Having provided a general introduction to Learner's seminary, let me be more specific and introduce Learner's new neighbor (I'll call him Craw), with whom we enjoyed an evening of cigars, Port (burgundy wine with Portuguese roots), and discussion of church government of the aforeveiled denomination.
The funny thing is, of course, that Learner has never been much of a smoker, a drinker, or a denominationalist. Craw, on the other hand, is very much all three (though not to a point of cancer, drunkenness, or religiosity). Of Japanese descent and from Los Angeles, Craw says he never read a book until he was 19, didn't finish his undergraduate degree until he was 27, joined the Marines because he was bored, and ended up converting to Christianity. Now about to turn 39, he has a wife, three kids, and a confidence of calling to the pastorate that seems genuine enough.
Being a second-year student, Craw is knowledegable about most things (or at least more so than Learner) with regard to the seminary and denomination. Even though Learner only has one professor this summer in Greek, he now "knows" (or more accurately, "knows of") more thanks to Craw's honest but fair profile of them. While there is opinion in his thoughts as to views on doctrinal positions or teaching styles, there is respect in his tone for the men as pastoral professors, and that balance counts for something in Learner's book.
Craw's thoughts go beyond the scope of seminary; he seems well-versed and street smart as to the workings of particular church governments, noting where (at least from his perspective) each might be a little too tight or too loose in relation to the Scriptures with regard to what each interprets and does. Again, while it wasn't too hard to discern Craw's perspective on the issue at hand, it was presented in a fair enough manner.
All in all (and despite the pseudo-headache in the morning presumably from the port/gin and tonic/unimaginably low tolerance trifecta), Learner enjoyed the evening and looks forward to visits to "Che Craw" to gain perspective from this older, more-informed neighbor/student.
