Kerux: a portfolio of Calvin Theological Seminary - Volume 42.3 - 17 Oct 2007

Are We For the Professors?

by Anne Zaki, Guest Writer

Before coming to CTS, between kindergarten and graduate school, I spent nearly 22 years of my life in educational institutions of some sort. Some were Christian, others Muslim; some were private, others international. Yet during all those years never once did I hear this phrase: “This professor is for the students.” I think that we can all understand that phrase to mean that such a professor wants their students to do well, in and out of class. It means that such a professor cares for their students and desires to see them grow and mature. It means that such a professor will do whatever it takes to ensure the success and effectiveness of their students during their seminary training and in the years to come. Such a professor is truly for the students.

This little phrase led me to ask the complementary question “Are we, the students, for the professors?” Do we genuinely care for our professors and deeply desire their well-being, in and out of class?

We too rarely think about the fact that most of our professors were pastors in congregations here or overseas before coming to teach at the seminary. When we stop to think about the life they left behind, we’ll realize that seminary must, at times, be a very lonely place for our professors. I know that we talk a lot in our classes about the difficulties and challenges that await us out in the real world of ministry. But let’s also keep in perspective the many wonderful ways congregations offer their pastors love and support, things we have to look forward to and that our professors sorely miss. Things like…

Being invited into someone’s life and looked to for guidance;

Hearing words of appreciation for a good sermon or pastoral visit;

Homes opened up to offer hospitality and rest;

Hopes and prayers for us to do well in every area of ministry, even if it’s for the selfish ambition of showing them off as “their pastors” to their visiting friends and neighbors; Receiving “Get Well” cards when we are sick, or “Well Done!” when our child achieves, or “We’re Praying” when we seem tired and overworked.

Such loving and thoughtful congregations are real, and they are waiting for us out there. Those congregations were real for our professors, but when they signed their contract at CTS those congregations were not replaced by the students. Seminary can be a very lonely place for our professors.

The question now is whether we can be that kind of congregation for our professors. Can we care deeply about them and selflessly desire that they do well, whether we benefit from it or not? Can we be sensitive to what’s going on in their personal lives, sharing their joys and struggles?

Congregations are good at making the connection between the well-being and effectiveness of their pastor and the well-being and effectiveness of their church and its ministries. Can we make a similar connection between the well-being and effectiveness of our professors and that of the seminary and its ministry? As far as I know, nowhere in the student handbook does it say that it is inappropriate for students to care for their professors through caring notes during life’s rough patches, or appreciative emails after a good lecture, or even by inviting them over for a meal. I know that some of you are already uncomfortable simply reading these suggestions, but please let me remind you once again that our professors are also pastors sharing in the pastoral ministries of this seminary community/congregation, and a healthy congregation should be perfectly comfortable doing such things for its pastors!

But even for those of you who don’t really want that kind of relationship with your professors, or assume that your professors are not interested in such a relationship anyway, you are still not off the hook. The seminary has actually come up with a wonderful (and comfortable) way to encourage students to be for the professors: “Evaluation Forms.” I am a firm believer in filling out those forms, not just by marking the tiny circles indicating the “grade” you give to the professor, but by actually taking the time to put down a few thoughtful words of gratitude for what went well and a careful analysis of areas for improvement. So next time that email comes around from Professor DeMoor urging us to fill out more evaluation forms, please show the professors that you are for them by taking the time to do it. Meanwhile, I urge you to be creative in helping them fulfill their calling to be pastors by being a caring congregation.