Whether in the Global South or Global North, recent studies suggest that the enrolment of students in theological schools, colleges, or seminaries is declining. This calls for concern in terms of how theological training is being offered and delivered—and how that might impact their ministry or mission.
The Decline of Student Enrolment
In the Global North, the beginning of the twenty-first century witnessed a sharp decline in student enrolment in theological institutions. According to Anthony T. Ruger and Barbara Wheeler, this decline in student enrolment impacts the financial situation and the “morale of faculty, staff, and students” and also has several wider implications.
For some institutes, it means reduction in faculty positions. As the faculty members are laid off, the finances are then redirected to other needs. For some other institutes, it meant selling property to meet the seminaries’ needs. They hoped that such an initiative would help the institute get back to a better financial state. However, Kirsten Sanders suggests that the decline in student enrolment and the downsizing of seminaries come at “the cost of embodied fellowship.”
This trend is not limited to the Global North. Theological institutes in the Global South are experiencing a similar phenomenon. There is a drastic decrease in the number of students applying for a theological degree (Padro 2016). This phenomenon is not limited to only one university or affiliating body, but the same is happening in other institutes, especially with regular or resident students (Cornelius 2018).
Reasons for Disinterest in Theological Studies
The reasons for such disinterest are many. In the Global North, some of the perceived reasons are: First, it has to do with the increasing secularisation of society (Silliman 2022). There is an apparent increase (44%) in the younger generation – especially Generation Z (those who were born in 1996 or later) – who are not affiliated with any religious tradition.
Second, it relates to the tension between theological institutes and the larger community of faith, i.e., the Church. Theological institutions are unable to maintain “the trust of churches, donors, and prospective seminarians amid polarising arguments over race, gender, abuse, sexuality, and the fraught political choices of the 2010s and 2020s” (Silliman 2022).
Third, it reflects the worsening financial situation of the Church (Shimron 2018). There was a time when churches would sponsor theological students. However, many churches are unable to provide financial support. As theological studies are expensive, individuals are not opting for them. Therefore, many individuals are not opting for them.
Fourth, it has to do with students who are already in ministry. They find it difficult to leave their ministry and go for long-term theological studies.
Some of the above-mentioned challenges share the same concern with the situation in the Global South. Here, some concerns are distinctive to this part of the world. It relates to the socio-economic situation of those who are pursuing theological studies. The living conditions of many Christian workers appear to be presumably alright. However, a closer look at their socio-economic situation would suggest that they are not well-off. Many do not even have the means nor the scope to raise resources for their theological pursuits. And even if they somehow find a way to gather resources, they will find themselves underpaid—with no means of paying back upon graduation. While some people still think that Christian workers should work sacrificially, many people find such thinking unjust, if not exploitative. Consequently, the theological pursuit is not found appealing, i.e., there is only an uphill climb.
Re-imagining Seminary Training in the Global South
If you ask any seminary graduate, they will affirm that some aspects or a large aspect of their theological pursuits are not applicable in their ministry. This reflects a widening gap between the Church and the academy. There is a divide between what is taught and theorised in the seminary and what is preached and practised in the Church. There is an urgent need to reconsider several aspects of the curriculum. The courses need to be taught with sensitivity and awareness of the context of the students.
If you ask any seminary graduate, they will affirm that some aspects or a large aspect of their theological pursuits are not applicable in their ministry. This reflects a widening gap between the Church and the academy. There is a divide between what is taught and theorised in the seminary and what is preached and practised in the Church. There is an urgent need to reconsider several aspects of the curriculum.
The courses need to be taught with sensitivity and awareness of the context of the students.
We were taught how to research and write reflectively. The assumption was that developing technical and critical skills would help us strive and excel in ministry. But we were not taught the way we should approach the affairs of Christian organisations, institutes, trusts, and churches. For instance, most of us could not get into an appropriate workplace or ministry without a reference or recommendation from someone who has gone ahead of us. Some skills and knowledge of networking, fundraising, and relationship-building in the Christian world would also be helpful.
In the same way, many graduates have also realised that some Christian organisations or institutes prefer candidates only if they are affiliated with a certain affiliating body or university. But, good career guidance would also be beneficial.
Most, if not all, theological institutes are confined to the traditional mode of learning, i.e., face-to-face learning in a classroom setting. Many are still reluctant to engage in online or digital learning with the assumption that it does not result in spiritual formation. However, the decline in student enrolment due to the rising cost of theological studies (and other such factors) should encourage policymakers to consider more viable options to offer theological courses. My suggestion is to make use of the advancement of technology and consider how that can help them in the delivery of courses.
Conclusion
The goal of this article is to invite us to consider the reality of theological studies and to look toward constructive options for offering theological courses. This requires not just reworking the curriculum but also reimagining how our courses can be redesigned and delivered.
