Continuing Education

[Matthias]

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” - Henry Ford (deceased)

I was encouraged as a pastor by the church ministerial recognition board to pursue continuing education. I wasn’t interested in obtaining formal advanced degrees in theology or ministry but I’ve always been interested in continuing education. (I come from a long line of teachers, so perhaps that is where I get that drive from - it’s in the genes?)

One of the ways I do that is by reading and studying on my own, but that’s not the only way. I’m currently taking an online course, offered at no cost, by Hillsdale College -> “The Exodus Story”.

I’m halfway through the course. This is my third experience of continuing my education online through Hillsdale College. As with the first two courses I completed (“The Genesis Story“ and “The David Story: Shepherd, Father, King”), I’ve had a good learning experience.

Hillsdale College offers free online courses in Fine Arts, Literature, Politics, History, Mathematics & Natural Sciences, Economics, and Philosophy & Religion. I‘m not interested in all of these fields of study but others may be. I will be enrolling in additional courses soon.

My purpose for starting this thread isn’t to be a shill for Hillsdale College (enroll or don’t enroll in one or more of the courses they offer; I’m not even going to provide a link in this post to their website) but to encourage readers to continue their education. There are many ways of doing that, and taking an online course (offered by any institution of education) is only one way.

If you are continuing your education - formally or informally, any field of study - please feel free to share your experiences in this thread.

 

[Debp]

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” - Henry Ford (deceased)

I was encouraged as a pastor by the church ministerial recognition board to pursue continuing education. I wasn’t interested in obtaining formal advanced degrees in theology or ministry but I’ve always been interested in continuing education. (I come from a long line of teachers, so perhaps that is where I get that drive from - it’s in the genes?)

One of the ways I do that is by reading and studying on my own, but that’s not the only way. I’m currently taking an online course, offered at no cost, by Hillsdale College -> “The Exodus Story”.

I’m halfway through the course. This is my third experience of continuing my education online through Hillsdale College. As with the first two courses I completed (“The Genesis Story“ and “The David Story: Shepherd, Father, King”), I’ve had a good learning experience.

Hillsdale College offers free online courses in Fine Arts, Literature, Politics, History, Mathematics & Natural Sciences, Economics, and Philosophy & Religion. I‘m not interested in all of these fields of study but others may be. I will be enrolling in additional courses soon.

My purpose for starting this thread isn’t to be a shill for Hillsdale College (enroll or don’t enroll in one or more of the courses they offer; I’m not even going to provide a link in this post to their website) but to encourage readers to continue their education. There are many ways of doing that, and taking an online course (offered by any institution of education) is only one way.

If you are continuing your education - formally or informally, any field of study - please feel free to share your experiences in this thread.

Is Hillsdale a secular college? Are the courses reasonable?

 

[Matthias]

Is Hillsdale a secular college?

No. It is a Christian school.

Hillsdale College - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Are the courses reasonable?

I‘ve found them to be quite reasonable. I wouldn’t have any problem at all recommending the courses I’ve taken so far.

 

[Matthias]

Are the courses reasonable?

Here is a link to a minute and a half video that the College uses to advertise the course that I’m currently taking. It will give you a feel for what the course is like.

The Exodus Story | Hillsdale College Online Courses

Discover God's mercy as He reclaims Israel out of slavery in “The Exodus Story.”

online.hillsdale.edu

This is the third course I’ve taken and the same professor has taught all of them.

 

[Matthias]

C.S. Lewis on Christianity | Hillsdale College Online Courses

Deepen your faith and understanding by journeying with C.S. Lewis through the gamut of Christian experiences.

online.hillsdale.edu

This is an introduction for the next course I’m planning to enroll in. The professor teaching this class isn’t the professor that I’ve had (and have greatly enjoyed) for all of the courses I’ve taken online through the college thus far.

P.S.

I enrolled in the course this morning and just finished listening to the first lecture.

Why did I do that? What prompted me to take action now on something that I’ve planned to do for a while but have put off doing?

