<p>I am neither a Christian nor really interested in attending seminary myself, but I just want to know how they work in comparison to regular academic schools, both private and public. The truth is, I once conversed with a young-looking pastor - freshly graduated from university in 2007 - and probably has been out of college and working for six years or less. He told me that he was raised Christian but was not very intimate with God until his college years, when he longed to seek a relationship. He started to seek a relationship with a girlfriend, but that relationship didn’t work out. So, he sought a relationship with God instead and met his wife probably sometime after graduation. He said that he now works as a Nurse’s Aide while his wife works as an assistant to a lawyer in the House of Representatives. And he added that he wants to attend seminary but thinks that if he can found a new church - well, if there is a demand for a church - he may get a discount on his tuition.</p>
<p>Is it really true that aspiring pastors can be granted discounts on their tuitions at seminaries? How are seminaries different from regular academic schools? Are they more focused on pastoral training and stuff? Do all the students learn pastoral care so they can provide pastoral care services once they graduate? Who ordains new graduates - the church that sponsors the seminary, the seminary itself, or the government?</p>
<p>The seminary I attended was a 4 year academic school that concentrated on classes in theology, Biblical interpretation, ethics and counseling courses (mainly to ascertain when it is something the pastor can handle and when to refer to a psychologist/social worker), worship and preaching, and church history. I was required to learn Greek; some denominations require learning Hebrew as well. I had to take the GRE in order to apply.</p>
<p>During the four years we were also required to gain pastoral experience through working with an established pastor or out on our own. I spent two years serving a tiny church that could not afford a pastor, and was supervised by the local authorities for my denomination. Some positions are paid, like mine was, which helped with expenses. There are also scholarships like any other type of school for some students.</p>
<p>Ordination is through the denomination/association that oversees the student. We were required to be “in care” of the local association for our denomination. In order to be taken under care I first had to pass some psychological exams (a standard practice for many faith groups) and meet regularly with an advisor, and then pass an oral examination from the church and ministry committee for the denomination. It is pretty intense. </p>
<p>Some religious groups are more lax in qualifications for ordination.</p>
<p>The OP does not have a wife, he was talking about a pastor he met.</p>
<p>In my mainline protestant denomination, seminary is 4 year graduate school. You learn Greek and Hebrew, lots of study of the Bible, learning to preach, counsel, etc etc. You also intern with a congregation.</p>
<p>Once you graduate you apply for a job and when you are “called” to a church, you are then ordained in that congregation.</p>
<p>I think more evangelical or non-denominational pastors may not ahve the same academic training necessarily. I have friends at churches whose ministers are self-taught or who may only have bachelors degrees.</p>
<p>The government most certainly does not do the ordaining! :)</p>
<p>I completely depends on the denomination, and, for Catholic priests, it varies depending on whether the seminarian is to become a diocesan priest or joining an Order. (Jesuit priests all get PhDs, for example)</p>