Here are some things the folks who encourage young people who are called to ministry not to major in religious studies before going to seminary are not telling them:

First, majoring in religious studies (including religious education and youth ministry tracks) or religion and philosophy prepares students to excel in seminary better than any other undergraduate majors. The data show this, and I have heard this from hundreds of students who have excelled in seminary with religious studies backgrounds. Coming into seminary with experience with biblical exegesis, a grasp of church history and theology, and an understanding of the interplay between theology and philosophy provides students with an academic background that allows them to hit the ground running and to deepen their understanding even more fully in seminary.

Second, most religious studies majors are structured in such a way that one can easily pursue a second major and/or one or two minors – so it is not an either/or situation of majoring in religion or something else. It is not difficult to major in both religion and something else.

Third, there are significant amounts of scholarship money designated for religious studies majors at religiously affiliated institutions. In many cases full-tuition scholarships are available for pre-seminary students majoring in religion, and these religious studies scholarships are not always limited to persons on the pre-seminary track!

Fourth, your chances of receiving the best scholarships and fellowships in seminary increase significantly with a background in religious studies. Some of these fellowships are full tuition plus large stipends. Your chances of graduating from seminary with little to no debt are enhanced greatly by doing well in an undergraduate religious studies program.

Fifth, many religious studies departments have accelerated program agreements with seminaries, and you can complete your overall plan of study in your pursuit of a seminary degree as much as a full year faster than if you majored in another field in college. This represents a significant savings in time and money.

Finally, if you decide to major in religious studies in college, you should never feel like your only option is to go to seminary or to go into some other form of professional ministry. As mentioned before, many religious studies majors have a double major and/or complete minors, plus you learn to think critically, develop your writing skills, and gain cross-cultural understanding, all of which are helpful for a wide range of vocations. Religion majors go into many different fields besides ordained or other professional forms of ministry.

If you are a student discerning a call to ministry, I hope you will consider these points, and if you decide to major in something else before going to seminary, that is okay too, but it is always good to make a decision with as much accurate information as possible.