A third pathway to ordination has been gaining traction and warrants scaling up: customized learning. In these systems, a layperson discerning a call to ministry works with judicatory authorities to come up with a program that builds uniquely on what she already knows. Someone with an associate degree from a Bible college or a bachelor of arts in religious studies won’t need the same Bible basics as a person with no such background. Advanced training in areas such as history and counseling can be leveraged, too, until it’s clear exactly which gaps the candidate needs to fill academically and
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