"We must urge the seminaries . . . to teach the Standards as the ground and obvious organizing principle of its theological curriculum."Conversations began nearly a decade ago when Dr. Ligon Duncan was appointed the fifth chancellor of RTS in 2013. His hope was that his tenure would be marked by a renewal of the confessional commitment that lay at the very heart of the school’s mission since its founding. Dr. Duncan’s concern was not that RTS had become a-confessional, much less anti-confessional. Instead, his vision was a reminder that where confessions are institutionally assumed, they can too easily become forgotten. Two years later, he led an effort to unify the MDiv curricula across the RTS campuses. At the time, the institution’s curricula were about 90% identical; but differences were emerging between campuses that threatened to create a sense that RTS was a loose confederation of several independent schools. Dr. Duncan’s call was for one seminary with eight campuses, aiming at unity but not uniformity. At the same time, RTS was aware of an increasing number of voices in the churches it served who lamented the loss of the confessions in their denominations. Many directed their concerns to the seminaries that were failing to teach the confessions, especially the Westminster Standards, in their curriculum. In the words of one concerned pastor, Dr. David Strain of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi:
We must urge the seminaries . . . to teach the Standards as the ground and obvious organizing principle of its theological curriculum and not just as a minor elective survey course along the way. We want candidates for gospel ministry who know the Standards, who love the Standards, and who will joyfully, vigorously, and faithfully defend and promote the teaching of the Standards as the system of doctrine taught in Holy Scripture.
Dr. Duncan’s vision led the institution to identify the Westminster Standards as its Quality Enhancement Plan topic earlier in 2022. (See sidebar on “What is a QEP?”) RTS’ initiative to reinforce its confessional fidelity was not addressing a new problem for Presbyterian churches. Well over a century ago, Professor B. B. Warfield of Princeton Seminary, perceiving confusion in the Presbyterian Church in his day, wrote an insightful article entitled“The Presbyterian Churches and the Westminster Confession of Faith.” Warfield’s purpose was to remind readers of the vital functions the standards play in Reformed churches. He identified three. First, and most obviously, they are tests. After seminary, ministerial candidates are obliged to demonstrate their familiarity with the Westminster Standards in their ordination examinations. In this sense, RTS is teaching the standards thoroughly and has a good record of success in students passing ordination exams. But what happens after ordination? Warfield goes on: Second, confessions are also texts. They are weighty resources that belong in the pastor’s study next to Calvin and Bavinck and others, to be consulted often. But even here, they hold a certain pride of place. Confessions are not merely the wisdom of great minds of the church. They are the voice of the church itself speaking. Students need to understand the authoritative and constitutional role of the standards in the churches they seek to serve.The Westminster Confession and Catechisms should shape these servants of the Word throughout their lifelong vocation.Thirdly, Warfield notes that confessions are testimonies before God and others. Before God, confessions shape the worship and liturgy of the church. Before others, they comprise what Paul called the “pattern of sound words”: They are tools of discipleship in the church and words of its witness to the world. Tests, texts, and testimonies: We believe that Warfield was right in urging students to master the Westminster Standards’ importance for the church in each of these three functions. Together, they will yield a positive confessionalism that will provide clarity and unite the church’s witness. Confessionalism today is often misunderstood both by its defenders and its critics. At RTS, we are eager to commend the Westminster Standards, especially as a unifying tool for the church, an antidote to the threat of Reformed tribalism, and as a clear voice in an age of post-Christendom. We might even do Warfield one better and add a fourth: The Standards are also a target. Catechesis doesn’t end when students pass the seminary’s catechism exam. Confessional formation is not complete when students earn their MDiv degree. Rather, the Westminster Confession and Catechisms should shape these servants of the Word throughout their lifelong vocation. And so, we hope that the RTS MDiv program will begin the calling to “reach the standards” in pastoral ministry.