This last point is most poignantly seen in Jesus declaring that Mary had chosen “the good portion” of listening to his teaching as she sat at his feet (the common posture of a disciple, Luke 10:38-42) as well as his engagement in a theological conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4. 28, Luke 24, John 20), and engaged with him in matters of theology. As evidenced by reading all four gospel accounts, women followed Jesus, supported his ministry (Luke 8), played a key role in proclaiming the good news of his resurrection (Matt. It was into this culture that Jesus entered, radically working against these presuppositions as he invited not only men to follow him, but women as well. Carson, rabbis even taught that to talk with a woman was “at best a waste of time and at worst a diversion from the study of the Torah, and therefore potentially a great evil that could lead to Gehenna, hell.” They were not usually given the opportunity to study the Torah, and many believed that it was obscene to teach women Scripture. This belief is not unlike attitudes in the first century AD when women were restricted from and even denied access to religious spaces. There’s a common attitude that this work is reserved for men.
However, in spite of all these valid realities, I believe all Christian women should consider seminary because it provides fertile soil to cultivate their minds, which leads to igniting their hearts in worship and propelling them forward in mission.Ĭultivation of the mind and the “deep theology work” of seminary can often be intimidating to women.
This belief is reinforced by the demands placed on women in various life stages, the finances required, and the rigors of academia requiring intense amounts of time and work-not to mention that a seminary education does not always open career doors for women.
Questions would immediately go off in my head: Am I supposed to be here? Why aren’t there any other women? While there are numerous reasons why women are less likely than men to enroll in seminary, oftentimes a common denominator is women believing that seminary is not necessary. I experienced this first-hand walking into several seminary classrooms where I was the only woman present. Statistics reveal the undeniable reality that men far outnumber women in seminary enrollment.