Last spring, I had the pleasure of touring the UK on what felt like a once-in-a-lifetime trip. I spent most of my time in London, but visited Oxford for a day. The city’s quaintness, beauty, and stunning architecture immediately charmed me. As I roamed its cobbled streets and passed antique buildings, I understood why it’s nicknamed “The City of Dreaming Spires.”
Oxford’s beauty also lies in its deep history. It’s home to the prestigious Oxford University, the oldest English-speaking university in the world. I toured several of its colleges, including the Divinity School and the colleges where William Tyndale and C.S. Lewis taught. The Christian heritage visible on campus surprised me, especially in the colleges’ names. Later, I learned that Oxford—like many European universities—was initially founded to teach and promote Christian theology. The University’s motto is Dominus illuminatio, which means “The Lord is my light” in Latin.
In the Middle Ages, theology was considered the “queen of sciences”. It was the foundational discipline, and other sciences played supporting roles. This theological heritage isn’t unique to European universities. Some of America’s oldest and most illustrious universities, such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, were also founded to train Christians.
But sadly, today, theology has lost its prestige in many of these institutions. Though still offered, it’s no longer regarded as the queen of sciences but merely one subject among many, sometimes even inferior. These once-great centers of theological education are now most prized for their secular programs. As a result, many Christians seeking a conservative, advanced theological education turn instead to modern seminaries or Christian universities.
Yet despite its diminished status in the academic world, for believers everywhere, theology remains the queen of sciences. The knowledge of God is the highest and best pursuit any person can take, for through it we come to see and understand everything else.
And I am excited to share that this fall, I will begin studying the queen of sciences in seminary!
Why Seminary?
Since becoming a Christian, I have longed to attend seminary and study theology more deeply. But for years, I couldn’t see how it would fit into my life, so I placed it on my “maybe one day” list. In the meantime, I satisfied my thirst for knowledge through books, in-depth Bible studies, and online courses. This blog has been a helpful outlet for me to process and share what I have been learning.
Yet the desire never went away. It grew until it became a persistent thought I couldn’t shake. After months of praying, searching Scripture, seeking counsel, and more praying, I became convinced that enrolling in seminary was the right path. Here are three main reasons why I am going.
First, I want to go deeper into the Bible. I want to learn original languages, explore church history, research biblical topics, and grow in my knowledge of God. I know I can get these without a seminary degree. However, I also desire the challenge and accountability of a school environment, as well as the opportunity to meet like-minded believers.
Second, I want to be equipped for ministry. I’ve shared before about my struggle with unemployment and how it took me ten years to find a job with my engineering degree. During that season, I discovered a new passion and purpose, and no longer aspire to work in engineering. Instead, I want to pursue vocational ministry, particularly in teaching. Though I’m still discerning the specifics, I know seminary will prepare me for whatever ministry God calls me to.
Lastly, I want to grow as a writer. I love writing—especially about God. Whatever I do vocationally, I know I want to keep sharing words of faith, hope, and love to encourage and edify fellow sojourners. I believe seminary will help me grow into a stronger theological writer.
A Note on Women and Seminary
Since deciding to join a seminary, a week hasn’t gone by without encountering arguments against women attending seminary. The reasoning is usually that since seminaries train pastors, and women cannot be pastors, women should not go.
I fully agree that women are not called to be pastors or preachers. Scripture affirms this role for men alone, and I have no desire to go against God’s Word. I am pursuing an MA in Religion and will use it only in ways Scripture allows. My seminary has the same convictions and requires female applicants to pledge not to use their training to teach men—a statement I gladly signed.
That said, I disagree that women should not attend seminaries because they cannot be pastors. Seminaries traditionally trained ministers, but many now provide a broader range of degrees. Women now have the option to pursue degrees other than the MDiv and use them faithfully without preaching or pastoring.
Some also argue that women’s presence alters the classroom dynamics and discussions to the detriment of men. I empathize with this concern. We have seen how harmful it can be when men intrude on women’s spaces, and I don’t want to do the same. But as far as I know, there are no female-only seminaries. Meanwhile, there are many institutions still dedicated solely to training pastors and that only admit men. Those who prefer such an environment are free to pursue their studies there. Furthermore, as an MA student, I won’t be taking all the same courses as MDiv students, some of which remain men-only.
All this is to say: I am not a feminist or egalitarian seeking roles forbidden by Scripture. Nor am I trying to intrude on men’s space. I am just a Christian woman who loves the Lord, loves learning, and wants to bring these two passions together.
What This Means for the Blog
When I started this blog in 2019, I was unemployed and wrote regularly. But once I began working full-time a few years ago, my consistency declined. Now that I’m adding seminary to my schedule, my time will be even more limited. However, I plan to keep blogging, though at a slower pace—perhaps once or twice a month, depending on my workload. The monthly newsletter will continue, where I will share more details and reflections about my journey.
I am excited to begin classes in a few days and look forward to sharing what I’m learning in seminary. I pray God will use this experience to sharpen my mind and deepen my love for Him as I pursue a deeper understanding of Him.
Grace and peace to you!
