I’m recording a new course for Reformed Theological Seminary, Global Education: The Theology of the Westminster Standards. Here’s the outline:
Class Hour 1 Introduction to Background of the Westminster Assembly
Class Hour 2 A Case for Confessionalism
Class Hour 3 WCF Chapter 1 Scripture
Class Hour 4 WCF Chapter 2 God and the Trinity
Class Hour 5 WCF Chapters 3 & 5 God’s Eternal Decree and Providence
Class Hour 6 WCF Chapter 4 Creation
Class Hour 7 WCF Chapter 6 & 9 Fall and Sin and Free Will
Class Hour 8 WCF Chapter 7 God’s Covenant
Class Hour 9 WCF Chapter 8 Christ the Mediator
Class Hour 10 WCF Chapter 10 Effectual Calling
Class Hour 11 WCF Chapters 11-13 Justification, Sanctification and Adoption
Class Hour 12 WCF Chapters 14-15 Faith and Repentance
Class Hour 13 WCF Chapters 16-18 Good Works, Perseverance and Assurance
Class Hour 14 WCF Chapters 19-20 Law and Christian Liberty
Class Hour 15 WCF Chapter 21 Public Worship and the Christian Sabbath
Class Hour 16 WCF Chapters 22-23 Oaths and Vows, Civil Government
Class Hour 17 WCF Chapter 24 Marriage and Divorce
Class Hour 18 WCF Chapter 25 The Church
Class Hour 19 WCF Chapter 26 Communion of the Saints
Class Hour 20 WCF Chapter 27 Sacraments
Class Hour 21 WCF Chapter 28 Baptism
Class Hour 22 WCF Chapter 29 Lord’s Supper
Class Hour 23 WCF Chapters 30-31 Church Discipline and Government
Class Hour 24 WCF Chapter 32 Last Things (1)
Class Hour 25 WCF Chapters 33 Last Things (2)
Class Hour 26 Conclusion and Assessment
It may interest many of our supporters, and prospective and current students, as well as alumni to know that Reformed Theological Seminary’s newly approved QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan) will focus on the Westminster Standards. A QEP is something that one of our accreditors, SACSCOC (the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools), requires of all its institutions in the process of accreditation. A QEP is a plan to implement and assess a focused set of initiatives designed to improve student learning across an institution.
We chose to focus on making sure that we were doing the very best job possible in equipping RTS students with a working knowledge of the Westminster Standards. Hence, our QEP is called “REACHING OUR STANDARDS: Improving Student Competencies in Using the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms in Pastoral Ministry.” Dr. David Strain of the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS recently said: “We must urge the seminaries … to teach the Standards as the ground and obvious organizing principle of its theological curriculum and not just as a minor elective survey course along the way. We want candidates for gospel ministry who know the Standards, who love the Standards, and who will joyfully, vigorously, and faithfully defend and promote the teaching of the Standards as the system of doctrine taught in Holy Scripture.”
Our RTS QEP initiative aims to do just that, and to accomplish a number of specific things: We want all our graduates to have a commanding knowledge of the Westminster Standards (Confession of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechisms), to understand the role of the subordinate standards in the life and witness of a healthy church, and to be capable in employing the Westminster Standards in the work of pastoral ministry. We will be looking to publish a faculty volume on the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, as well as other resources for pastors, seminarians, laypeople, and churches. I think many of you will be encouraged by this effort.