Home > Philosophy, Objectives, & EthicsPhilosophy, Objectives, & Code of Ethics
Central Baptist Theological Seminary
Educational Philosophy
The seminary is committed to the direct method of presenting divine truth from the Bible which is viewed as an authoritative and exclusive revelation, and rejects relativism which denies the complete authority of Scriptural revelation. It believes that true scholarship is that which submits to the authority of Scripture and rejects the exaltation of human intellect above the written Word of God.
In curriculum it emphasizes Biblical rather than philosophic content. It is not merely evangelical, but specifically Baptist in approach, with an emphasis upon evangelism. A dispensational theology is followed as over against a covenant or Reformed system. The pretribulational, premillennial coming of Christ is accepted. The grammatical-historical method of Biblical interpretation is followed. Both the negative (refutation of error) and the positive (presentation of truth) are included in classroom teaching.
Statement of Institutional Effectiveness
With the goal of trying to provide the best student learning outcome and to measure the effectiveness of Central Seminary’s education, Central tracks graduation rates, ministry placement, and alumni feedback to quantify the work of the seminary.
These numbers are affected by many circumstances unique to individual students including personal life situations, such as family needs or financial constraints, that may prompt a student to slow or stop their degree pursuit.
Graduation Rate
The graduation rate measures the percentage of students who enroll in a particular year and finish their degree in the normally allotted time. This differs for each degree program. Of those students who started the MDiv program in the fall of 2011, 50% graduated by the spring of 2017. For the class of 2016, our graduation rate was 100% as all of students who began in 2010 graduated by 2016.
Placement Rate
The placement rate measures the student’s success in job placement following graduation. Like the graduation rate, there are a number of student specific issues that affect this rate. Of the students who graduated in the spring of 2017 with their MDiv, 100% found placement in pastoral ministry. Concerning our 2016 graduating class, 80% found placement in pastoral ministry with 20% pursuing further education.
Alumni Survey
The alumni survey measures the effectiveness of our institutional training according to our alumni. In our most recent assessment, 82% of those surveyed indicated that they sought training at Central Seminary in order to prepare for ministry. In addition, 92% rated the educational quality provided by Central Seminary as above average or exceptional!
Institutional Objectives
Central Baptist Theological Seminary intends its graduates to function as Christian leaders, and therefore expects that its students will develop in the following areas.
- Biblical and doctrinal knowledge (ideas that the graduate believes, knows, and understands, including moral convictions)
- Ordinate religious affection (Christ-like character that the graduate demonstrates, including devotion to God, moral fiber, integrity, perseverance, and self-denial)
- Functional ministry skills (tasks that the graduate performs in the execution of Christian leadership)
The following institutional objectives grow out of the seminary’s mission and reflect its expectations.
1. Each graduate should exhibit the ability to understand the Word of God with sufficient competence as to be able to evaluate fairly diverse interpretations by:
- adequately fulfilling classroom objectives which demand interpretation of and interaction with diverse views.
2. Each graduate should possess a comprehensive grasp of the contents of the Bible and of biblical doctrines, including those aspects of the faith that are distinctive to Baptists, dispensationalists, separatist fundamentalists, and cessationists by:
- successfully completing cognitive course objectives.
- demonstrating increased knowledge through the biblical knowledge entrance/exit exams.
- writing summary papers on each distinctive before graduation.
- successfully articulating the doctrinal position of the seminary before graduation.
3. Each graduate should demonstrate the ability to use biblical and theological knowledge to confront the practical problems of life, including the challenges of Christian leadership by:
- fulfilling practical ministry experiences associated with each program.
- adequately fulfilling practical skills course objectives.
4. Each graduate should display the ability to defend the seminary’s doctrinal distinctives in the area of dispensationalism, premillennialism, pretribulationism, Baptist theology, cessationism, and progressive sanctification by:
- completing systematic theology courses.
- writing summary papers on each distinctive before graduation.
- successfully articulating the doctrinal position of the seminary before graduation.
5. Each graduate should exhibit a commitment to grow in love and knowledge toward God-in-Christ, manifested in the internalization of a value system that reflects the fruit of the Spirit and produces Christ-like character, attitudes, decisions, and actions by:
- evidencing conformity with the institutional code of ethics.
