[Vision2020] A Clarification on Certified Pastors

[Donovan Arnold]

The government is the one that decides accreditation. I think the government deciding who gets to be a pastor is a bad idea.
  
  -DJA

Nick Gier <ngier at uidaho.edu> wrote:    Hi Michael,

  I'll be happy to clarify what I met by certifying pastors.  The  process begins with a seminary education at an accredited seminary and  ends with ordination within a denomination.  The government would  have no control at all. Professional agencies, not the government,  license their personnel, not the government.

 Let me give you an  example.  I'm sponsoring an Indian Christian student for his Ph.D.  work.  He graduated first in his class at United Theological  Seminary in Bangalore (where I did research for my last two  books),  and he was ordained in the interdenominational Church of  South India.  For two years running he has won two of the full  ride fellowships at Iliff School of Theology in Denver. He is also  going through a four year probationary period before he gets his U.S.  ordination.  

 Good Christians want to make sure that  their ministers are thoroughly vetted and tested before handing over  the responsibility of people's souls to them.  It's not just a  matter of being hit with a bolt of what some people might be the power  of the Holy Spirit.  Alleged experiences such as these should be  joined with proper theological training and experience.

 With  regard to accreditation, I wish the government did have more control,  if my experience with the Council on Higher Education (CHE) is  typical.  It and the U. S. Department of Education oversee all  accrediting agencies, including the Transnational Association for  Christian Colleges and Schools, with which NSA was recently  accredited.  (What of course is interesting, but not surprising,  is that both Atwood and NSA attorney Dickison claimed that NSA was  accredited 2.5 years ago.)  I pointed out a number of problems  with NSA (Atwood was on a TRACS tour promoting "trinitarian"  accreditation while NSA was  only a "candidate"; NSA's founder as  a discredited scholar who and disses the UI, etc.), but the head of CHE  said that she could do nothing.

 There are many fine evangelical  colleges and seminaries that play by the rules and traditions of  academe.  They produce many fine scholars and preachers, all with  minimal or no governmental intervention. I meet their teachers every  year at my professional conferences. Yet, Wilson denounces these  excellent examples of Christian education as at least not evangelical  or at most un-Christian.  Shame on him.

  I hope that answers your question, Michael.  Now what about our  debate on the problem of evil?

  Nick Gier

    "The god you worship is the god you   deserve."
  ~~ Joseph Campbell
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