Mastering Divinity and Youth Ministry
May 12, 2008
Finally. When I signed up for the Dual Degree at Princeton Seminary, I didn’t think 4 years would be that much different than 3 years - but it is. It means you go through senioritis twice - it means that all your friends you came into seminary with get to graduate, find cool jobs and go on with their lives while you’re still taking classes, writing papers and trying to stay semi-interested in school. But it’s done. Four years of seminary and I’ll graduate with the Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Youth Ministry degrees in just a few days.
I get a lot of emails from folks who are checking out Princeton Seminary and have questions about it. So, I’m always answering questions like “Do you like the seminary?” and “Is Princeton too academic?” and “What are the professors like at Princeton?” I guess now that I’m done - the question I have been thinking about recently is “Would I choose Princeton if I had to do it all over again?” Honestly, I don’t know the answer to that question. When I was at the Everything Must Change Tour, one of the co-sponsors was Mars Hill Graduate School (not connected at all with Marky Mark’s Mars Hill Church), a school I looked at for awhile when I was looking at seminaries. Back when I was looking, I was told their MDiv program was still in the very early stages, and not quite as solid as their Counseling program. The more I hear and see the type of education that is happening at MHGS, the more I wish I would have looked more into the program.
I also wish I would have checked out more of the PC(USA) seminaries, including Columbia Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS). I really enjoyed my year at Columbia Seminary, and while it certainly isn’t perfect either, I think very highly of the faculty and administration. I’ve heard folks remark recently about the administration and bureaucracy at Princeton Seminary and how it can often be a very dehumanizing institution. Princeton definitely has an “ethos” and a vibe about it that can be incredibly frustrating (or….is it New Jersey?) and was something I didn’t experience at Columbia. I think I also would have looked more into SFTS, especially because of its great location.
But I did have a good experience at Princeton. I made some very close friends - friends I know I’ll have for the rest of my life. I was able to have very good relationships with some professors, and while it took more intentionality on my part, I found that these professors were very accessible and desired to get to know students. Also, I think there is a pretty good theological balance at this school. There is a pretty good mix of students from both ends of the theological spectrum, and throughout the middle as well. I feel like I was able to learn a lot, but also had chances to think about how theology impacts ministry. So, while I’m not 100% sure I would make the same decision again, I am sure that it was the right decision for me during that period of my life.
Tags: Columbia Seminary, Mars Hill Grad School, Princeton-Seminary, School
Posted in 
Adam Walker Cleaveland: I am a 28 yr old 
May 13th, 2008 at 4:09 am
Congrats, brother. I’m glad we met during our respective sojourns at PTS.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Way to push on through, bro. And as a spouse who hasn’t been too involved at the school, I’d say it’s Jersey kicking out the vibe.
May 13th, 2008 at 11:12 am
Congrats!!! Hope you get some time to celebrate!!
I am doing my MDiv at Mars Hill, and I really love it. It has all its own problems, but they’re really trying to do something different, and it’s very engaging.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I am really torn right now- I am wanting to continue my education and get my MDiv, and Mars Hill is at the top of the list (George Fox number 2). The problem is, I’m employed currently as the minister of a church in Payette, and though I don’t make very much (I have to work two other jobs), we are living rent free and my wife has a job that gets all three of us insurance. So that has severely limited my options. If I knew my wife and I could get jobs in Seattle that pays enough and find a cheap place to rent WITHOUT having to put our girl in Day Care, we’d be on our way there. But, right here close is Northwest Nazerene, and they have a fully online M Div with Missional Emphasis degree. So, because of all those reasons, I am leaning toward NNU, though I badly want to go to MHGS, because it seems to be everything I want. Anyway, all that to say: it’s hard making a choice.
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Thanks for the info.
I’m about to apply to seminary and am considering PTS.
I appreciate your frankness, and am subscibing to this blog.
Check out mine when you get a chance.