Homemaking courses: A waste of seminary resources?
Thanks to reader Andrea for passing along this interesting piece from the Associated Press:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary offers course work in Greek and Hebrew, archaeology, the philosophy of religion and -- starting this fall -- how to cook and sew.Southwestern Baptist, one of the nation's largest Southern Baptist seminaries, is introducing a new academic program in homemaking as part of an effort to establish what its president calls biblical family and gender roles.
It will offer a bachelor of arts degree in humanities with a 23-hour concentration in homemaking. The program is open only to women.
Coursework will include seven hours of nutrition and meal preparation, seven hours of textile design and "clothing construction," three hours of general homemaking, three hours on "the value of a child" and three hours on the "biblical model for the home and family."
Seminary officials say the main focus of the courses is on hospitality in the home -- teaching women interior design as well as how to sew and cook. Women also study children's spiritual, physical and emotional development.
Yet the program is raising eyebrows among some Southern Baptists, who say a degree concentration in how to be a Christian housewife is not useful and a waste of seminary resources.
Wives of seminary students asked for the homemaking courses, said Seminary President Paige Patterson, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Seminary trustees approved the program in the fall.
"We are moving against the tide in order to establish family and gender roles as described in God's word for the home and the family," Patterson said at the denomination's annual meeting in June. "If we do not do something to salvage the future of the home, both our denomination and our nation will be destroyed."
While you all know I'm not a big proponent of the modern college experience in general and think that there are many ways to learn to be a skilled homemaker without getting a degree in homemaking, I applaud Southwestern Baptist for this move and for realizing that without a strong family unit, nothing else in this world will be strong - including churches.
What are your thoughts on a program like this?
Related: Christina sent me her blog post on this subject. She says:
Personally, I feel that the best situation is for women to learn these domestic skills from their mothers or other Titus 2 women. Sometimes, this is not always possible, and for those ladies who are going to go to college, I feel it is nice that they have an alternative to the regular college majors. I think it is wonderful that a man can study for the ministry, and a woman can learn more about her God-given role as wife, mother, and homemaker. Rather than only having career-driven majors, I am glad that women have a domestic choice.
posted by Crystal Paine at 8:56 AM
37 Comments:
I blogged about this last night, and I thought it was really interesting. I do like the idea because many women simply do not have the option to learn this stuff from their mothers or other women. And perhaps this program will inspire women to stay home--they may be curious about it, try the course, and realize that there's a lot more to homemaking than darning socks. ;)
Also, if a woman can't get over her "what if" fears (what if hubby leaves, dies, becomes disabled) and they want her to have some academic degree just in case, the nutrition and child-care portions of the course would serve her in good standing if she needed to enter the workforce in the future.
I would take courses like this in a heartbeat. I have a wonderful mother, but she went back to work when I was five and didn't have the time or the inclination to teach me such things. I am now learning from her as an adult, but it would be amazing to take classes!!
Leigh :)
I think it is some of the best news I've heard. To clearly define and set the gender roles and make the line more clear is worthy to be applauded. I believe America needs to go back to this....you can hardly tell what is male and female these days, sadly to say even in the "church world" there are blurring of the lines.
I suppose if a woman wants to take these courses, then it's good that they're available. However, I take issue with the fact that they are open ONLY to women. Not all men at Southwestern are married. My husband wasn't when he went there. Men should be allowed the option of learning to cook and sew for themselves.
Southwestern is becoming way too dogmatic, IMO. Many Southern Baptists are losing confidence in the leadership there. I was livid when they fired a female Hebrew professor because she's female. They said that a woman shouldn't be teaching future pastors. Nevermind that those future pastors didn't speak/read Hebrew, but she did.
And then there was the speaker they ushered out of chapel for mentioning that he sometimes spoke in tongues when he prayed...
Obviously, I have some very strong opinions regarding Southwestern these days.
I think this is a wonderful idea. My husband is a seminary graduate, and if this degree had been available while he was in school, I would have signed up for it. I feel this course would have been a valuable addition to the cooking, sewing, and homemaking skills I learned from my mom while I was growing up. I applaud
Paige Patterson and the seminary officials who agreed to meet the desires and needs of the wives of their students.
