The #Remaking of Theological Education

[Reimagine Curator]

The Remaking of Theological Education

Guest-Post by Ed Stetzer

{with thanks to Church Leaders}

 

April 8, 2025

 

The news of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School’s plan to leave Chicagoland and to merge with Trinity Western University in Canada marks a watershed moment in theological education. It would be difficult to overstate the significance of this move, for many TEDS has been a symbol of evangelical identity and theology for generations. 

At its core, this shift reflects the reality that theological education is in a moment of seismic change. More accurately, in many cases this change is simply outright decline. As I noted in a recent article on the Association of Theological Schools report, many larger theological educational institutions have declined substantially. Beyond Trinity, other historic institutions central to the neo-evangelical movement are struggling. 

 

This degree of uncertainty should be a call to reconsider the nature and mechanisms of theological education. As old strategies struggle and sometimes fail, I want to offer a few thoughts church, ministry, and educational leaders should weigh as we look to remaking of theological education in the 21st century. 

1. Shifting Modalities of Theological Education   

 

Seminaries need to be faithful and fruitful, being just one is not enough. A loss of biblical faithfulness is tragic, historically frequent, and almost always leads to decline. Yet we cannot escape the reality that fruitfulness matters, and it can be seemingly impossible in times of disruption.

It should be concerning that simply remaining orthodox has not proven enough for schools to flourish. These schools thrived with models of theological education that made sense at the time. But over time, as culture has shifted, these models have made increasingly less sense. 

 

For example, where extension campuses once were common for larger schools, the internet democratized and decentralized education making locations less important. Now expensive to maintain with diminishing interest, extension campuses have closed across the country. 

Other institutions proved adept at playing the role of disruptor, such as Liberty University, which, as I mentioned in my recent article, houses the largest theological seminary in the world. While almost all theological schools now offer online theological education (as with Talbot, you can do almost all of our degrees fully online), schools like Liberty and Grand Canyon University created nimble systems that were easy to engage. 

Today, after the disruption, almost all seminaries offer robust online degrees. For Talbot (and others), the question is about the type of online education we want to offer. There is a something of a “race to the bottom” happening in education—who will make online the cheapest and most accessible. While I understand the impulse, we’ve chosen not to join that race. Instead, we will offer a world-class education whether it is in person, through modular classes, or online—not handing off our students to whoever can moderate an online forum, but offering high-quality interaction through each modality.

2. Changing Practices Lead to Changes at Seminaries 

Second, changing church practices overwhelmed many theological institutions. In previous generations, churches and denominations expected to send off future pastors to seminary for three years to earn a required Master of Divinity degree. Such requirements are rare today—and we can see the impact of this change on campuses and programs.  

 

Seminaries have experienced a massive shift, as most students are now online and schools are adjusting—including their facility usage. For example, Fuller’s recent master plan reveals a process of selling a large portion of property, the majority of their campus. 

During the pandemic, Portland Seminary went completely online, and—as part of George Fox University—their space could be transitioned to university use. Or consider several SBC seminaries—some of which publicly insisted they would never offer online classes, but now heavily advertise that they do—that now have undergraduate institutions which fill otherwise underused spaces.

In addition, some schools like Dallas Seminary and Asbury Seminary have maintained a robust on-campus presence, but also launched online (or hybrid) programs. At Talbot, we’ve observed a robust interest in both online and residential theological education, and are now launching more hybrid modular programs. (I was surprised to learn how many students were residential at Talbot, which is probably driven by the draw of our faculty and our location near a world-class city like Los Angeles.)

3. Churches Have Trained Their Own Staff

One of the largest trends that has impacted seminaries is churches moving away from requiring theological education. Many churches have been providing the training they need in house. While in-house training offers practical ministry skills, and many churches over the last few decades adopted a “do it at home” mentality, the complexity of the world—and the questions people are asking—is causing some to reconsider that approach. And, honestly, many less-theologically oriented churches have now seen that church-based training often provided great practical skills, but it did not provide the comprehensive biblical and theological foundations that an intentional theological education experience provides. 

Transparently, we believe that in today’s complex cultural and philosophical landscape, a robust theological education is more essential than ever. However, seminaries have learned that we can’t do that alone—we need to be closer to the church, just as the church needs to be closer to the seminary. 

Seminaries experiencing growth are therefore collaborating closely with local churches. At Talbot, we’re launching regional cohorts in cities like Seattle, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, and other locations to be announced, embedding theological education within local church contexts. To do so, we will not build campuses in those places, but create cohorts (in partnership with churches) using hybrid classes so that students come for modular classes with peers, and continue the work online. 

This strategy fosters community and contextual learning, equipping students to address contemporary challenges effectively.

 

Looking Ahead: Collaboration for a Sustainable Future

The future of theological education is at a crossroads. Institutions like TEDS merging with TWU, program closures at many schools, and declining enrollments signal a pressing need for seminaries and churches to collaborate intentionally. By valuing and integrating theological education within the life of the church, we can ensure the preparation of well-equipped leaders for the challenges ahead.

 

Furthermore, this is also connected to orthodoxy. Seminaries that thrive will have close connections to churches—and churches are looking for seminaries they can trust. Theological education may need to adapt in format and medium of delivery, but it must not drift from being Jesus-centered and biblically rooted, with an unchanging urgency to proclaim the gospel to the whole world.

We need the church leaders of tomorrow to be theologically rooted and culturally nimble— men and women who can think theologically and lead missionally in rapidly changing cultures. As seminaries, we need to embody this beautiful blend of unflinching conviction and agile innovation. 

At Talbot, we are committed to praying for (and believing in) our sister institutions during these transitions—we want them to be faithful and fruitful. So, our prayers and support are with TEDS and TWU as they navigate this new chapter. 

Simultaneously, this defining moment invites all stakeholders in theological education to reflect, adapt, and work together toward a vibrant and sustainable future.

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