A little encouragement. Something as small as a person pausing briefly to express interest. @Debp you are that person. Your simple act will work to my lasting benefit. Thank you.

 

[RedFan]

I wonder about the pros and cons of courses offered by a Christian vs. a secular institution. I suspect that a Christian college would tend to slant interpretations toward a particular view. While a secular school might do so too, my hunch is that secular institutions -- especially the more prestigious and established ones whose professors are often world-renouned scholars -- will tend to have a more objective approach.

 

[Matthias]

I wonder about the pros and cons of courses offered by a Christian vs. a secular institution.

I’ve taken many classes, on a variety of subjects, over the decades from both.

I suspect that a Christian college would tend to slant interpretations toward a particular view.

To your point, Hillsdale College, for example, is conservative.

While a secular school might do so too, my hunch is that secular institutions -- especially the more prestigious and established ones whose professors are often world-renouned scholars -- will tend to have a more objective approach.

See the product secular colleges and universities are putting out.

Enter a Christian, exit a non-Christian. That’s not always the case but it‘s the direction the current of the river flows.

 

[RedFan]

See the product secular colleges and universities are putting out.

Enter a Christian, exit a non-Christian. That’s not always the case but it‘s the direction the current of the river flows.

Most undergraduates at secular colleges and universities (like the one I went to) never take courses in religion or theology, so I hesitate to explain "enter a Christian, exit a non-Christian" on what is expounded in such classes.

Theological training at the graduate, advanced degree level in secular universities doesn't seem to be the culprit either. My wife is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, and almost all of her classmates went on to be ordained in some denomination or other.

 

[Matthias]

Most undergraduates at secular colleges and universities (like the one I went to) never take courses in religion or theology, so I hesitate to explain "enter a Christian, exit a non-Christian" on what is expounded in such classes.

Nearly all of the classes I’ve taken at secular colleges / universities weren’t connected with religion or theology. Hillsdale College offers courses on a wide variety of subjects. Take politics, for example. What is their slant? Conservative. Take mathematics, for example. What is their slant? Is there a slant in mathematics? Take history, for example? Is there a slant in history? Take literature, for example. Is there a slant in literature? Take religion or theology. Is there a slant in religion or theology?

I’ve had classes on Islam taught by Christians. Would you take a class on Christianity taught by a Muslim? (I have.)

I haven’t taken any classes on religion or theology taught by Marxists but I’ve read books written on the subjects by authors who were. Do you see even the possibility, however remote, for a Christian to become an ex-Christian in that scenario?

I haven’t taken any courses on religion or theology taught by someone who was once a Christian but has since become agnostic and teaches courses on religion and theology. Again, do you see even the slightest possibility where Christians being instructed by such a teacher might become like his or her teacher?

Theological training at the graduate, advanced degree level in secular universities doesn't seem to be the culprit either. My wife is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School, and almost all of her classmates went on to be ordained in some denomination or other.

Harvard Divinity School had a reputation. The reputation it had in the beginning isn’t the reputation that is has now.

 

[Matthias]

Imagine that you are a young and impressionable student at the University of North Carolina @RedFan and you’re interested in enrolling in some courses on religion and theology. You search through a catalogue of courses being offered during the upcoming semester and spot one that you decide you want to take. You enroll in the class. Who is the class being taught by?

Bart D. Ehrman - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You entered the class as a Christian. You listen, you study, you learn. You take the exams and complete the course. You exit the class. Are you still a Christian? Maybe you are. Maybe you’ve become like your professor, in whole or in part.

 

[RedFan]

Imagine that you are a young and impressionable student at the University of North Carolina @RedFan and you’re interested in enrolling in some courses on religion and theology. You search through a catalogue of courses being offered during the upcoming semester and spot one that you decide you want to take. You enroll in the class. Who is the class being taught by?

Bart D. Ehrman - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

You entered the class as a Christian. You listen, you study, you learn. You take the exams and complete the course. You exit the class. Are you still a Christian? Maybe you are. Maybe you’ve become like your professor, in whole or in part.

