If you are beginning seminary or formal theological training this Autumn, and have to work and are hard-pressed for time like me, here are my 3 pieces of advice on how to prioritize your finite time and energy to wisely and gratefully make well of the gift that is this education:

1.) Nourish your soul.

Throw yourself into the life of the church. Serve your brothers and sisters in the nursery or the nursing home. Pray old prayers ever ancient ever new. Your faith will undergo growing pains, and possibly, quite dark times. It is more important than grades.

2.) Build relationships with Professors and classmates.

You can get info in a library or online. But unique friendships are forged in studying together, you'll learn from each other, and meaningful friends will last long afterwards. Learn from profs outside the classroom too!

3.) Really learn the languages well.

A good education equips you to learn for the rest of your life. Hopefully, you'll learn theology and interpretation and pastoral skills from the greats for decades. This is a unique chance to focus on Greek, Hebrew, & Latin. Put in the work.

With enough time and money, we could do everything well. Yet, at the end of the day, you'll likely find yourself having to decide between which things will get done well, which will get half-way done, and which will simply not happen, and they will change. Try not to cut those 3.

Addendum: here me talking about what Athanasius and Gregory of Nazianzus had to say about the kinds of persons we need to become in order to love God and love others well https://mereorthodoxy.com/pragmatism-practice-theology/

And as a final word, here is me saying "listen to Alyosha": https://mereorthodoxy.com/theological-education-churchs-health/

I am also here to now post “only real ones know” and tag @davebillingslea @JuliusSpradley @andrewhwaller @justkarber @DStim09 and @teeny_provost