy of the established Church during the time of
the Reformation (1)
Since then, many
centers of learning have been established, so that most of the most prestigious
universities in the world are of Protestant theology, and form theologically
every year, new Reformed Protestant Ministers.
Some of these
centers of learning are:
UNIVERSITY OF
OXFORD - Anglican
UNIVERSITY OF
CAMBRIDGE - Anglican
UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
– Anglican
UNIVERSITY OF
YALE - Congregational
UNIVERSITY OF
STANFORD – Multidenominational (Baptist, Methodists, etc)
UNIVERSITY OF
HARVARD – Puritan
Just to mention
a few. There are many more all over the world of minor level than these giants,
and all founded and sustained by Protestant churches all over the world.
THE
FORMATION OF THE PROTESTANT GLERGY
For a regular
Protestant Minister to be admitted to ordination, he must have completed and
passed a Bachelor’s degree theological formation, that includes all biblical
subjects, in general terms, like Theology I to IV, Ecclesiology, Hermeneutics, Eschatology,
History, Greek, Hebrew, sometimes Aramaic, sometimes also Latin, Psychology,
Education, Social Sciences, and apart from that, an elective, but recommended
to be full study of, each book of the Bible, in local as well as in original
language, theologically and linguistically, apart from Sacraments and Clergy
formation, which it is separate to Theology. And two subjects of Philosophy,
prior to study Theology to sharpen the minds of the students.
All this process
takes a full 4 years formation, which varies with the 7 years formation of the
Roman clergy only in the compulsory 3 extra units of Philosophy, Church Law and
Catholic Tradition, which elevates their formation to seven years, but never on
theological subjects which are the same for both of them.
PROTESTANT CANON
OF SCRIPTURE
Since the
opportunity for free and open investigation started with the Reformation,
thousands started to revise and investigate by themselves what otherwise they
inherited and accepted blindly, even the ‘canonical’ Canon of Scripture, which
in Reformed Christianity, does not respond, as most Catholics would like to
believe, to the version ‘inherited’ from the Roman Church, but it was
established by the revision and own translations of the direct manuscripts, in
Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic, and the common acceptance, renewed and instructed of
the 66 books (39 in the OT and 27 in the NT) that came to conform the PROTESTANT
CANON, since 1522; and revised and approved again and again by multiple Reform
church synods of all tendencies.
It must be also
be said that from the THREE BASIC UNCIAL CODICES, (The ‘original’ versions of
the Bible), two are in protestant hands, THE CODEX SINAITICUS AND ALEXANDRINUS,
at the ANGLICAN BRITISH LIBRARY, and only the CODEX VATICANUS, is in Catholic hands.
VARIETY OF
IDEAS
The existence of
a variety of theological ideas among Protestants in comparison not only to
Roman Catholicism, but also to Orthodoxy, Mormonism and Jehova’s Witnesses, are
indeed an important point to address.
This has two origins,
one theological and the other, social.
THEOLOGICAL
Since Protestantism
claims only to be subjected to Scripture alone (Not that only reads Scripture,
but that only Scripture has supreme authority, even over Tradition, which is
studied under History in Protestant colleges). All doctrinal claims can only
relate to the written canonical texts.
Since the Bible
itself is not a systematic theological book, but a collection of free writing
material, many of our questions are not answered by Scripture alone, provoking
thus, a variety of theories over many points that are not clearly taught in
detail on Scripture.
SOCIAL
Since the
Scripture leaves a lot of obscure gaps on doctrinal information (Example: To what
was referring 1Timothy 3:2 when it says ‘The Presbyter should be husband to
only one wife’?), it is natural for social groups, since no two men are exactly
the same, to hold different opinion of one subject.
REGARDLESS,
doctrinally, and in this we all agree, we profess salvation through Faith in
JESUS alone, and not in works or creeds. IT is enough for a Christian to truly
believe and submit to JESUS OF NAZARETH, as the Messiah and the Son of God, and
to remain faithful to Him to the end, to be saved. Not how ‘good’ he or she is,
or how well he understands a creed.
THE UNITY
IN CATHOLIC CIRCLES
It is understood
then, that in other circles, not only Roman Catholic, but also Orthodox and
sects like Mormonism, Jehova’s Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventism, the doctrinal
unity surpasses the doctrinal unity in Protestantism, because they fill the
scriptural gaps with extra biblical ideas.
Mormonism with
the Book of Mormon and Doctrines and Covenants, Seventh Day Adventism with Helen
White’s books, Jehova’s Witnesses with the Watchtower and Perspicacity from the
Scriptures, and Orthodoxy with Ecumenical Councils definitions, like the Roman Church,
who also must add Papal Bulls and Ex-Cathedra declarations.
Considering that
all of them hold to a 100% solid doctrinal unity and nevertheless they all
believe opposite doctrines, we can only conclude that unity by itself, it is
not a synonymous of truth.
LAST THINGS
TO OBSERVE
Finally, we need
to clarify certain points also.
1 – Neither MORMONS,
JEHOVA’S WITNESSES, SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS, SCIENTOLOGY, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE,
CHRISTIANDELPHIANS, UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES, and many others strange
movements, are really PROTESTANTS.
These are
RESTAURATIONIST movements. That is, they believe themselves to be the ONLY TRUE
CHURCH on the planet, and reject Protestants as they reject Catholics.
Protestantism does
not support neither conforms to these movements.
2 – There are
Free-Lance churches. That is, some people organize themselves into groups to
worship GOD without any formal theological education, and in not proper places
of worship.
These are
IRREGULARITIES, and even though their leaders can be respected as ‘Pastors’ if
that is what their community considers them to be, they are not doing, neither complying
to the basic levels of Protestant Ministry, and will be therefore, found faulty
academically. But this is not the rule in Reformed Christianity.
Omar Flores.
(1) Roland H. Bainton, Christianity: Protestantism, Encyclopedia
Britannica (2022).
Stella Polyzoidou, How Protestant Reformation Shaped
Modern Education, The Collector (2022).
Comments
Post a Comment