Print this articleLetters to the editor
(Re: “Quarter system not worth a dime,” Kerux, Dec. 4, 2006)
I do not concur with your thoughts on the subject. Granted, I’m not in seminary anymore, but it has only been a couple of years since I left and I don’t think things have changed that much!
First, the seminary calendar and our children’s school calendar (Sylvan Christian) lined up very well. We were happy with the way the breaks set up. It worked very well for our family.
Second, the quarter system certainly lightens one’s load in school. If the seminary returned (do some historical studies on this one) to the semester system, students would receive a healthy increase in course and workload. Do the math and you'll see that there will be an increase.
Third, “Merry Christmas” in the pastorate means having to do a Sunday service (two in my case), a Christmas Eve service, and a Christmas day service. Then a week or less later another two on the Sunday and either or both a New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day service.
My thoughts are this: keep the quarter system; it really isn’t that bad. When you get into the real world, you will see that the scheduling adjustments did in fact prepare you for the system out there. Or sit down with a second career student with children and they might give you the heads up on what life is really about.
The seminary has bent over backwards a couple of times to make life “easy” for students. Much of it has been good for the institution and for the students entering seminary.
A semester system would not improve the quality of life that students already have. If the change is to help people participate in the January Series, then you need to figure out your schedule better. I suggest buying a Daytimer and working out your day so that you can fit the lectures in.
Rev. Richard Bodini
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Kerux editor emeritus 2002-2004
(Re: “Stewardship at CTS doesn't extend to the environment,” Kerux, Dec. 4, 2006)
I commend Walter Miedema for considering environmental stewardship issues at Calvin Seminary. Sadly, he is mistaken to praise the seminary's bus discount...since they don't have one. Since November 1, CTS students have not qualified for the fifty cent discount. Mysteriously, CTS students stopped receiving their discount at the same time that free-loading former Calvin College students posing as current students were stopped from sneaking past the system. By offering free parking passes, endless parking spots, no bus discount and a flimsy bike rack, the seminary, in effect, insists that its students drive a car. Of course, providing housing on the least pedestrian/bus/bike-friendly road in West Michigan (28th Street) doesn't help anything either.
I ask that Student Senate consult with Mr. Miedema and others who share his concern in order to think and act more responsibly in this respect.
Sean M Baker, M.Div.
Editor's note: We were unaware that the benefits of the recently-modified Rapid bus policy were no longer extended to Calvin Theological Seminary students. We plan to investigate this issue further.
(Re: “Yearbook statistics leave 13,000 people missing,” Kerux, Dec. 4, 2006)
It should be noted that the term to reflect subtractions is "reversions," not "revisions," as the article's author states. Reversions include baptized members who are removed from the roles, excommunications, membership lapses, etc.
Perhaps one explanation for the growth/decline discrepancy is each church's ability to place members in an "inactive" status. This group includes elderly members confined to long-term care facilities, college students, and people who do not attend, but have done nothing with their membership. Members placed in "inactive" status must be approved by the church's classis. These members are simply dropped from the membership count with no category to handle the +/- movement in overall membership.
The article fails to mention that the membership statistics are used to determine the amount of ministry shares, both classical and denominational, and so councils work very hard to make sure that they are not responsible for ministry shares for members who do not contribute to the ministry. This raises the larger question of why certain members are allowed to linger in this inactive status, without some attempt to either lapse or release their membership. I have seen two dynamics at work to partially explain this. First, sometimes people in inactive status are children of long-time members of the church, and elders are reluctant to lapse those memberships out of respect for their parents (to spare them shame or embarrassment). Second, many churches today (e.g. Mars Hill) don't place an emphasis on membership like the CRC does, and so people start attending these churches and think nothing of their CRC membership because their new church isn't asking for it.
As a math major in my college days, I can assure you that statistical reporting is as much art as it is science.
Drew Sweetman
Immanuel Christian Reformed Church
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Notice to candidates for ministry
Qualifying persons who wish to be candidates in 2007 for ordained CRC ministry should request application procedures by February 2, 2007. For further information, please email Karlene Werner at kaw5@calvinseminary.edu or write her at Calvin Theological Seminary, 3233 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546.