Progress on PC(USA) Ordination Exams

November 9, 2009 at 1:01 pm | In PC(USA) | 2 Comments
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I’ve blogged — or at least commented on other blogs — about the benefits and downfalls of PC(USA) Ordination Exams. While they were a relatively minor annoyance for me, they continue to be a huge stumbling block for many of my colleagues and surely are not organized in a pastoral (or even humane?) way. That said, I wanted to publicly praise the Office of Vocation for now offering the Bible Content Exam online.

I took the BCE in 2005, I think, and was struck even then that the last scantron test I took was four years before in high school. I’m very glad that we’ve moved to an online format for the BCE, and I wish the office the best as they continue to adjust to new technology and the multiple challenges of the test takers. I hope, sooner or later, the BCE might even be offered many times a year — say once a month — to ease the scheduling challenges of seminary and the ordination process.

Here’s the Presbyterian News Service article from last month with a fuller report: First online administration of Bible Content examination declared a success

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  1. You’re right… they are a stumbling block to many people. And frankly, I don’t see the necessity for them… if someone has graduated from an accredited seminary — where, as I recall, you already take tests to show that you know things.

    I’m PCUSA, BTW. Took the ords… but I’ve seen how much of a problem they can be. An unneeded problem to my thinking.

    Peace to you.

    Comment by Chris — November 10, 2009 #

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  2. I concur with Chris. If we’re requiring a degree from an accredited seminary, and requiring coursework in particular areas (Greek/Hebrew), then that should count, dagflabbit. Stop duplicating effort, because it’s a waste of precious life.

    The human energy the church puts into the ords should be put into other, relational aspects of our ordination process. We need it there.

    Comment by Beloved Spear — November 11, 2009 #

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