One of my favourite malapropisms is the phrase ‘Theological Cemetery’. The deadening effect of too much theology, especially of the liberal or neo-orthodox type, seems well evoked in the picture of theological students heading not for a lively lecture where the Scriptures are made clear but for the quietness of a graveyard. Any similarity between the two words, however, is purely accidental, although both find their roots in Latin.
Seminary is from the Latin seminarium, which means seed-plot, and the word can refer to a piece of ground for sowing and growing plants intended for later transplanting. Interestingly the word nursery is used in a similar way – a place where young plants, as well as young children, are nourished. By extension a seminary can be something similar for the breeding of animals.
By analogy the word was extended as a figure for a place of origin and early development or cultivation, an abundant source for something. In the sixteent century it came to be used for various educational institutions (‘Three little maids who, all unwary, Come from a ladies’ seminary’ wrote W S Gilbert), especially Roman Catholic Colleges for training priests to ‘evangelise England’. Despite that last unwelcome overtone the word eventually won out as a term for evangelical colleges training men for the ministry and is retained today by institutions such as London Theological Seminary, Westminster Theological Seminary, etc. It is a good choice of word as what we trust our seminaries are doing is to provide ‘seedbeds’ for the cultivation of godly and wise ministers. We trust they are breeding men who can be transplanted to church situations where they will thrive and be productive.
The word cemetery is also Latin, but Mediaeval, and conceals a very interesting concept. It comes ultimately from the Greek word for a dormitory (the word koiman means to put to sleep. The word was once spelt in English coemetery). In other words a cemetery is not a place of the dead so much as of those who are sleeping. The New Testament speaks of death for the Christian in these terms, falling asleep in Jesus. It is even said that early Christians would say ‘Good night’ to dying brothers and sisters so sure were they of their coming resurrection. Are we as sure?
So the next time you pray for the young man in the theological seminary or pass the local cemetery think rather of the young man in the theological seedbed or stud-farm and the local dormitory or barracks.
