Where Everybody's Crazy

There are some things I like about this country, and some things I don't like.

A conversation with my pastor today:

S: We need to start recruiting a new generation of pastors. Perhaps we should connect with some Bible colleges and offer exchange programmes or something like that?

P: Well, yes, but if we did that, we'd have to decide upon what sort of theological position we want to take as a denomination.

S: Eh, aren't there any non-denominational Bible colleges?

P: There are plenty of colleges which are not run by or supported by denominations, but even they all have their own particular theological perspectives.

S: What?

Time passes. A light dawns.

S: So, Japan is a group-culture society, right? In, let's say, a university politics department, would you have people of different political opinions?

P: Of course not. The kyoujukai (professors' group) gets to decide on any new faculty members, and they would only accept people who they knew they would get along with. So generally they would choose their own disciples, people they'd taught. And if you disagree with an important professor, then your academic career is basically over. You basically have to go to the States and become a professor there.

S: And it's the same in Bible colleges? You only ever get staff who have the same theological position as each other?

P: Right.

Maybe I'm just being an arrogant Westerner here, but if you can't have free intellectual debate in your universities, what the hell is the point of having them?