Fair point. I didn't go to UNC, and don't know what his courses do to students, but it's easy to imagine indoctrination of some students into a few anti-Christian views that he apparently holds.

 

[Matthias]

Fair point. I didn't go to UNC, and don't know what his courses do to students, but it's easy to imagine indoctrination of some students into a few anti-Christian views that he apparently holds.

He was a Christian. Educated at Wheaton College (BA) and Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv, PhD). His Doctoral advisor was Bruce Metzger.

He is now an atheist and the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A very-well trained atheist is teaching religion and theology.

Atheist = anti-Christian.

That doesn’t mean that everything he teaches is false. However, it does mean that he will be teaching on religion and theology from a position of no belief in God.

 

[Matthias]

Once again I find occasion to quote an old Jewish bookseller whom I purchased a book from online sometime back in the mid 1990’s.

The title of the book is “The Real Messiah? A Jewish Response to Missionaries,” written by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan.

I was speaking with Jews at the time and wanted to understand and be prepared for the objections that would be raised by them when I tried to persuade them that Jesus is the Messiah.

When the book arrived in the mail, I discovered that the bookseller had addressed a handwritten note to me, in beautiful cursive style, on a yellow Post-It note and attached it to the cover page in the front of the book. I have it in my hands now as I type this. The note says:

”[Matthias]

As with all sources that you read & study, I hope you will ‘eat the meat and spit out the bones’ when reading this book. Shalom”

Read widely. Read deeply. Read thoughtfully. Read critically. -> Eat the meat and spit out the bones.

 

[Behold]

I was encouraged as a pastor by the church ministerial recognition board to pursue continuing education

What encouraged you to stop being a Pastor @Matthias .

I hope you dont mind sharing that, as you are very careful to keep pointing out this word "Pastor", as you use it to previously apply to you.

Did you retire?
What?

 

[Matthias]

What encouraged you to stop being a Pastor @Matthias .

Distance.

I hope you dont mind sharing that, as you are very careful to keep pointing out this word "Pastor", as you use it to previously apply to you.

Did you retire?
What?

I retired and moved 425 miles away from the congregation I pastored in Atlanta.

I don’t mind answering your question but the topic of the thread is continuing education.

 

[Behold]

I don’t mind answering your question but the topic of the thread is continuing education.

As i said, you referred to your time as a Pastor, (on this Thread).... so that is why i asked you. @Matthias

Would you mind sharing with us what "denomination" you belonged to when you were a former Pastor?

 

[Matthias]

As i said, you referred to your time as a Pastor, (on this Thread).... so that is why i asked you. @Matthias

I’m not the topic of the thread. Continuing education - in any and every field, not just theology, religion, ministry or civil engineering - is. Most of my own continuing education is related to theology, but not all of it.

Would you mind sharing with us what "denomination" you belonged to when you were a former Pastor?

I’m not a former pastor. I’m a retired pastor. I still do pastoral work. (Most of my pastoral work now is done with neglected, abused and at-risk children. Much of my continuing education revolves around issues related to that.)

 

[Behold]

I’m a retired pastor. I still do pastoral work. (Most of my pastoral work now is done with neglected, abused and at-risk children. Much of my continuing education revolves around issues related to that.)

Ok, what "denomination" did you belong to before you "retired", and do you still belong to the same denomination?

 

[Matthias]

Ok, what "denomination" did you belong to before you "retired", and do you still belong to the same denomination?

Am I the subject of your continuing education? Are you continuing your education in any other field(s) of interest?

 

[Behold]

Am I the subject of your continuing education? Are you continuing your education in any other field(s) of interest?

I asked you.. "when you were a Pastor", and as you told us that you are now a "retired Pastor"... would you be able to share with the members here, what Denomination you belong to that hired you to be a "Pastor".

You dont have to answer, but, why not answer it?

"Free Will Baptist"?

Is this your Denomination?, as you recommended a College that is a part of this Denomination.