Written by: Hannah Johnson
Over the years, Southern Adventist University has been called “Southern Matrimonial College,” often by those specifically referring to the School of Religion.
In a recent interview with the Accent, Ilcias Vargas said that, as a junior theology major, he has been told that marriage is expected when pursuing a ministerial career.
“From time-to-time, professors will bring it up in class: ‘You are here on campus — [with] a lot of Christian women. Might as well take advantage of the opportunity,’” he said. “And I think it is legitimate to have that type of expectation.”
Vargas added that theology professors, conference leaders and other students sometimes put pressure on theology majors to pursue marriage. When interviewed by the Accent, numerous theology students said they feel pressure to marry because many believe having a spouse will bring work benefits.
Southern Theology Professor Stephan Bauer said it is possible to become ordained without saying “I do.” He added, however, that pastoral jobs in specific locations can be more accessible if the applicant is married.
“If there was pressure, the pressure would be more, ‘Go to seminary; we want you to come out married’ as the unwritten preference,” Bauer said. “The joke was you were sent to seminary not so much for your MDV (Master of Divinity) but for your MRS.”
This expectation has existed for many years and not just at Southern. Peter Flores, an alumnus of Walla Walla University, has also experienced this pressure while studying theology at that university. Flores is now currently attending the seminary program at Andrews University.
“The pressure didn’t come from a specific person,” Flores said. “It is just implied that if I were to get married, I would have better job opportunities in the field, and it pressured me to be in a relationship I didn’t want to be in at the time.”
Bauer said conferences will often send single pastors to churches that are less prejudiced against the idea of having an unmarried pastor. He added that some conferences have made it challenging to receive job opportunities as a single pastor because of that prejudice.
Vargas said the question of whether or not the applicant is married or seeking a relationship is sometimes brought up during the interviewing process.
Flores added, “There’s a certain pressure for any guy to get married, but I don’t think that stems from the theology department itself. I think that stems more from the employment possibilities outside.”
Bauer said that conferences in the Southern Union have adapted to the thought of employing more single pastors and have become more accepting of them, especially in comparison to a few decades ago.
“While there are benefits for people in the ministry to be married and have someone by their side for emotional support, providing advice for family and even relating to certain people in the church, I don’t see it as a requirement based on biblical standards,” Vargas said.
Bauer provided information within Timothy and Titus that discuss whether one has to be married to become a pastor or an elder. I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 go over the qualifications of an elder, with one of the qualifications being a husband of one wife.
“I believe that the husband of one wife is indicating that he should be a model of sexual morality, not that he should be married,” Bauer said. “People who don’t read the text carefully, with that depth, will interpret that text that the pastor should be married.”