I think its great!
I think these courses would be great for some students, men included!
I think this is a great idea!
Valerie
I think this is wonderful. Many young women have parents who do not consider not going to college an option. So, even if you disagree w/their position, if you are under their authority, you must go.
This is a great way to gain practical experience and still satisfy their desire for you to have a degree.
I was a student at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC while Paige Patterson was still President there. I studied for a M.A. in Biblical Counseling. I remember some of my classmates were studying for the M.Div in Women's Studies and that was a very academic program (Greek, Hebrew, Theology, etc.) As a side note: it wasn't "feminist" in any way and was very biblical. There was also a certificate program for pastor's wives that included classes very similar to what you are talking about. It looks like they took the certificate program and made it into a full degree. I could've benefitted from such a program because I am domesticaly challenged sometimes even though I stay home with my son. I would even audit those courses if I could. I think it is cool what they are doing.
My whole degree from college is in home ec and I loved it. I did not have a domestic-type mom, even though she was a "homemaker". The things I learned in those courses have come in handy over and over since then. My college no longer offers a major in Home Ec, which saddens me. Go Southwestern!
I think it is great. So many of us did not learn how to be homemakers from our mothers, who in all fairness did not learn from theirs either! As for the university not opening this up to men as well...I think the reason is obvious when they stated their desire to show clear gender roles as laid out in Scripture. I applaud them for that. In a society that wants everything "equal", when Scripture clearly lays out seperate roles, it is refreshing to see a university take such a strong, biblical stand! On a side note, The Master's College in Southern California offers a similar degree.
Although I do not agree with universities teaching these things, (it really should be moms) I think Paige Patterson has made an excellent statement. Good for him to have the courage to make this bold stand.
I think this is wonderful too. They are taking a stand for something that is becoming lost to many young women in this world.
I am in my 40's and yet I did not have the opportunity to be blessed by my mother in these areas (nor my grandmother). My mother was a single working mother doing the best she could to survive and simply didn't have the time or the depth in such skills.
Also, perhaps hard to believe, but I was a member of a church for 20 years that never had a strong stance on Titus 2 women so there was no teaching or passing down of such needed and helpful knowledge.
Fast forward to today where it seems that it is scary to say the least - that most women leave the home not knowing how to care for themselves, nevermind being able to care for a husband or family. I am sure there are areas of the country that this is not the case, but I would say sadly that those who are trained at home are in the minority, not the majority.
Even at my age I would love to be schooled by someone/or a teacher in being a homemaker as I love to learn and I think there is still so much to know that I already didn't learn on my own accord. I have been a homemaker for over 16 years & I still have much to learn!
WOW!!!! I really don't know what to think. I will say that just about every pastor's wife I know,myself included, with very few exceptions, has to work to make ends meet. Therefore, a degree of this nature wouldn't be beneficial in the workforce.
Not that it is not beneficial. Thankfully, I had a mom who taught me these things, along with other ladies who 'took me under their wing'.
I am sure this will be a nice money-making opportunity for the seminary as well, having both husband and wife pursuing seminary educations. Especially, considering most graduates of seminaries come out with at least $20,000 in student loans (becuase churches nowadays insist upon at least one graduate degree from their pastoral staff).
Talk about having a hard time paying those back as a single income pastor. Thus, the reason many pastors' wives have to work.
Please stop by this post on my blog for something I have for you.
http://godslightuponme.blogspot.com/2007/08/nice-matters.html
I wish something like this would have been available for myself when I attended college. While, unlike Crystal, I do feel that a college education can be important, not necessary, but important. I am a home-maker, with a degree in Education. I feel such a huge success in having that degree with my name on it. It was what I did for myself before I started having children.
I'll admit there were times when I was in college that I wondered what I was doing there. I knew that my goal in life was to be a mommy and a wife, so sometimes studying felt like a waste of time. It would have been wonderful to also study home-making skills at the same time. I could have been earning my degree and preparing for my role as a wife and mother.
Thanks Crystal, and although we think differently about the college issue, I love your blog, and read it daily.
