"As seminaries and divinity schools expand online education, some educators think the move is reviving the tradition of the pastor-scholar by allowing students to remain in their ministry settings while learning their craft."--APB News___
By Jeff Brumley
Chris Wondree is a full-time seminary student and a student ministry intern at a Virginia church, all of which means he’s busy.
Fortunately, Wondree said, the internet helps alleviate the stress of running back and forth between Second Baptist Church and Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond.
“Online courses make it possible to learn from a distance as well as free up time during the day to continue my ministry work where normally daily classes would inhibit,” said Wondree, 26.
There are other benefits, he said, including being forced to stay tech savvy and more thoughtful about the comments he submits during online discussions in classes like New Testament, Christian Tradition and Introduction to Spirituality.
Wondree has plenty of company. According to accreditation agencies and a number of seminary officials, offerings of and enrollment in distance-learning courses is up at divinity schools across the country.
Recently, a Harvard University professor offered a non-credit course on the letters of Paul that drew 22,000 students from around the world, proving to some that the future of education-- including theological-- is on the web.
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The entire article can be read here.
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