Well, it's been quite a while since I posted here. The short form is that I ended up being rejected from the seminary of my choice -- for "Academic Reasons." Well, the academic reasons are related to the three years I sloughed off school, getting more or less "straight F's" as I tried to figure out who the heck I am. One would think that the past three years during which I have gotten straight A's, combined with the fact that it has been seven years since I got anything but an "A", would be more significant. But, apparently not. I called the admissions director, and apparently this school has had an exceptional number of applicants this year, no doubt due to the poor economy, and this was the major reason I failed to make the cut.

This strikes me as an example of the church failing to conduct itself in a church-like manner. I would argue that there is a moral principle to the effect "the people of God should never allow anyone to get in a hole so deep they can't get out." However, as much as I disagree with it, I guess I have to accept it as a "God thing." I had prayed that, if it were not God's will for me to go to this school, I would not get in. Nevertheless, I was pretty devastated - I had spent the past five years of my life working my butt off, and this was a pretty substantial rejection.

Since all this took place, I have been trying to figure out why. That's been going on for six weeks now, since I got the rejection letter. Last night, as I was half asleep, I think God told me. I had chosen this school because they seemed to be very compatible with where I am going theologically. However, God seemed to say, "you have nothing to teach them." That is, what I know -- my contribution to the discourse of a school -- is something they already know. What's weird, of course, is that I would think I was going to seminary to learn, not to teach. Maybe the truth is that a seminary, like any community of faith, is a place where everyone should be a teacher. For those who think this sounds sophomoric or egotistical, all I can say is "God told me. Wanna fight about it?"