Faith on the Road Trained but Untransformed: Rethinking Spiritual Formation in Theological Education
43 snips
Sep 25, 2025 
Dr. David Wang, Director of the Global Formation Project and professor at Fuller Seminary, dives into the critical question of why seminary training often fails to transform lives. He explores the high trauma rates among seminarians and how this emotional pain can shape their call to ministry. Wang critiques the focus on conformity in theological education and advocates for a holistic, embodied approach to spiritual formation. He emphasizes the importance of lament, the value of context in education, and the need for genuine emotional and spiritual development.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Seminary As A Healing Search
- Many seminary students enter seeking healing from religious or childhood trauma rather than only academic training.
- Seminaries are often not structured to hold or address students' trauma effectively.
Wounding Often Precedes Vocation
- Childhood emotional pain frequently shapes vocational calls toward ministry and helping professions.
- Early wounds can enlarge compassion and motivate people to accompany others in suffering.
Formation Often Produces Conformity
- Fuller research found formal theological education in North America often fails to cultivate deep spiritual maturity.
- Instead it cultivates people-pleasing and social conformity that hide true selves.
