One Semester done!

Yesterday I turned in my last final paper, so for better or worse I am officially done with one semester of seminary. Overall, I really enjoyed this semester. I sigh when I begin reading and I put papers off to the last second, but I really do enjoy being a student. It was really cool that this semester there was a group of people that I had every class with. Every Tuesday and most Thursday we would eat lunch together and discuss the various topics that were being brought up in our classes, and I really enjoy those types of conversations. CTS has a reputation of being a theologically libera school. From the student body standpoint, I do not think that is the case. If Conservative/Liberal is a spectrum then I think the student body is really close to fitting in a bell curve, and if anything it would be skewed slightly to the right. However, from a falculty standpoint this reputation is well earned. While my theology professor respected all opinions equally, it should be noted that the shortest readings for the class were on what would be considered conservative theological viewpoints. From comments made on SPAM papers it is obvious that professor has serious issue with anyone claiming knowing a relatable God, even if it is a recountance of personal experience (seriously, how can you discount my experience just becuse it is not your own?) Finally, My NT professor made it clear up front where on the spectrum he fell. I learned a good deal this semster. However, in many instances I had to choose to go with what I have learned or what I believe. This is most evident in the NT class. I found literary, historical, and social criticism fascinating. However, if these forms of analysis are carried out to their complete conclusion then the Bible can not be the inspired word of God. My own personal experience is that the Bible is indeed the inspired word of God, so I had to choose which I was going to go with. As I was confronted and digesting different viewpoints I found that my own beliefs grew stronger, sometimes in spite of what I was being taught.
Overall, it was a good semster. I should be getting grades back soon, and hopefully I did ok.