First Semester of Seminary…
Well, just three papers to go, and my first semester at Shaw University Divinity School (SUDS) will come to its conclusion. I’m proud to say that I will be finishing with all A’s. My seminary program is divided into two terms—Fall 1 and Fall 2—each lasting eight weeks. This semester has challenged me academically, theologically, technically, and spiritually, which is exactly why I came to seminary. I’m currently pursuing my Master of Divinity degree, the ideal degree for those called to full-time pastoring or ministry. My professors have been kind, knowledgeable, and have stretched me throughout this process.
Review of Fall 1 Classes: Survey of the Bible & Spiritual Formation
Survey of the Bible is not your average Sunday school class, let me just say that. From the first session, this course challenged everything I thought I knew about the Bible, especially the first five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)—what Protestants call the Pentateuch, which is Greek, literally means “five books.” For our Jewish siblings, these books are called the Torah, the Hebrew name meaning “the law,” and they are part of the Hebrew Bible, often referred to as the Old Testament.
Now, that’s standard Bible 101. Traditionally, it’s taught that Moses wrote these first five books. But did he? Who actually said Moses wrote them? How could he have written them if they end with his death and burial? Wasn’t he a prophet? For me, who wrote these books is not as important as what I believe about what they contain. Authorship matters, but the Christian faith is fundamentally about belief in the God of the Scriptures, not just in who wrote them.
I believe the Scriptures are the inspired Word of God (1 Tim 3:16-17). There are, of course, different theories about who actually wrote these books, whether it was one person or many, and how long it took to compile them. In this course, we explored concepts like Anthropomorphism, Enuma Elish, Gilgamesh, the Documentary Hypothesis, JEDP, the Tetragrammaton, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. We covered genre, the Septuagint, Ancestral History, Primeval History—and that was just the first five books! By the end of the course, we had surveyed all 66 books of the Bible.
Spiritual Formation was challenging in a different way. It required deep reflection on everything I have known about Christianity, spirituality, and my specific denominational practices. Just because two people share the same faith doesn’t mean they believe the same way about every aspect of it. For example, should baptism be done the “Baptist” way, by a believer’s confession and full immersion, or is sprinkling a baby just as valid? This course also helped us set realistic expectations for our seminary journey.
And this was just the first eight weeks! Stay tuned for my follow-up on Fall 2. I’ve wanted to attend seminary since I started preaching back in 2006. God is faithful to give us the desires of our hearts, and I am truly enjoying this journey. I’m being edified and equipped to grow in my personal faith and strengthen my ministry. To the Eternal King, my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, be all glory forever and ever!
Peace and blessings,
~ Reflections from Rev. Feltus C. Frost
