Union Theological Seminary, Very Liberal, Very Successful

 


Amid constant bashing and the decline of mainline denominations, there is hope liberal denominations will survive. Conservative Christian seminaries across the country are struggling or have closed. Union, a liberal seminary in New York City, is growing.

According to the link, Union has added classes in Buddhism and other of the great faiths. The outgoing President said her goal was to develop a broad approach to religion.

This brings to mind the claim one sees so often by fundamentalist in Christianity. It is that the faith will stop declining soon because out there in the public is a "thirst" for something substantive like what the fundies preach. We see from Union's growth there is also interest in other aspects of religion including what other religions teach. With hundreds of TV channels we know there are hundreds of interests out there in the public.

That any theological seminary is growing is quite amazing. The number of Christians is falling, The percentage of nones, no religious affiliation, is growing as well as the number of atheists. Union is not an inexpensive place.

It has always seemed to me the parts of Christianity that leave behind to Bible have a chance of survival and maybe growth. This is because the Bible is being critiqued to death. Ultimately, it will be impossible to defend. A Christianity that treats the Bible as something way back there but not meaningful today has a better chance. What would such a faith "believe" in? Perhaps customs, mystery, tradition and curiosity. That is what Union is about today, ahead of the curve, 

 

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