The word “seminary” originally comes from the Latin word “seminarium”, meaning “seedbed.” Seminary, as we often hear it now, describes a very specific way to continue theological or ministerial education. To many, the word conjures images of pastors-in-training, thick theology books and a vocational direction far removed from their own majors. However, Calvin faculty and staff who have experienced seminary offer an alternative vision that is far broader, more human and more formative than the stereotypes allow.
Pastor Mary Hulst, a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary, offers a straightforward definition of seminary, saying, “A seminary is a graduate school that is specifically focused on theology and ministry.” She was quick to add that seminaries have changed: “What seminaries have become over the last 15 years is a lot more diversified in what they offer.” Today, one can study not only Scripture and preaching, but also counseling, leadership, church management, education or even pursue specialized doctoral work.
However, the purpose of seminary reaches far beyond academics. Kyle Small, dean of graduate studies and a graduate of both North Park Theological Seminary and Luther Seminary, as well as a former professor and dean at Western Theological Seminary, describes the seminary’s core identity with a classic image, harkening back to the Latin: “Seminary has always meant seedbed. It’s a place for someone to grow up.” While many students do arrive with pastoral aspirations, Small notes that the deeper aim is formation — a multi-year process of maturing in Christ, “waking up to the world” and learning to “lead responsibly, wisely and courageously.”
That formation, Small suggests, takes place on several interlocking levels: intellectual, vocational and human. Intellectual formation teaches students to think critically about Scripture and theology, and vocational formation prepares them for ministry leadership in churches, academia, nonprofits, chaplaincy or community settings. Considering all of these pieces, the human formation piece is essential. According to Small, “learning to love one’s neighbor is only accomplished by first learning to love oneself well.” As Small explains, this is not introspection for its own sake but preparation for service, being “properly oriented to serve other people, because you’re not fighting your own demons while you’re doing it.”
Joanna Wigboldy, graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary and a program manager at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, notes, “If you’re going to be working with people in any way, shape or form, the skills and frameworks that you learn at seminary will be greatly important for your job.” Wigboldy continued, saying, “I found my formation at seminary to be the most important thing. You can learn all the skills and you can learn the technical stuff, but unless you are deeply connected to God and cultivating the fruits of the Spirit, there’s a disconnect.”
Echoing that, Hulst explained that most seminaries are now intentionally forming people to be “good human beings” who practice spiritual discipline and self-awareness — because, as she put it bluntly, “We don’t want to release crazy people into the church. The church has enough crazy people.” Seminary’s formative environment helps students discern their next steps well, often revealing gifts or callings they did not know they had such as chaplaincy, biblical languages, theology, pastoral care or ministry in specialized contexts, to name a few.
Todd Cioffi, graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and senior advisor to the Calvin Prison Initiative, emphasizes that seminary is not only for those entering ordained ministry but increasingly equips Christians in any field. They help students discern “how one’s work can be an ongoing vocational ministry,” whether they work in business, education, politics or healthcare. For Cioffi, seminary strengthens the church not only by forming pastors but by producing thoughtful, well-informed lay leaders — elders, deacons and everyday believers capable of contributing meaningfully to the body of Christ across any sphere of society.
This broader vision also reflects what Noel Snyder, graduate of Fuller Seminary and a program manager at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, stressed in his own reflections on seminary: it is “an immersion in Christian practices that form[s] people for attentive, patient, discerning living.” The aim is not merely academic achievement but the cultivation of humility, character and communal rootedness.
Why, then, should Calvin students — regardless of major — consider seminary? Hulst points to the world’s religious complexity: “We live in a world that is saturated with religion, whether we like it or not.” Understanding theology and the ways religion operates socially, she argues, helps individuals become better global citizens, better neighbors and better Christians. Institutions like Calvin Theological Seminary, which draw students “from all over the world,” offer a rare opportunity to see Christianity beyond North America — to learn what the church looks like in places like Korea, Nigeria, Venezuela, and beyond.
Small adds a developmental note, stating that adulthood comes quickly and lasts “a long time.” Seminary provides a space to pause, ask deeper questions and grow. A 21- or 22-year-old, he notes, is newly poised for learning; those in this age range are more mature, more curious and more capable of wrestling with questions of identity, calling and God’s work in the world.
Seminary, then, is not a narrow pipeline for future pastors. It is a seedbed — a place where Christians can grow intellectually, spiritually, vocationally and humanly. Whether one feels called to the pulpit, the classroom, the office or the halls of government, the seminary offers a space to ask essential questions, such as “Who is God?” “Who am I?” And “how am I called to live in response?”
For Calvin students wondering what comes next, seminary may offer what Snyder describes as “a deeper sense of life with God” — a place to grow up, wake up and step faithfully into a world that needs wise, courageous and grounded Christian leaders.