If my parents require me to go to college, I would like to major in something of that sort. But, I do not know how useful it would be if ever I had a need to enter the workforce.
However, if my parents do not feel that a degree is neccesary, I would be quite content to live those skills out every day. I know many home economics majors who, at their current sophmore year, are less capable of taking care of a home than I am after practicing at home for one to two years! They live in a dormitory, eat from a cafeteria, etc. There classes are good stuff to learn, but not used as practically as they could be if at home.
I have been quite blessed by your blog! Thank you so much for the example you have been to me, even though I have never commented before!
MMM... not so sure about this one. I started out as a Home Ec major in college, and then switched because I figured that the things I was learning in the classroom were things that I could learn for the rest of my life. It sounds great on paper, but after a semester of ridiculous "home decorating" files and other really silly fluff projects, I decided to change my major to education. I personally think that it is a waste of money and academic opportunity.
I think that it's fantastic. We all know that not everyone has the desire to pursue a college degree and many feel as though there's nothing in higher education for them to gain...or even aspire to. A program such as this gives women who are interested a chance to actually gain confidence in developing these skills, connect with like-minded ladies, and the most important thing - have their role as homemakers validated. In a society that doesn't always express its appreciation for (or consideration of) the homemaker, these courses are refreshing!
While I 'applaud' their decision on one hand, I must admit that I also am one that takes issue with it ONLY being open to women. I am a mother with ONLY two SONS! We'd love to have more children; however, the Lord has chosen to only give us two sons. I have often pondered how much they should be taught to do within the home -- 'homemaking skills' and dh and I have had frequent conversations about this.
Honestly, dh was raised with WAY MORE homemaking skills than I was. He was taught to cook, clean, sew, etc. He's a FABULOUS homemaker! LOL Whereas, I didn't learn anything growing up! He has taught me and continues to teach me so much about keeping our home. He's a wonderful leader this way and really has 'trained' me so much! It has made our relationship so much more closer because he's never judged me, but has patiently taught me and worked through things with me. I DID take Home Ec in high school, but I was 'busy' and just never really got into it and never did it at home either. Without his help, I couldn't be the wife I am today.
I hope that some day my boys will be able to live on their own and have good housekeeping/ home ec skills until they're married. Then, if/when they are married -- if they're wife isn't that skilled, I hope they can be as patient and loving and gentle with their wives as my husband has been with me.
I think the class SHOULD be open to men as well, and I think it can be without 'confusing' the gender roles!
Debi :-)
This is certainly not a waste of time! Not every young lady has the opportunity to be taught such skills by her mom for various reasons. How discouraging that some believers are opposed to these classes. These are skills that must be taught by someone - preferably a young lady's mother. As this is not always possible, these classes will provide such training. We, as ladies, do not come into the world instinctively knowing how to cook, clean, sew, organize, manage time, entertain, decorate, understand child development, etc.
How sad that even Christians view homemaking skills as unworthy of supporting financially. I hope that these courses will end up being offered instead of removed.
Rachel
I think its great. This isn't the first program I've seen like this. Its a Home Economics major and its been around in various universities for decades. In fact, it used to be very common for women who attended college to major in Home Ec.
My mom never paid the bills- dad took care of that, and frankly, I never learned how until I got married. And now, I'm helping my husband by taking care of the bills. I can't manage money very well, and a home economic class or two on this subject might've helped me.
Of course, men should be allowed to take the courses. I think its rather sexist to suggest that men have no business learning how to cook. Men are staying single far longer these days and most men dont' want to live off of mac and cheese, KWIM?
What an awesome thing! This is the kind of stuff that I'm begining to hear which gives me hope that the Lord would revive His people to no longer be a reproach but to bring Him glory in our homes. And as the saying goes, "As the home goes so goes the nation."
I truly do believe, as strange as the battleplan may sound, our hope in this nation for deliverance from the destruction the enemy brings is in the return of the Christian wife to her home and her God designed role. We left for "liberation" making God's plan out to be evil and all we got was bondage. May God grant us repentance and give us back our homes for His glory!
