THEOLOGICAL STUDIES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 725, 26 January 1910, Page 5

THEOLOGICAL STUDIES.

' ■ Sir,—A ; desire has;bften; been expressed :for:Bome:system.of' examination in di-rin-ity that would encourage a continuity of study over a period ,of . /years/ Manymen who have paised .their/ theological; grade have been admitted to' the sacred ministry;.'and 'have immediately thrown-' . themselves, -with. the . 'greatest enthusiasm into the .work of the parishes to which they, have, beona,ppointed, awako to ..the■ sad •fact;after,.a. while,. thatr'they: have .lost, both '.the and inclination/for. ■continuoTis: study; sThey ;find,-.alas! too surely;.. that .; the lack of - reading means' deterioration "in . preaching, and a;, vain, search, for subjects for. Sunday's' sermons on ' Friday ; or Saturdaywhen systematic reading .-would crowd the mind: with: ap-. propriate/ithemes. - A /great .many men must, feei.'.sad;. as • they realise. this, state of'things;-and'' must long for some mean's ; by : ivhich -their old:. love > for - knowledge 1 could • be'; revived, so.'that at. least' one ;or. two hours of/systematic work might; be accomplished each' dajy/' /.: . .'. . . ■The Church /in'(Australia has .striven': nobly to ; meet-such-need as; this- on the part of -her, clergy/In. 1891 'the - General ■ Synod of Australia ■ and . Tasmania constituted, a \ college-of -theology, as 'an- ex-' amining: body," and-thei express' purpose . .of .".its.: .foundation'! ! fad■ "to 'foster"; and direct " the ; 1 systematic " study: •of 'divinity, .especially ; among /the- clergy/'. - The General/ Synod/;empowered l , < this -.' college /to confer, degrees after due'examination; and--ta : grant . the use, of. 1 , distinctive "ihoods.. :The;:;snbiects.,' for/ examination ;.are-/Holy;.i Scripture /(Greek -:. and English) j; Church ■ history.: (general and English;' .' liturgiology; -'dogmaticsj .'evidences.Greek- and Latin. Fathers;. moral' and - social': science, !otc. : ;,;:But,.Awhile '.many taken, advantage /of' this iexcellent endeavour to' jme'et;a well : known'-'want jupiforiexamiMtion-.this/.year)'-still: ;- it*is obviously ;of : use/to .men .who', have/ resp&ril^fy: ; ','aii'd..Cliud /'work: , of large .parishes;.upon; their ishoulders; ,be-, causa it still' crowds into a few days iof examination. the rqsnlt .of ;years., of.. study.' ' I have/myself been preparing/ for ■ sey : , ,eral yea.rs for..the;Th; Scn/'eximination, | bat, -with/its constant :interruptions /of ah: important; parish, . find' it jalmost:- imi possible to get .sufficient'; time for study, and a brain free • enough from anxiety to be/.retentiye 'enough',.''to meet, stiff, papers, to answer which creditably would take several : years '.of preparation/ .And.-no doubt there.are' others..in; a similar. position in the . diocese, who,' because - they have no definite object, in : .study, have falilen 'into .a ,'desultory/style tof reading,:' consistingof ..magazines/' church' papers, with ■ on occasional -theological' work!; The subject 4s : one' that; might' well/be /brought before . the .General;: Synod ..next month; and. I venture very/humbly .'-to 'suggest the/ following: scheme of ' examinations, ■ which - one; .0f,..0ur /able/ representatives-mightiput-into more 'definite shape/ and infroduee' to. that."august'body: ■ 1; The scheme, of; study to 'extend' over a :p6riod.'of.ten years. . 2/ An examinii-: tion; to take' place; in December/pf -each year jin: four ,or-five:subjects/,,',3.'. '40. per cent.' of/marfa'. to,' : .be required for •»Vpass in each subje'ct. /- 4. :. At 'tho end of five years/every candidate who has passed in each. subject .in each'/ year, 'to ■ be'; granted ■ the- title bf, L.D. (Licentiate in Divinity) with;a. distinctive; hood. ■ : 5. At' the' end of : ten / years every. /candidate who/ has jpassed {in;' all' -hia/ subjects to . be /granted 'the title;.of:"BJ).' with .'hood.'"Probably, at the.end of the'.ten'years,:,some further .process might,be made. At 'any rate a habit of study, under difficulties/.would ,be.oreated,. ana ; Greek and Latin kept; up. G..; A; fee of per ' annum '-would be . sufficient to. pay; expenses of I examination, 'and , this' would not bo too ■ iriuoh: to ask •the . candidates to .pay/.' '/'•-;■'■■■■ 1 feel, convinced that such a .system/of examination would' be/ a great .boon to many hard-worked clergy, and indirectly to the people to whom they minister.—l am, etc., - ;:■ //// -> ' ";''/. / ; v . ■' • .' " P. G. E.