Constitution of the Theological School of the Protestant Reformed Churches

Transcription

1 Cnstitutin f the Thelgical Schl f the Prtestant Refrmed Churches 1. The Thelgical Schl f the Prtestant Refrmed Churches has fr its purpse the training f future ministers f the Wrd fr the afresaid churches. The Thelgical Schl will als train thers fr the ministry wh intend t serve in ther churches. These latter shall, hwever, meet the academic requirements f Article 10. Special r unclassified (nn-diplma) students intending t enter the ministry in ther churches may be admitted by the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee with the apprval f synd. 2. The supervisin and administratin f the institutin belngs t synd itself. Hwever, synd shall appint a cmmittee cnsisting f n fewer than ten members t d the wrk f synd in the interim between syndical meetings. 3. At this institutin, the fllwing branches f study shall be taught: the basic scriptural languages, Hebrew and Greek, and such ther languages as synd may decide upn; Hermeneutics, Exegesis, Isaggics, Sacred Histry, Typlgy, Church Histry, Church Plity, Histry f Dgma, Dgmatics, Cncepts, Hmiletics, Catechetics, Pimenics, and ther subjects which may be agreed upn by faculty and synd. 4. The prfessrs are appinted n salaries determined by the synd and fr definite departments. The rule shall be t appint nly such men wh have especially prepared themselves fr the particular branch r branches they are t teach. With a view t rderly transitin in the seminary, a new prfessr shall be appinted when any f the active prfessrs reaches the age f Whenever a prfessr is t be appinted, the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee shall prpse names at the meeting f the synd. The aggregate shall be discussed at this meeting, and in this discussin the advice f the thelgical faculty shall be sught. After this discussin and cnsultatin, the synd shall prceed t make a nminatin frm the aggregate. Frm this nminatin synd elects a prfessr. In electing prfessrs, synd shall give preference t ne already a minister f the gspel. 6. The installatin f prfessrs f thelgy shall take place accrding t the frm, after they shall have signed the Frmula f Subscriptin in the presence f the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee. 7. A prfessr shall serve fur years, and after that three years if reappinted. If after this he be reappinted, such appintment shall be permanent. Thereafter his services at schl can be terminated nly thrugh the synd frmally retiring, expelling, r depsing him and fr reasn urgent, cgent, and legitimate. When a prfessr reaches the age f 65, and n a yearly basis thereafter, the prfessr shall be cnsulted by the Thelgical Schl

2 Cmmittee abut his capability t cntinue teaching r pssible emeritatin. Whether a prfessr shall cntinue t teach all r sme f his subjects after the age f 65 shall be decided by the synd n a yearly basis, upn the recmmendatin f the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee. A prfessr shall retire when he reaches 70 years f age and shall be declared emeritus. 1. The fllwing criteria shall be used t judge the cmpetence and develpment f a prfessr when he is up fr reappintment: 1. He shall demnstrate in all his wrk a cntinuing cmmitment t the truth f Scripture, as summarized in the Refrmed creeds and as taught in ur churches. 2. He shall give evidence f the ability t teach, being fresh and lively. 3. He shall shw the ability t d thelgical research and schlarly study in his department. 4. He shall be a gdly example t the students and denminatin. 5. He shall exhibit a willingness t cntribute t the well-being f the denminatin in the areas f preaching, writing, lecturing, serving n standing r special cmmittees f synd. 6. He shall, befre his first reappinment, have cmpleted and received apprval f his Master s Thesis. 2. The prcess: The TSC shall present t synd a recmmendatin cncerning reappintment. 1. The TSC must exercise careful versight f the prfessr s instructin and f his wrk in light f the criteria given abve. 2. The judgment f the faculty cncerning the man s wrk shall be given t the TSC and becme a part f their recmmendatin. 8. Prfessrs emeriti wh are hnrably retired and wh had received an appintment are qualified t receive supprt frm the churches, since they, just as the ministers, devted all their gifts and talents entirely and exclusively t the service f the churches. Arrangements fr retirement shall be in charge f the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee, subject t final determinatin by synd. All supprt f emeriti prfessrs shall be directly frm the Emeritus Fund. If retirement prves necessary by reasn f sickness r ther disability during the schl year, the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee shall temprarily determine the amunt f supprt t be given and shall ntify the Emeritus Cmmittee. The latter shall then authrize payment f the supprt determined upn frm the Emeritus Fund.