Personally I would not spend thousands of dollars on home making courses, neither would my parents, as we did on my undergraduate and graduate studies.
If it's a matter of learning "homemaking" skills, there are far cheaper alternatives, especially in the US.
Ideally, Titus 2 should be our model and I find this most effective. Yet, we can choose to sharpen those skills through other venues. For example, my mother taught me to sew at an early age. At my public high school I sharpened those skills.
Let us remember, we bring don't bring glory to our homes by the skill of our hands, but by the humility of our hearts.
I can think of several jobs off the top of my head that would be flexible and work as "getting by" jobs, for which this course would be useful--all jobs that I've had. Nursing home work (in the kitchen--what would be the nutrition part of the course), child care (the child-care part of the course, or even the nutrition one), and cook or kitchen assistant in a school, camp, or retreat center.
No, it wouldn't work for a high-powered, high-paying career, but that's not what a mom wanting to be home would be after anyway. ;)
As a wife of a Southern Baptist seminary student, I was glad to see the courses offered at Southwestern. Many times, husbands are called into ministry and families move to seminary, where a husband may receive wonderful ministry training while a wife, who will be an integral part of her husband's ministry, will not recieve any training.
Of course, I prefer the Titus 2 model, in the context of the local church, (and would prefere the same type in-church training for pastors as well, but that's another subject) but many of these types of courses are taught by "Titus 2" older women who now have the time and experience to pour into the next generation of pastor's wives.
As far as costs of the courses, wives may recieve a substantial discount for courses if their husbands are enrolled as well... some seminaries even offer free tuition for spouses.
Anyway, I would be happy to learn from older, more experienced women- whether it be my own mother or another woman gifted in these areas- how to better serve my husband, children, and church from within my home. Thanks so much for this post!
Everyone at my blog thinks that this development is ridiculous.
If a woman wants to learn Biblical languages and systematic theology and apply herself to the rigors of seminary work, wonderful! But for a woman to sequester herself on a seminary campus for the sake of things that she could learn just as easily from her mother, aunts, or grandmother (or Crystal's blog for that matter) is just so silly.
Southern Baptist seminary would do well to focus its attention on developing women for appropriate service in the Church rather than removing them from the time-honored relationships and structures that teach women how to cook, sew, and clean. You just don't need a seminary degree for homemaking.
While I agree that, indeed, the homemaking skills are best learned with hands-on experience, at home, many women do not have that option. I know many wonderful young women who have career-oriented mothers and most certainly will not teach them how to be good homemakers. It could be a good option for them, providing that the spirit on the campus isn't like the usual college experience.
I agree with ewok girl. I have no problem with these courses being available, but I do have a problem with them only being open to women. Isn’t that gender discrimination?! Although maybe they can do whatever they want since they’re a private college.
I’m not sure why people think only women should learn these things. Even if the woman will be staying home, it would be helpful for the man to know basic nutrition and childcare skills, just like it’s helpful for the women to know what’s going on with the finances. Also, not everyone gets married at a young age. A man who lives on his own for several years would need to learn how to cook and clean.
I’m also not sure why so many people tend to lump childrearing and housework together. Both conservative Christians and feminists tend to do this. Christians tend to elevate housework to something more than it is, and feminists tend to degrade childrearing and write it off as a “drudgery” akin to housework.
Raising a child is one of the most important things anyone can ever do. Housework is a necessity (I would say drudgery) that I would gladly pay someone else to do if I could afford it. The wife has traditionally done most of the housework and cooking simply because she’s at home and has more time. Nothing wrong with that – the husband is certainly busy working during the day. But women are not biologically programmed to be good at cooking and cleaning. Men are perfectly capable of learning these things. Women are biologically programmed to breastfeed and to bond with their children and nurture them in a way that men cannot. (Not that men don’t bond with their children, of course – they just do so in a different way). I think there’s a lot of confusion when people lump childrearing (a supremely important vocation) with housework (a necessity, certainly, and not unimportant, but it pales in comparison with the importance of raising a child).
