By Dr. Gonzalo David
In recent years, we have witnessed a proliferation of Protestant and Evangelical seminaries across Latin America. This phenomenon might appear to be a positive sign, suggesting a growing interest in theological formation. Yet it also raises several issues that deserve careful attention.
When I refer to this increase in theological seminaries, I am thinking particularly of the Protestant and Evangelical churches I know best: the Reformed world in all its diverse expressions—even if, within the confessional Presbyterian sector, there are disagreements about what truly counts as “Reformed” in historical and theological terms [I]. It is essential to delimit this field of analysis in relation to its features, since the institutions in question differ markedly—by nature, development, and academic status—from the Catholic universities that dominate theological education in much of the region.
What follows, then, is not a comprehensive analysis of the Reformed milieu, but rather a general sketch of one of its internal phenomena, an interpretive proposal, and a few concluding reflections.
Institutional Fragility
The main problem I identify—and from which most others stem—is that many of these seminaries have been created under the logic of our free-market model: supply follows perceived demand. In this case, the “demand” comes from a growing interest in biblical and theological education, often among Pentecostal believers who have recently discovered the Reformed tradition.
The issue, in my view, is not the motivation behind these initiatives but the fact that most of them fail to meet even minimal academic standards. These seminaries are rarely subject to any external quality control or accreditation. By relying on the information, they themselves provide, we can observe that many of their instructors lack the proper academic preparation to teach—let alone expertise in the specific areas of the courses they offer.
In some cases, these teachers do hold degrees or even graduate credentials, but those degrees often come from institutions of equally questionable quality [II]. Moreover, there are typically no formal partnerships, faculty or student exchanges, research programs or publications—criteria commonly used in evaluating higher education institutions.
These shortcomings reveal not only institutional fragility but also a deeper intellectual problem: these seminaries tend to be spaces of information transfer rather than critical reflection or knowledge production. They operate within a very limited theological culture—largely confined to conservative Anglo-Saxon Reformed theology, a small and academically marginal current within global theological production.
Entire traditions are simply ignored, such as the Franco-German theological world, which has shaped Western theological thought for the past two centuries, or the increasingly vibrant Latin American, Asian, and African theologies [III]. This is troubling because a proper undergraduate program in theology should provide a set of core contents ensuring that students acquire essential knowledge and skills. In these seminaries, that standard is not being met.
As a result, many graduates find themselves poorly equipped for advanced study, lacking the necessary intellectual and academic tools to pursue postgraduate education effectively.
A concrete example of the lack of academic understanding behind some of these projects can be seen in seminaries that simultaneously offer both a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and a Master of Divinity (M.Div.), as if the latter were a natural continuation of the former. Anyone even moderately familiar with theological education in the Western world knows that the Master of Divinity is a professional degree, originally designed in the Anglo-American context for individuals with a prior Bachelor of Arts to prepare for ordination or ministry. Over time, it replaced the older Bachelor of Divinity (B.Div.). In other words, the M.Div. is the first degree in theology for those entering ministry from another academic background—it is not a specialized postgraduate degree. In continental Europe and Latin America, its rough equivalent would be the Licenciatura en Teología.
The Latin American Particularity of Protestant and Evangelical Theological Education
Given this situation, what possible solutions might we envision? First, we must recognize that our ecclesial, theological, and historical context differs fundamentally from that of Europe, Asia, or North America. In Latin America, only a handful of Protestant or Evangelical theological faculties are officially recognized by the state [IV] or accredited within the national higher education systems—and among those, few belong to Reformed or Reformed-leaning traditions.
There are examples in countries like Costa Rica, Argentina, Paraguay, and Nicaragua, but they are exceptions rather than the rule. Any realistic diagnosis must take this into account.
Furthermore, the creation of theological seminaries in our region rests on the principle of academic freedom, grounded in the universal right to education recognized by international human rights conventions. It would therefore be mistaken to argue that the state should necessarily regulate the founding of such institutions. The solutions should not follow totalitarian impulses, even if the abuse of this freedom gives rise to legitimate concerns.
