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Hi Michael,<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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. <br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
I hope that answers your question, Michael. Now what about our
debate on the problem of evil?<br><br>
Nick Gier<br><br>
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<font size=2>"The god you worship is the god you
deserve."<br>
~~ Joseph Campbell<br>
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