Paul (name changed for security purposes) is ready for the seminary lecture, Introduction to Reformed Theology. Neatly arrayed around him are his textbooks, Bible, notes, and computer. Professor John Tweeddale begins the class with prayer, not knowing that Paul is participating remotely from a country that frequently persecutes Christians. Another group of students gather at the Springs Reformed Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, Colo. They also arrange their materials as Pastor Dave Reese makes the final connections to join the Introduction to Biblical Counseling course streamed live from the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS) in Pittsburgh.

Matthew 28:19-20 is being played out in a different form these days. Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” When the Synod of the RPCNA first called for the institution of a seminary, the students would travel to where the pastor/professor was called to serve. Today, RPTS’s pastor/professors physically teach in the East End of Pittsburgh, while their gospel-centered lessons travel to distant corners of the earth.

In his inaugural address in fall 2013, Barry York, professor of pastoral ministries and homiletics at RPTS, considered how shepherding works in a digital world. “The command is to feed the sheep, and many around the world are looking for instruction on the internet from sources they can trust. A seminary with the Shepherd’s heart to feed God’s people can use the internet to a great degree to bring gospel truths to His scattered sheep all over the world. Even as America grows more secular, fields are opening up, and interest in theological education with it—on the continents of Asia, Africa, and South America. We have more RP students from India than Indiana. Does this not call into question old paradigms?”

York rightly noted that these paradigms are expanded in this context. It has been many decades since the seminary has served solely the RPCNA. Today, students from around the globe are seeking to learn more about the gospel. Many do not possess the English language capabilities to successfully complete an English-oriented program. Fewer yet can afford the expenses of traveling to and living in the United States. It is the prevalence of the internet that brings the student into contact with the teacher.

“For centuries, brick-and-mortar institutions of learning have had the responsibility of curating, preserving, and sharing knowledge for those who came through the doors,” says Aaron Sams, director of digital learning at RPTS. “Those doors are now digital and accessible 24 hours a day. Institutions such as RPTS cannot serve only those who can set foot on campus, but must be able to serve all who have an internet connection.”

Patrick McNeely, a first-year student at the Pittsburgh campus, started his studies at RPTS in Colorado Springs last fall. “Distance learning was an excellent option for me as I transitioned from the Air Force to seminary,” reflects Patrick. “I wanted to be in Pittsburgh, but would not be able to do so until November. I was able to take my classes digitally and not fall behind.” McNeely scheduled his class time around his Air Force schedule and used personal time listening to lectures during commutes or during meals. One of the benefits McNeely sees in this form of theological education is that the student can stay in his hometown and home church longer.

The board of trustees of the seminary has approved distance education for up to one-third of the courses required for a master of divinity degree. “There is a tremendous value in having men study with RPTS’s pastor/scholars in a shoulder-to-shoulder format,” says Aaron Sams. “The reality is that moving a family to Pittsburgh is not always immediately possible.” The ability for students to stay at home and uproot their families for a shorter period of time is a key attraction. Students can still work to support themselves while getting theological training. The students then can bless their church families with their learned experiences. Online learning is also a way for someone to help discern if seminary is a good option.

As the thirst for Reformed theology gains momentum globally, more individuals turn to seminaries such as RPTS for religious education. Just in the past 12 months, seminary professors have traveled to and taught in East Asia, the Czech Republic, Japan, Belarus, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. Requests for training are coming from many other nations. This development places the exciting and challenging prospect of translation work before the seminary.

A logical starting place, pedagogically speaking, would be an Introduction to Reformed Theology course. RPTS has begun the process of translating this course into several languages. Matt Filbert, director of RP Missions, and Mark Sampson, director of development of RPTS, recently met with an organization that will enable the seminary, and perhaps the RPCNA, to utilize smartphone technology to accomplish religious education in places that are “beyond the internet,” that is, areas of the world that either have no internet infrastructure or are hostile to the gospel. Some estimates claim that there are more cell phones in the world than there are people. The Middle East, Asia, and Africa are adopting mobile technology at an astounding rate. RPTS, Lord willing, might be able to utilize this trend in getting theological training into the hands of men and women who could not access Reformed theological education in the past. Online training is enabling other things. A student who suddenly finds himself ill and would normally miss class can remotely access his class, keep up with his lessons, and not expose his fellow classmates to illness.

Students in preaching classes give sermons during chapel every day. Those messages are now posted daily on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/RPTSeminary). Tune in to be encouraged by the preaching of His Word! The President’s Council, a group of RPTS alumni who regularly meet with Dr. Jerry O’Neill to discuss the latest developments at the seminary, also utilizes live streaming to conduct quarterly meetings, with one member connecting from central Florida. Student workers operate the recording equipment and receive much-appreciated pay for their work.

In the fall of 2011, the seminary board approved budgeting $10,000 toward the initiation of an online program offering many first-year courses. The Lord then provided several foundation grants that enabled the seminary staff to research techniques, purchase equipment, and test procedures and processes. Aaron Sams, an internationally recognized expert in the field of digital learning, has been instrumental in designing and implementing the necessary steps for an online program. “We are still in the early stages of development,” says Sams, “but we hope to continue to improve the quality of our distance learning courses, both pedagogically and technologically. We have received approval from the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) to expand our distance learning program, and as we all become more comfortable with delivering and receiving education in this format, we will adjust our practices to provide the best distance education we possibly can.”

As the face of education shifts from students solely coming to the educators, Dr. Daniel Aleshire, executive director of ATS, told the RPTS board at a planning retreat in Laurelville, Pa., on Oct. 7, 2010, the question of how to use distance education will be faced by every theological institution in the new digital age or they simply will not survive, due largely to spiraling student debt.

The tremendous rise in educational debt is increasingly the reality for seminarians. By some measures, such debt has tripled in the last decade. World magazine recently noted that 25% of master of divinity students graduated in 2011 with more than $40,000 in educational debt. Five percent graduate with over $80,000 in debt. The impact of this debt is further magnified by the fact that most of these students will not graduate with an earning potential that would permit the satisfaction of these debts.

Although RPTS works extremely hard with its students to help keep debt to a minimum, distance education plays a potentially important role in reducing the debt levels of students, because they can take classes in accordance with work and family schedules. This change can permit a student to continue to earn income while working on seminary courses. Additionally, RPTS is employing students to record lectures and stream classes live, putting income into their bank accounts.

President Jerry O’Neill believes that distance education will be increasingly reviewed and improved upon in future generations. Administrators, professors, and board members prefer, of course, to have students physically in the classroom for at least part of their program. “This is what we sense we do best,” notes Dr. O’Neill. “Even small seminaries will have to continue to wrestle with questions surrounding distance education. In our case, these questions involve not only how we use pastors and sessions to mentor students from a distance, but how we integrate students into the denomination as a whole.”

The seminary has played a huge role in assimilating pastors into the life and practice of the entire denomination, as opposed to having a student just experience the life of one local Reformed Presbyterian church. The value of this experience can hardly be overstated. But, as we face the future, it is increasingly clear that some form of distance education is here to stay, and part of the task of the church will be to figure out new ways to address the needs that will emerge in such a climate.

–Mark Sampson

Mark is director of development at RPTS. A seminary feature appears biannually in the Witness.