Statistics reveal the undeniable reality that men far outnumber women in seminary enrollment. I experienced this first-hand walking into several seminary classrooms where I was the only woman present. Questions would immediately go off in my head: Am I supposed to be here? Why aren’t there any other women? While there are numerous reasons why women are less likely than men to enroll in seminary, oftentimes a common denominator is women believing that seminary is not necessary. This belief is reinforced by the demands placed on women in various life stages, the finances required, and the rigors of academia requiring intense amounts of time and work—not to mention that a seminary education does not always open career doors for women. However, in spite of all these valid realities, I believe all Christian women should consider seminary because it provides fertile soil to cultivate their minds, which leads to igniting their hearts in worship and propelling them forward in mission.
CULTIVATING THE MIND
Cultivation of the mind and the “deep theology work” of seminary can often be intimidating to women. There’s a common attitude that this work is reserved for men. This belief is not unlike attitudes in the first century AD when women were restricted from and even denied access to religious spaces. They were not usually given the opportunity to study the Torah, and many believed that it was obscene to teach women Scripture. According to D.A. Carson, rabbis even taught that to talk with a woman was “at best a waste of time and at worst a diversion from the study of the Torah, and therefore potentially a great evil that could lead to Gehenna, hell.”
It was into this culture that Jesus entered, radically working against these presuppositions as he invited not only men to follow him, but women as well. As evidenced by reading all four gospel accounts, women followed Jesus, supported his ministry (Luke 8), played a key role in proclaiming the good news of his resurrection (Matt. 28, Luke 24, John 20), and engaged with him in matters of theology. This last point is most poignantly seen in Jesus declaring that Mary had chosen “the good portion” of listening to his teaching as she sat at his feet (the common posture of a disciple, Luke 10:38-42) as well as his engagement in a theological conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4. Jesus’ life and ministry reveal the essential place women have as disciples, and particularly highlight the integral place of the mind, something that all believers are called to exercise (i.e., Mark 12:30, Romans 12:2). It follows that seminary is indeed a viable option for women and they should be encouraged to pursue it.
Seminary provides a set-apart space for Christians to devote concentrated time engaging their minds with the things of God and His Kingdom. In my own experience at seminary, the books read, the papers written, and the conversations with professors and fellow students gave space to learn rich theological ideas and wrestle with difficult topics. These challenging—and sometimes paradigm-shifting—moments spurred me on to know exactly what it is I believe, rooting myself further into the story of the Bible. It matters what women believe, especially when it comes to theology and the Bible, and seminary provides vital space to explore these topics.
IGNITING THE HEART
The mind, however, is not the only thing that is important in Christian discipleship. A focus on the heart and emotions are essential as well. Often in today’s culture there exists a disconnect, a chasm between the things of the mind and the things of the heart. Seminary is regularly viewed as an antithesis to the heart because it is believed that academia focuses solely on the intellect. However, as Jen Wilkin has so perceptively written, the mind and the heart are actually intimately intertwined: “The heart cannot love what the mind does not know.”
At the core, all humanity worships. Everyone is a worshiper, driven by heart loves (Prov. 4:23). What one worships—wants, loves, or treasures above all—drives the rest of one’s life (Matt. 6:21). And as Wilkin suggests, these loves are informed by our minds.
For women, there are a lot of “loves” warring for utmost place in the heart. As we intake social media, blogs, and podcasts as a steady diet of information, things like family, career, beauty, and success can easily sway us away from the things of God. However, a nurturing seminary environment, rather than being a “cemetery for one’s faith,” is a catalyst to ignite the heart as true orthodoxy (theology) leads to true doxology (worship). As we cultivate our minds, diving into the riches of exegesis, theology, biblical languages, and church history, our affections are ignited towards worship and love of God.
PROPELLED FORWARD IN MISSION
Seminary is not just good for women’s minds and hearts as individuals, it’s also good for the world. As women engage their minds in theology, leading to ignition of their hearts in worship of Jesus, it is inevitable that their lives will then be propelled forward on mission. And what an immense mission exists in our time (Matt. 9:37), where women’s distinct perspective and gifts are uniquely needed. As disciples of Jesus, women have been called to be a witness and ambassador for him, and seminary can help women to live out that call.
Are you raising kids at home? Seminary gives you focused time to learn truths about the gospel message, so you are equipped to be ready and able to pass on orthodox belief to the next generation (2 Tim. 1:5, 2:2; Titus 2:1-5).
Do you desire to write about or speak on the Bible? Seminary gives you tools to rightly handle the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:15) so that you can provide readers and listeners material that is faithful to the Word of God.
Would you like to provide leadership in your church or workplace? A seminary education can equip you for influence where women’s presence and voice have historically been absent.
Are you overwhelmed with the state of the world today and wondering how to be a faithful witness to Jesus in these hard times? Seminary gives you a chance to study church history, where you will gain perspective, encouragement, and inspiration from the witness of mothers and fathers in the faith and hear how God’s Kingdom continued to move forward despite difficult circumstances.
Wherever women have been called to serve, seminary is a great means of cultivating minds, igniting hearts, and propelling them forward in mission, as they take their indispensable place as co-laborers alongside men in the great mission of God in the world.
Erika Blaine loves the Bible and theology and is passionate about discipleship and biblical literacy in the local church. She serves as Communications and Marketing Director at MountainChild, a nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid to children in the Himalayas, and holds an M.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Denver Seminary. On her day off you’ll likely find her with her husband Luke on an adventure in the Colorado mountains.