Sarahndipity: I would disagree that keeping a home is not a noble thing. Why? Because if we are doing it to bless our husband, to provide a haven for our family, for those hurting in our community and churches, a shelter for the needy, etc., that is not "drudgery" or something we should just view as a difficult necessity or burden we must bear.
In this day and age, we've lost sight of the nobility of home - of the incredible potential for ministry that we can have from our home and in our home. In seeing our homes as a center for outreach, for ministry, and for evangelism, we can glorify the Lord profoundly in tasks like cooking and cleaning which others might deem "menial."
Just to clarify, I'm not saying that men can't participate in housework. My husband is great at helping at with things and I'm most certainly going to teach at least basic cooking, cleaning, etc. skills to my sons so that they can also know how to do these things for their future.
But, as keepers of our home, I believe it is our responsibility to do everyday tasks - like cooking and cleaning - to the glory of the Lord, to bless our families, and make our home a haven for all those who would enter its doors. There is great nobility in that!
I agree with those that said that this course should be open to men and women.
I also wonder what housekeeping skills have to do with the ministry. I understand the importance of child development and hospitality courses and how they relate to a life of ministry but where does sewing and cooking fit in? I agree with Sarahndipity, housework and raising a family are two different things. Being a parent is a calling, mopping the floor is a chore. I have been surprised to see so many blogs that have elevated housework. I don't think that the woman who does her own housecleaning or sewing is a better woman, wife and Christian than the woman who pays somebody else to clean and shops for bargains.
Crystal,
I just wanted to add...that I think there is a huge difference in being a Keeper at Home and doing housework. Keeping a home is so much more than the housework it is an attitude and a spirit. I feel that it is my responsiblity to provide a safe haven for my husband and my family whether I stay home full time or I work outside the home full time. It doens't matter I vaccume, dust pays the bills or grocery shop if my attitude is not uplifitng to my husband then I am not doing my job.
Kyla, you are absolutely right that glorifying the Lord through being a keeper at home is so much more than washing dirty dishes and scrubbing toilets. However, for most of us, it includes that and I believe we can glorify the Lord through those things when we are doing it with, as you said, with a right attitude. That's what I wanted to point out. It's all in the attitude, isn't it?! :)
As a recent college student and the new wife of a SWBTS college student, I can't say how glad I am that Southwestern has taken a stand and started this program.
When I first started taking classes at a small Christian college in Dallas, I wished that I could take homemaking courses as well or instead of my theology and biblical courses. I'm very thankful for the knowledge and growth those classes gave me, but I knew I was only going to be in college for a season, and that I wanted to prepare myself as much as possible for being a wife and mother.
Thankfully, I had a mother who trained me very well before college and even during, since I chose to stay at home under my father's authority, even though that meant a 100 mile commute 3 days a week.
If there were a program out there like this before I got married, I would have definitely taken the opportunity to learn from it. Even now, I'm planning on sitting in on the first class the college is offering this semester. It's the introductory class to the course, and I hope it will be encouraging and a help to me as I serve my husband in our home.
Thanks for posting on this and making our opinions known about this subject, all the naysayers need to here how much it's needed.
I think I would have greatly benefited from such a course. While I have a great mother, she was mostly a working mom who didn't sew, bake, etc. These are things I have had to learn on my own as a married woman. I don't think I would have ever actually pursued a degree like this, I would appreciate taking the occasional class or two.
Religious affiliation/denomination aside, I think this is an excellent option...and I agree with the other commenters who've stated men should be allowed in also. It's not about the gender role, but about single folks being able to provide for themselves, and not every man finds the right bride right off the bat from college either.
I wish this had been available to me during my college years. Even though I planned on a career, my eventual goal was to be a SAHM just like my mother. The problem? My mom's culinary skills run more to microwaving than home-made meals, she can crochet like a fiend but not sew more than a button or patch, and other such skills just aren't her forte. I would have enjoyed these classes, and frankly, still would! Hmmm...is this degree available through distance education? If it were to be, I'd say SIGN ME UP! Many women today could use these classes and would enjoy them, whether they were SAHMs, WAHMs, or career-focused women. It never hurts to have more knowledge under your belt.
Post a Comment
<< Home