United Methodist Seminary Plans To Train Members of Other Religions

by Matt Slick

The United Methodist Church is not known for its dedication to Christian orthodoxy. So, when we find one of its affiliated schools promoting heresy, we shouldn't be surprised. The Claremont School of Theology (founded in 1885 in Claremont, Claremont, CA) that is connected to the United Methodist Church is going to start educating unbelievers in their false religious systems.

On the Claremont School of Theology website (cst.edu) we find an article titled "The University Project at Claremont School of Theology."1 In it we find a goal to "rethink classical models of theological education." Consider the following quotes from the article.

"the Board of Trustees voted in March 2008 to set in motion the University Project as a means to rethink classical models of theological education in an effort to promote interreligious cooperation and ethical integrity in the training of religious leaders for a variety of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and others."2
"We envision a model of theological education in which students are educated rigorously and intensively in their own religious traditions and in contact with the other religious traditions that are thriving throughout our society. We aim to instill our students with a strong sense of their own religious identities3

The article goes on to say that the University Project aims to teach students to recognize the integrity of their own traditions as well as that of others.

How much more can be said? The University Project is an unbiblical endeavor to be politically correct. The problem with other religious systems is they don't save. Without trust and faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ alone, who is God in flesh, there is no hope of salvation. Therefore, all other religious systems have no integrity since they are ultimately false systems. The goal of Christians is to evangelize those lost in false religious systems and preach to them the saving message found in Jesus Christ -- not help them find the integrity in their own error.