3 9. The instructin shall be given by the prfessrs and, if need be, by assistants appinted by the faculty in cnjunctin with the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee with the apprval f synd. In case f emergency the apprval f synd shall be sught at its next meeting. 10. Permissin t pursue the thelgical curse in the seminary shall be granted by the synd, upn recmmendatin f the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee, t such an aspirant nly wh cmes supplied with a letter f recmmendatin frm his cnsistry explaining that he is a member in full cmmunin, sund in faith, upright in walk, and exhibits the qualities and persnality necessary fr a gspel minister. Such recmmendatin ught t cntain the cnsistry s evaluatin f the applicant s spiritual and intellectual gifts, as well as any areas f cncern. The applicant shall als prvide a certificate frm a reputable physician shwing him t be in gd health. A cmplete high schl educatin and a bachelr level degree (B.A. r B.S.) frm an acredited cllege r university are required fr entrance int the seminary. Mrever, each entrant must prduce evidence that he has credit fr the fllwing cllege curses: Latin 4 semesters, intermediate-level prficiency Greek 4 semesters, intermediate-level prficiency English Cmpsitin 2 semesters, ne f which must be beynd the freshman cmpsitin level Philsphy the histry f philsphy: must include ancient, medieval, and mdern Histry a minimum f 2 semesters f histry f western civilizatin Psychlgy 1 semester: Intrductry Psychlgy Speech 1 semester: public speaking Lgic 1 semester A B- cumulative average shall be required fr entrance int the seminary department. If such average is nt maintained, a student may be received n prbatin by cnsent f the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee in cnjunctin with the faculty. The student shall furnish the faculty with a transcript f credits earned at ther clleges, and these shall be included in the academic recrd f the student and in the annual reprt f the grades t synd. 11. Prmtin t a higher grade shall take place after the student has successfully passed his curses.

4 Mrever, it is required f every seminary student that he maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative average in each f the fur majr divisins, viz., Biblical- Exegetical Studies, Dgmatical Studies, Church-Histrical Studies, and Practical-Thelgical Studies. In additin, a minimum GPA f 2.0 fr the tw and a half years f Practice Preaching (ten sermns) and a minimum f 2.5 fr the last year and a half f Practice Preaching (six sermns) are required. The diplma pre-licentiate student will nt be allwed t enter the internship prgram unless he has a minimum GPA f 2.5 in Practice Preaching fr the year previus t the internship (fur sermns, rdinarily during the third year). A student shall be frbidden t take a final examinatin befre synd having less than a 2.5 cumulative average. The final examinatin befre synd f the student having a failing grade in any branch shall be frbidden. Arrangements, hwever, may be made fr a reexaminatin f any student having a failing grade in any branch; but in case a student shuld fail in such reexaminatin, he shall be frbidden t prceed t the next subject until he shall take the curse anew in which he has failed and shall shw a passing grade therein. 12. The examinatins at the end f each semester shall be written. The final examinatins f thse students graduating in thelgy and intending t enter the ministry in the churches shall be ral. The nly exceptin shall be a written examinatin in translatin and exegesis n passages frm the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament assigned by the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee, said examinatins t be submitted t synd fr apprval. There shall be ral examinatins in: Dgmatics, Old Testament Histry, New Testament Histry, Church Histry, Church Plity, and Practica. In additin, each student shall preach a sermn befre the synd n an assigned text. Written examinatins fr thse students intending t enter the ministry in ther churches shall be administered by the faculty and must be successfully passed befre a diplma is granted. 13. The faculty shall license a student t speak a wrd f edificatin in the meetings fr public wrship when it deems him ready. 14. The schl year shall be divided int tw semesters, with the mnths f June, July, and August set apart fr summer vacatin. There shall be a tw-week Christmas vacatin and a ne-week spring vacatin. 15. The student shall cnduct himself in and ut f schl as a Christian. Failing in this, he shall be admnished by the faculty in cnjunctin with the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee. If after these repeated admnitins the student remains bstinate, he shall be expelled frm schl. In case a grss sin has been cmmitted, he shall, with the apprval f the Thelgical Schl Cmmittee, be expelled immediately.

5 16. The student shall pursue the curse f study at the schl with diligence. He shall regularly attend the classes and cnduct himself in accrdance with the rules f this institutin. 17. The cnstitutin, drafted upn the instructin f the Classis f the Prtestant Refrmed Churches, accepted by that f June 1 and 2, 1938, and amended by the Synd f 1941 and the Synd f 1973, remains in frce until anther Synd shall have amended it. (Cf. Acts f Synd, 1941, Art. 68, Suppl. XXVIII; Acts f Synd, 1949, Arts. 31, 38; Acts f Synd, 1957, Arts ; Acts f Synd, 1960, Art. 78, Suppl. XXI; Acts f Synd, 1973, Arts , Suppl. VIII; Acts f Synd, 1983, Art. 41; Acts f Synd, 1985, Art. 40, Suppl. XI; Acts f Synd, 1989, Art. 26, Suppl. XIII; Acts f Synd, 1991, Art. 38; Acts f Synd, 1999, Art.72; Acts f Synd, 2003, Art. 50; Acts f Synd, 2005, Art. 48; Acts f Synd, 2009, Art. 53.)