- evidencing to the student’s pastor a close relationship with God.
- evidencing to the student’s pastor exemplary Christian character.
- demonstrating Christ-like responses in practical ministry experiences associated with each program.
- demonstrating Christ-like responses in interactions with faculty and staff.
6. Each graduate should desire to participate in the worldwide fulfillment of the Great Commission through direct involvement in or support of personal witness and the planting of indigenous, self-perpetuating New Testament churches around the world by:
- evidencing support of missions-related programs in the local church.
- demonstrating participation in local church ministries.
- evidencing to the student’s pastor a desire to serve.
Code of Ethics
The following ethical standards will be internalized and consistently demonstrated by all employees and volunteers of Central Baptist Theological Seminary.
1. Truth
- We will never knowingly mislead or deceive each other or our constituents.
- We will admit mistakes without covering them up or shifting blame.
- We will always represent our seminary fairly and accurately.
2. Transparency
- We will conduct ourselves at all times so as to give no occasion for reproach or ethical question.
- Except where restricted by the requirement of confidentiality, we will fully disclose the seminary’s business and its manner of transaction to any party who has the right to know.
- Transparency, however, will not constitute an acceptable excuse for breaching confidentiality when confidentiality is legally or morally obligatory.
3. Justice
- We will treat each other fairly, impartially, and ethically, both in fact and appearance, and regardless of rank or position.
- All accusations of coworkers must be pursued in properly prescribed ways and must be substantiated by fair evidence.
- In all matters involving gender, race, disability, or national origin, we will speak and behave ourselves consistently with the unity of the new humanity in the body of Christ.
4. Charity
- We will extend to one another the benefit of the doubt in all cases of ambiguous conduct.
- We will address disagreements in mutual love as brothers and sisters, always seeking the wellbeing of the person with whom we disagree.
- When necessary, we will address wrong attitudes and behaviors by confronting one another in compassion and love.
5. Service
- We will constantly remember that a seminary is a service organization, and that it is useful only insofar as it helps local churches to accomplish their mission.
- We will manifest an attitude of helpful service toward each other and toward students, constituents, alumni, vendors, and other institutional stakeholders, going out of our way to assist others.
6. Leadership
- We understand leadership to consist mainly in example and instruction.
- We purpose to avoid the abuse of power in every relationship, whether within the seminary or outside of it.
- We will constantly articulate the vision of the seminary to one another and to outsiders.
7. Ministry
- We will be members of particular local churches, actively involved in ministering within those congregations.
- We recognize that our primary accountability is not to the seminary, but to our local church and to its spiritual leaders.
- We will conduct ourselves in such a way as to create no interference from the seminary in the affairs of local congregations.
8. Community
- We recognize a debt to our surrounding community, and purpose as individuals to work for the betterment of our community.
- We recognize accountability to the larger academic world, and purpose to uphold sound academic standards.
9. Liberty
- We will uphold the unique position of the seminary as that position has been approved and articulated by the administration and board.
- Within the confines of the seminary’s stated position, we will uphold the liberty of our fellow seminary personnel to express their views freely and without prejudice.
10. Privacy
- We recognize that our personnel, students, and alumni expect a right to privacy, and we will uphold this right by not disclosing confidential information except to competent authority.
- The seminary will not attempt to govern the private lives of its personnel or their families, asking only that all seminary personnel submit themselves to the standards of Christian decency.
11. Loyalty
- We acknowledge that the seminary has a right to expect a duty of loyalty from its faculty and staff. We as employees will act in the best interests of the institution at all times, avoiding every activity that would be prejudicial to the institution or contrary to its interests. This is particularly true with respect to external communications or dealings. This expectation of loyalty shall not, however, detract from the seminary’s policies on fairness, justice, truth, and faithfulness to God’s Word.
- Central Seminary strives to maintain a teaching and working environment of such high caliber, and that so faithfully reflects God’s Word, that faculty and staff aspire to spend their entire career in service at the institution. Yet the seminary ultimately respects God’s calling in the lives of his people and will never consider an employee’s discreet consideration of other opportunities as a matter that would prejudice his or her current employment.
APPLICATION & AID