ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
I am used to rigged meetings, when some issue in a congregation is being managed by the denomination. It is so obvious that the agenda was already established so there is no real discussion and there are many ways to avoid the issues or distort them. The LCA, WELS, LCMS, and CLC (sic) were alike.
Kamala Harris did not cackle or fall into her strange, empty phrases and hand gestures. Instead, she used the whiny voice of someone constantly declaring - but actually faking - the most horrible crimes.
One hour was more than enough, but it went on. The female journalist at the debate was definitely on Kamala's side, but not as strident and prosecutorial as the guy. I do not watch TV news, so I did not know either one. The guy always attacked Trump to straighten the President out. The journalists (plural) never pounced on Harris.
Harris used a large number of false accusations, previously exposed in the press, many different times. While abhorring personal attacks, Harris used them 100%. Her approach was vicious and quite ridiculous.
Southern Baptists have more students but mostly declining Mainline Protestant seminaries have more money, according to data collected by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS).
Seminaries affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) continue to hold the most long-term investments, just short of $2.4 billion total across nine seminaries. Remove Princeton Theological Seminary’s endowment ($1.358 billion, more than four times higher than its closest peer, the United Methodist affiliated Candler School of Theology, with $315.8 million), and the number shrinks to just over $1 billion.
Those seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, however, easily post the highest number of students, with 7,147 (FTE) enrolled in 2023-24, nearly seven times the number at PCUSA schools (the total combined FTE enrollment at PCUSA schools was 1,043 the same year). Southern Baptist institutions hold six of the top 10 spots on the list of schools with the most students enrolled based upon full-time equivalent ranking (e.g. two halftime students equal one FTE). This is despite those six schools having total long term investments of only $483.4 million, about one-fifth the investments of the PCUSA schools.
For more information, see the charts below.
The Association of Theological Schools collects data on investments held for long-term purposes in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board. The phrase “LTI” replaces “Endowment” in earlier editions of the ATS Fact Book. I’ve also calculated the total number of long-term investments held divided by the number of FTE students.
Another tidbit of interest: the disparity between student enrollment and long-term investment is perhaps most sharply seen at United Methodist affiliated United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. United has the smallest endowment of its peer group at $9 million. But, the school has the second-largest FTE enrollment of any UMC affiliated school (515, just behind Duke Divinity School’s 570).
Mainline Denominational abbreviations
PCUSA = Presbyterian Church (USA) UMC = United Methodist Church EPISC = Episcopal Church DISCPL = Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) ELCA = Evangelical Lutheran Church in America UCC = United Church of Christ ABCUSA = American Baptist Churches
Mainline Protestant Seminaries
Denomination
LTI$ (millions)
Enrollment (FTE)
Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Princeton Theological Seminary
PCUSA
1358.2
276
$4.92
Candler School of Theology of Emory University
UMC
315.8
412
$0.77
Columbia Theological Seminary
PCUSA
268.8
140
$1.92
Duke University Divinity School
UMC
267
570
$0.47
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
PCUSA
236.1
90
$2.62
Perkins School of Theology Southern Methodist University
UMC
231.2
145
$1.59
Virginia Theological Seminary
EPISC
182.2
152
$1.20
Union Presbyterian Seminary
PCUSA
171.4
155
$1.11
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
PCUSA
165
91
$1.81
Christian Theological Seminary
DISCPL
155.7
98
$1.59
Phillips Theological Seminary
DISCPL
134.2
46
$2.92
Luther Seminary
ELCA
123.8
183
$0.68
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
UMC
118.3
190
$0.62
United Lutheran Seminary
ELCA
113.6
161
$0.71
Boston University School of Theology
UMC
107.4
255
$0.42
Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University
DISCPL
103.1
64
$1.61
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
PCUSA
86.5
100
$0.87
McCormick Theological Seminary
PCUSA
80
45
$1.78
University of the South School of Theology
EPISC
59.9
103
$0.58
Wesley Theological Seminary
UMC
56.8
302
$0.19
Methodist Theological School in Ohio
UMC
53.4
86
$0.62
Lexington Theological Seminary
DISCPL
49.4
29
$1.70
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
ELCA
48.5
58
$0.84
Seminary of the Southwest
EPISC
40.7
92
$0.44
Iliff School of Theology
UMC
39.3
132
$0.30
Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary of Lenoir-Rhyne University
ELCA
37.8
41
$0.92
Drew University Theological School
UMC
37.7
304
$0.12
Wartburg Theological Seminary
ELCA
37.3
146
$0.26
Saint Paul School of Theology
UMC
34.8
66
$0.53
San Francisco Theological Seminary
PCUSA
34.1
65
$0.52
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Lutheran University
ELCA
34
49
$0.69
General Theological Seminary
EPISC
33.9
22
$1.54
Church Divinity School of the Pacific
EPISC
28.7
28
$1.03
Eden Theological Seminary
UCC
26.3
66
$0.40
Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
ABCUSA
19.3
41
$0.47
University of Dubuque Theological Seminary
PCUSA
17.1
81
$0.21
Chicago Theological Seminary
UCC
16.6
128
$0.13
Claremont School of Theology
UMC
16.4
96
$0.17
Lancaster Theological Seminary
UCC
16.4
42
$0.39
Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University
ABCUSA
16.2
