Quote:
Originally Posted by micah6v8
Do note that the website goes on to say "The Full-time Training is neither a theological seminary nor a divinity school but a place where young Christians come to pursue Christ and learn to live Him in a normal, daily way."
There is a saying, "The bible is not for information but for transformation". I think that is the argument the LSM-ers are putting forth:- That seminaries are too academic and do not necessarily improve one's relationship with God.
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Even if seminaries and Bible schools lack this experiential aspect, it's still their mandate. Whether and how much they accomplish it is a different argument. I bet you could look at the statements put out by all the seminaries and Bible institutes, and most would include some variant of the FTT New Zealand statement, above, or Watchman Nee's original statement in the first post.
"We serve to equip young people with the truth, and to be constituted with the life of Christ such that they serve Him in their churches and neighborhoods." etc etc. Transformation of human lives is part and parcel of the process. And if you look around (I doubt the LC has; they specialize in not looking around) most of the schools make this explicit in their mission statements.
The only difference between the "training" of the LC and the seminaries and Bible institutes is that the first is affiliated with Witness Lee's teachings, and the others are not. Other than that, minimal difference. Sorry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
But the FTT is not academic enough. It survives on ignoring what the Bible actually says and instead substituting what they think improves their relationship with God. Things like speaking in religious clichés. Pumping fists.
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And they do try to be scholarly, today: I read one of the latest A & C position papers and it would qualify as an undergraduate-level paper, but certainly not graduate level. Nobody is going to take their supposed scholarship seriously. Just more merchandise to wave in front of the faithful remnant. They're so out of touch they don't even know what scholarly looks like; they're probably 80 years behind the times. Or more. Only an ignorant person, or the die-hard LC faithful, will actually receive what they put out, as if it were valid.