On the one hand, these initiatives arise from the exercise of a right; on the other, they demand ethical and academic responsibility from those who lead them. The evidence suggests that this dual dimension—freedom and responsibility—is not equally understood or respected by all actors involved.
Denominational, Interdenominational, and Para-ecclesial Seminaries
Within this landscape, we can distinguish between denominational [V], interdenominational [VI], and para-ecclesial seminaries [VII]. The first are sustained by a single denomination; the second, by multiple denominations; and the third emerge from personal or collective initiatives—whether through associations or foundations—that do not answer to any specific church body.
In my view, denominational and interdenominational seminaries have a better chance of developing sustainable academic projects capable of maintaining higher quality standards. Since they are accountable to one or more church bodies, they are more likely to receive long-term investment—both human and financial—and to address internal weaknesses.
Para-ecclesial seminaries, by contrast, depend on the efforts of a small group of individuals. Such efforts require at least a few essential elements from the outset: financial resources, perseverance, administrative competence, and a basic understanding of theological education. Without these, it is difficult for any project to survive more than a few years.
A frequent objection regarding denominational and interdenominational seminaries is that, while they may enjoy more stability and resources, they tend to limit academic freedom because of their confessional commitments. This tension—between institutional support and intellectual autonomy—is real. Yet it is also important to remember that every educational institution operates from a guiding vision or worldview. Catholic theological faculties, for instance, which are often integrated into state-recognized universities, must meet both academic and magisterial standards. They are no less confessional for being academically rigorous.
Conclusion
Given all that was discussed, there is an urgent need for systematic, quantitative research on the phenomena recently described —data on the number of Protestant and Evangelical seminaries established in recent years, the academic qualifications of their faculty, their publication output, student graduation rates, and the long-term trajectories of their graduates.
Such research would provide a clearer picture of these seminaries and their evolution in Latin America, especially regarding institutional development and sustainability. At present, this remains an almost unexplored field, and this lack of data poses serious methodological challenges for anyone seeking to analyze it properly.
Still, while the current situation is concerning, this concern should be tempered with perspective. The historical Protestant denominations possess a significant opportunity: to build strong, durable educational projects that could meaningfully contribute to theological reflection and production in the Global Christianity.
It has been several decades since liberation theologies first emerged in Latin America—movements that, regardless of one’s theological stance toward them, demonstrated that our continent can produce intellectually vigorous and contextually relevant theology. Coupled with the fact that Spanish is the world’s second most spoken language, this should remind us that Latin America remains a fertile ground for the flourishing of theological ideas that speak meaningfully to our troubled times.
Notes
[I] Presbyterians of various branches, Reformed Baptists, Reformed Pentecostals, Anglicans, and others.
[II] In the North American context, one way to determine whether a seminary meets minimum academic standards is to check whether it is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS). Some may question the rigor of certain ATS-accredited institutions, but it remains the official benchmark.
[III] A separate but related issue concerns the generally weak training offered in biblical studies—especially in exegesis and ancient languages—throughout Latin American theological education.
[IV] Examples include the Universidad Evangélica de las Américas and the Universidad Bíblica Latinoamericana in Costa Rica; the Martin Luther King Jr. University in Nicaragua; and the Corporación Universitaria Reformada in Colombia, among others.
[V] Regional examples include denominational seminaries such as the Seminario Teológico Bautista (Chile), the Centro de Estudios Pastorales (CEP), and the Seminario Teológico Presbiteriano IPCH.
[VI] For instance, the Comunidad Teológica Evangélica (Chile) and similar collaborative networks across the continent.
[VII] Examples include the Instituto Bíblico Nacional (Chile), the Seminario Teológico Reformado (Chile), and the Seminario Martin Bucer.
Dr. Rev. Gonzalo David: Doctor in Philosophy, Université de Montpellier Paul-Valéry, France. Doctor in Theology, Faculté de théologie protestante de Montpellier, France. Research Fellow – Neo-Calvinism Research Institute. Theological University Utrecht.
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