The quality of seminary education we provide to the few is directly linked to the quality of covenant education we provide to the many. When the level of understanding is high among the people, there is less concern for where a man is educated than how well he is educated. As the level of covenant knowledge among God s people rises it may indeed turn out that intensive, seminary-like training even away from home and local church is justified. But such an institution could only survive with a proven product, that is, if its graduates show in real life that their time away has resulted in their getting the goods. Otherwise, the people would not hire them.
Seminaries get away with covenant murder today because the people are willing victims.
But the turn-around will not begin with the seminaries, and that is the point we wish here to make. The turn-around begins in Grade One. The solution to the problem of low quality clergy begins, not at the door of the seminary but at the door of the first grade. So long as we wink at people sending their covenant offspring to pagan schools, our seminaries cannot be expected to do anything except turn out pragmatists career boys instead of ministers for that is what the people will demand. And that is what they will deserve.