I had the pleasure today of hearing Jim Garretson lecture on Archibald Alexander and the connection of piety and theology in Old Princeton.  Jim is convinced that a failure to pay attention to practical piety in the lives of seminary professors and pastors is as much to blame for institutional and ecclesiastical decline as anything, albeit that this is impossible to assess in any empirical fashion.  I have to say that he makes a convincing and personally convicting case.

Those interested in the issue of piety, theological training and church ministry might wish to obtain two new publications which Jim has edited for Banner of Truth (so new that they do not even appear to be in the Banner catalogue, so I cannot give a weblink):

Pastor-Teachers of Old Princeton.   This is a collection of memorial addresses for professors of Old Princeton, from Archibald Alexander to Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield.  I have a copy.  Beautifully produced, as one expects from BoT, and not a facsimile, so attractively typeset.

Princeton and the Work of the Christian Ministry.  This is a collection of addresses and articles by Faculty and friends of PTS.   Unlike the above, I do not have a copy of this two volume set (yet!) but David Calhoun says in the promotional material that 'Scholars of Princeton will find these volumes instructive and insightful.  Pastors, elders, and seminary professors will be inspired and challenged.  And anyone who loves the church and wants to see it at its best will be encouraged and blessed.'