The Seminary of Obscurity at Midian College
A Journey Through Moses' Theological Education
I spend a lot of time thinking about theological education. I think about it as a student who is in the process of receiving further theological education and If everything goes to plan I will begin teaching at a small theological institute this fall so I think about what my future role may be in the theological education of others. Most importantly though, I think about theological education as a Christian. I am often asking myself about its function, the best methodology for delivering it and crucially about its location. I have spent a lot of time asking myself where does the best theological education happen and what is the best theological education composed of? I believe a close study of Moses’ experience in Midan can help us think about how we might answer each of those questions.
Moses grew up in prominence. Egypt was the imperial, political, social and economic power of the day and Moses spent much of his early life nestled within its comforts, but something discomfited Moses. Moses killed an Egyptian for abusing one of his people, the Hebrews. Scholars have reasoned that this scene in the life of Moses, though tragic, is perhaps the first flicker of Moses' true call in his life. He understood that the Hebrews not the Egyptians were his people.He identified with their struggle and was moved by their oppression, and though his actions were impetuous they reflect a desire to play some role in the liberation of his people. The impact of his actions were far reaching. Moses soon discovered that it was known that he had killed an Egyptian and he fled and ironically it would be from Midan that Moses would emerge, formed into who God had been making him and empowered to do what God had made him to do.
When God decided to shape the leader who would be the human instrument in leading his people out of bondage he did not shape him in the ancient equivalent of Harvard or Yale. I want to contend that Moses’ time in Midan was not only personally formative but that it was effectively a seminary experience. Moses was trained in what we might artfully call Obscurity Theological Seminary at Midian College. We find the following in his student file
Midian College 101 (New Student Orientation)
Course Description:
The aim of this course is to introduce first time students to Midian as a learning environment. Midian is a unique academic context. Its location in Northwestern Saudi Arabia, a country known for its vast hot inhospitable desserts means that Midian does not feature a plush and palatial landscape. This climate is very hot during the day and very cold at night. Students must be able to navigate the barrenness and ruggedness of Midan. Acclimating to Midian will require a period of adjustment for students who are relocating from more comfortable and temperate climates. There are three units of this course.
Unit 1 Resource Studies
This unit will focus on coming to understand water as a commodity. Midian is the desert therefore water must be cherished and protected. The student will be expected to navigate and mediate the conflicts relating to water rights effectively.
Unit 2 Cross Cultural Connection
Midan features a different cultural demographic and structure. Jethro is the Priest of Midian and his family is the primary social structure. Students will be expected to effectively interface with the family of Jethro and learn the principles and practices of this family structure
Unit 3 Vocation
Midian College is a work college which means students are required to work and integrate that work into the college learning experience. Shepherding is the most popular and greatly needed vocation on campus.
*Vocational Shepherding also doubles as a prerequisite for Pastoral Ministry I&II
Evaluation
Moses handled orientation to Midian quite well. After sitting down by a well he proved himself capable at protecting the daughters of the nearby priest who were encroached upon by rivals and he drew water from the well for them to water their flocks (Ex 2:15-17). Moses was embraced by the family of the women he saved, and ultimately took one of their daughters Zipporah to be his wife and began a family (Ex 2:21-22). As chapter three of Exodus opens Moses has seemingly settled into his new life and his new vocation as a shepherd. I have described this process in brief but this chapter in Moses’ life and formation lasted for forty years.
Shepherding I & II
Course Description:
Shepherding I - The course will also address the competencies of interpersonal skills, spiritual disposition and character formation needed to serve effectively as a shepherd. In this course the student will learn the strategies needed to identify potential predators, protect the flock and navigate the flock effectively through uncompromising terrain.
Shepherding II - This course will particularly concern itself with shepherding people. In this course students will learn to anticipate the administrative and organizational challenges of leadership and develop methodologies that prevent them from becoming worn out.
Evaluation
Exodus 3:1 gives insight on the progress of Moses as a shepherd. “Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father in law Jethro the priest of Midian and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God”. Moses became a capable shepherd able to navigate a difficult terrain with the flock his father in law entrusted him with.
In Shepherding II Moses wisely heeds the wisdom of his Father in Law (Ex 18:17) and develop a methodology for leading the people and hearing disputes without becoming worn out in the process.
“Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. Acts 7:30
Practical Theology
Course Description:
Key to the seminary curriculum is the study of theology. This course is designed to provide students with a foundation for understanding the ways of God with us. As a result of this course students should develop the personal and intellectual competencies needed to preach and teach to those in their leadership context with capability ,sensitivity and grace while effectively representing the will, way and word of God to the larger culture. There are three units to this course
Unit 1: Encountering God
This unit will seek to examine who God is, where God can be found and what God is like. This unit will on understanding the impact of Theophany or the ways in which God appears to us. As a result of successfully completing this unit students will be able to identify the transformative impact of sacred time with God alone.
Unit 2: Divine Sufficiency
In this course students will be expected to produce a self evaluation of all of the factors that they believe serve as a basis for their inability to serve effectively in ministry. This evaluation will serve as the basis of each student learning that ministry is not the result of human capability but divine sovereignty. In this course students will be expected to familiarize themselves with the resources human or otherwise which God sovereignly provides to accomplish his perfect will in spite of human flaws and inabilities.
Unit 3: God and Our Call
This unit will also seek to explore the ways in which encountering God challenges and changes the direction of our lives and how development an understanding of God entails cultivating an understanding of personal holiness
Evaluation
Though his enrollment in this course seemingly began as mere curiosity when he turned aside to see why a bush that was burning was ultimately not consumed, ultimately and providentially Moses encountered God in Midian (Ex 3:2-3) . The isolation and obscurity of the place were not sufficient obstacles to prevent the God of the universe revealing himself to Moses in an intelligible way (Ex 3:6) . God revealed himself to Moses alone, but Moses effectively understood that it was God’s will for Moses to deliver his people and in so doing make God known to others. Moses turned in a comprehensive self evaluation that reflected in detail his limitations (Ex 3:11,4:1, 4:10) and learned about the sufficiency of God to supply all that is needed for faithful servants to accomplish his will.
The Value of Midian to Moses
In the quiet isolation of the desert on the campus of Midian College Moses underwent a period of introspection and refinement. Simplicity and solitude provided the necessary conditions for moving from the failure of his past into the possibility of his future with God. Midian is where Moses underwent rich and meaningful theological formation . While in this obscure desert place God providentially transfigured what otherwise would have been a place of exile and desperation into a place of divine encounter and transformation.
In Midian Moses not only prepared for his calling but also initiated into a deeper relationship with God who called him. Midian is where the practices of trust, obedience, and intimacy with God that would characterize the ministry of Moses had their root system. Midian represents “the best” of theological education because it was the best for Moses. It was where he met God and took meaningful steps towards becoming who God had made him to be that is fundamentally what theological education should do.