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A UMNS Report
By Joey Butler*
7:00 A.M. EST Oct. 1, 2010
Two Pennsylvania seminaries have been removed from a list of schools
approved to train United Methodist clergy, following a June ruling by a
denominational sanctioning body.
Evangelical Theological Seminary in Myerstown and Palmer Theological
School in Wynnewood received letters from the University Senate – the
sanctioning body that determines which schools meet the criteria for
listing as institutions affiliated with the denomination – informing
them of the decision, but offering little information as to what led to
it.
Michael W. Sigman, Evangelical’s president, said the letter cited a
“lack of ethnic inclusiveness of faculty and staff” and that the
seminary did not have enough full-time United Methodist professors on
its faculty. The school has two part-time United Methodist professors.
Evangelical has been a United Methodist-approved school for 16
years. Schools must reapply for approval by the University Senate every
four years, and Sigman said Evangelical’s 2006 approval notice
mentioned nothing about diversity concerns.
Palmer received no explanation at all; it was simply told it is no longer approved.
“We don’t understand why this has been done,” Palmer dean
Christopher Hall told Christianity Today. “We were completely caught
off-guard.”
“This process has the feel of being punitive, especially after a positive 16-year relationship,” Sigman said.
Christ Hall at Evangelical Theological Seminary. Photo courtesy Evangelical Theological Seminary
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Both schools are pursuing the matter and plan to appeal the decision. The Senate meets again in January 2011.
“Just because these schools are off the list of institutions that
meet United Methodist requirements doesn’t impugn their academic quality
in the least,” said Gerald D. Lord, associate general secretary of the
Division of Higher Education of the United Methodist Board of Higher
Education and Ministry. “These concerns are solely about the formation
of United Methodist clergy.”
Impact on Pennsylvania churches
The United Methodist Church will ordain only elders and deacons from
schools or seminaries that are listed as meeting the guidelines for
training students in Wesleyan-based theology and United Methodist
polity.
The decision does not take effect immediately. Students enrolled by
June 30, 2011, will still be eligible for ordination as United
Methodists elders and deacons. Approximately 26 percent of Evangelical’s
175 students and about 16 percent of Palmer’s 325 students are United
Methodist.
Bishop Peggy Johnson of the Eastern Pennsylvania (regional)
Conference said, “For a lot of little churches, it was good to have a
seminary nearby. It will certainly be an inconvenience and will color
the availability of appointments for many of our churches.
“Evangelical has a great following of graduates and people in the
area who have loved and supported them, and they are very disappointed.
I have gotten many letters.”
Lord said he has also received a great deal of correspondence over the Senate decision.
“Being on the list of United Methodist schools is not only important
to the seminaries, but (also to) the annual (regional) conferences in
which they’re located. The University Senate doesn’t take these
decisions lightly, and neither do I.”
Sigman said these decisions “impact the nature of ministry within
the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and what that ministry will look
like in the next 10-15 years.
“Many of the churches in this conference have pastors who are
bi-vocational. They don’t have the ability to move or commute to a
United Methodist seminary that’s located some distance from their home.
We provide a seminary option that is close at hand for them.”
“I respect the process; I just know it is going to be a little harder
now to do (pastoral) placements,” Johnson said. “But God is in
everything, and God will work through this as well.”
*Butler is editor of young adult content for United Methodist Communications, Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Joey Butler, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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