110
$0.15
Northern Baptist Theological Seminary
ABCUSA
11.2
79
$0.14
Berkeley School of Theology (CA)
ABCUSA
9.1
85
$0.11
Bexley Hall Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
EPISC
9
34
$0.26
Nashotah House
EPISC
9
76
$0.12
United Theological Seminary
UMC
9
515
$0.02
United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
UCC
9
130
$0.07
Central Baptist Theological Seminary
ABCUSA
0.1
262
$0.00
Berkeley Divinity School (Yale)
EPISC
0
0
Southern Baptist Seminaries
Denomination
LTI$ (millions)
Enrollment (FTE)
Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
SBC
162.1
1,041
$0.16
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
SBC
107
1,866
$0.06
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
SBC
75.2
871
$0.09
Gateway Seminary
SBC
59.4
782
$0.08
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
SBC
48.7
1,085
$0.04
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
SBC
31
1,502
$0.02
United Methodist Seminaries
Denomination
LTI$ (millions)
Enrollment (FTE)
Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Candler School of Theology of Emory University
UMC
315.8
412
$0.77
Duke University Divinity School
UMC
267
570
$0.47
Perkins School of Theology Southern Methodist University
UMC
231.2
145
$1.59
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
UMC
118.3
190
$0.62
Boston University School of Theology
UMC
107.4
255
$0.42
Wesley Theological Seminary
UMC
56.8
302
$0.19
Methodist Theological School in Ohio
UMC
53.4
86
$0.62
Iliff School of Theology
UMC
39.3
132
$0.30
Drew University Theological School
UMC
37.7
304
$0.12
Saint Paul School of Theology
UMC
34.8
66
$0.53
Claremont School of Theology
UMC
16.4
96
$0.17
United Theological Seminary
UMC
9
515
$0.02
Anglican / Episcopal Seminaries
Denomination
LTI$ (millions)
Enrollment (FTE)
Investment-per-student ratio ($MIL)
Virginia Theological Seminary
EPISC
182.2
152
$1.20
University of the South School of Theology (Sewanee)
31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. (esophagus)
32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. (food)
33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his own word;
42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.
5. If I only kept in mind that he gave me eyes, truly a very great treasure, it would be no wonder if shame caused my death, because of my ingratitude in that I never yet thanked him for the blessing of sight. But we do not see his noble treasures and gifts; they are too common. But when a blind babe happens to be born, then we see what a painful thing the lack of sight is, and what a precious thing even one eye is, and what a divine blessing a healthy, bright countenance is: it serves us during our whole life, and without it one would rather be dead; and yet no one thanks God for it. Examine the entire body, and you will everywhere see traces of God’s grace and goodness. Hence Psalm 33: says: “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” He had pure eyes and could see far, that the whole world was full of the goodness and loving-kindness of God. From whom, however, has this goodness come? Have we deserved it? No, but it pleased God to cast his gifts thus promiscuously into the world, which the unthankful receive almost as freely as the thankful. We are grieved when we are obliged to throw away one or two dollars, or less, or even to give them to the poor; how much does God daily cast away of his goods into the world and no one thanks him for anything? Yes, who even acknowledges their receipt?
6. Thus we may observe all creatures and become convinced of God’s goodness in them. Christ says in Matthew 5:5: “He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” As though he would say: I give it to the whole crowd; but who thanks me a single time for it? He enlightens my and your eyes, but no one acknowledges that it is God’s blessing. If some morning the sun should not rise, or rise three hours late, what distress and loss would that cause? How we would open our mouths and eyes? Then everyone would say: God be praised and thanked, who has given us such a light! But since it occurs daily, that the sun rises and shines at the appointed time, no one considers it a blessing. So it is with the rain from heaven, with the grain in the field and with all God’s creatures. They exist in such abundance, and we are daily so overwhelmed by their abundance that we fail to see them.
7. At times God permits some man to fall into anxiety and need, into pain and distress, so that the world seems as though it had no God, and it makes a person blind, lame, dropsical, and lets anyone die, as here the widow’s son; for they are his creatures, he can do with them what he will. Now, why does he do this? He does it in such an abundance only that we may continually experience his lovingkindness. Therefore as the disciples in John 9:2 asked the Lord concerning the man blind from his birth, whether he or his parents sinned, the Lord answered and said: “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” As though he would say: God desires to be praised in this blind person, for he sees that the treasures of the whole world do not move us, wherefore he floods us with his goodness out of pure grace, that he may present a blind person before our eyes, for us to see what a costly treasure we have in the blessing of our sight, although we cannot recognize his grace and kindness in our fortune, that we at least might know and identify them then in our misfortune. Therefore this man had to be blind in order that the others might know themselves, and say: Alas thou good God, what a precious gift I have, what a good thing a healthy body is and a bright countenance! But no one takes it to heart! Yea, it is true we say: have not the cows eyes also! Now, if you were blind you would of course feel the loss, which you do not now feel, because you are well and overshowered with God’s blessings.
