I'm not here to learn anything new

At our orientation on Monday, our president Michael Milton said that we should not expect to learn anything new at seminary. I found a quote in the introduction to Calvin's Institutes that makes a very similar point:

"In theology there is, of course, no room for originality properly so called, for its whole materials are contained in the actual statements of God’s word; and he is the greatest and best theologian who has most accurately apprehended the meaning of the statements of Scripture—who, by comparing and combining them, has most fully and correctly brought out the whole mind of God on all the topics on which the Scriptures give us information—who classifies and digests the truths of Scripture in the way best fitted to commend them to the apprehension and acceptance of men—and who can most clearly and forcibly bring out their scriptural evidence, and most skillfully and effectively defend them against the assaults of adversaries” - William Cunningham

Theology, and pretty much everything else we learn at seminary, shouldn't be new or cutting-edge. These are ancient truths, based on the Word of God that never changes. Whether in school or church or our own personal lives, we get distracted by things that are new. We are looking for some new secret to life, some new key to unlock the truths of the Bible. What we really need is a hunger for the Bible. Only when we know these timeless truths will we be able to apply them to the world around us in timely ways.