Doctor of Theology (Latin : Doctor Theologiae, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a terminal degree in the academic discipline of theology. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the Doctor of Philosophy. [1] [2]
In the academic study of theology, often deeply rooted in the Christian religion, the nomenclature of doctoral degrees varies between Doctor of Theology, Doctor of Philosophy, and Doctor of Sacred Theology. However, Doctor of Ministry is generally understood as a professional doctorate, whereas Doctor of Divinity is academic doctorate in the UK and a honorary doctorate in the USA where it is often awarded as honoris causa.[ citation needed ]
In the United States, some of the older theological seminaries began offering the ThD as an equivalent to the research Doctor of Philosophy. In Princeton Theological Seminary, for example, this practice was inherited from the German system of education, since the professors involved in establishing the doctoral program were trained in German universities. Though the PhD was the doctorate of arts faculties in German universities (called the philosophy faculty in Germany, hence the Ph), Princeton Theological Seminary has since switched to using Doctor of Philosophy as its main designation. [3] A similar shift happened at Harvard Divinity School in 2015. [4] As of 2024, five Association of Theological Schools accredited schools currently accept students to ThD programs: Duke Divinity School, Kairos University (Evangelical Seminary), Northwest Nazarene University's Graduate School of Theology, Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary, and United Theological Seminary. [5]
Due to the secular push in doctoral studies, some ThD programs have moved to other known accreditation, like the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), or The Council of Private Colleges of America (CPCA). [6] [7] [8]
In the United Kingdom, the Doctor of Theology is a relatively new academic doctoral programme. [9] Certain universities have begun offering it as a form of research-based professional doctorate, not unlike the Doctor of Education. [10] To distinguish the more practical nature of the degree, some British universities have adopted the term Doctor of Practical Theology. [11]
Affiliated with the University of Toronto, the Toronto School of Theology (TST) is an ecumenical consortium of seven theological colleges. Its seven member schools are Emmanuel College, Knox College, Regis College, St. Augustine's Seminary, University of St. Michael's College Faculty of Theology, Trinity College Faculty of Divinity, and Wycliffe College.
A Doctor of Divinity is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. The term is more common in the English-speaking world than elsewhere. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the DD is usually a higher doctorate conferred upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction, usually for accomplishments beyond the PhD or ThD level. In the United States, the DD is generally an honorary degree. In Catholic universities, faculties of theology usually grant the degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD), rather than DD, but the DD may be awarded as an honorary degree.
For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and divinity schools.
The Graduate Theological Union (GTU) is a consortium of eight private independent American theological schools and eleven centers and affiliates. Seven of the theological schools are located in Berkeley, California. The GTU was founded in 1962 and their students can take courses at the University of California, Berkeley. Additionally, some of the GTU consortial schools are part of other California universities such as Santa Clara University and California Lutheran University. Most of the GTU consortial schools are located in the Berkeley area with the majority north of the campus in a neighborhood known as "Holy Hill" due to the cluster of GTU seminaries and centers located there.
B. H. Carroll Theological Institute is an accredited Christian Baptist institution in Irving, Texas with multiple sources of funding and a self-perpetuating board of governors. It is named after Benajah Harvey Carroll and teaches Baptist principles and practices. It operates in cooperation primarily with Baptist churches, and also cooperates with other Great Commission Christians. The institution offers classes in both conventional classroom settings and by innovative means. It trains students in "“teaching churches” located in multiple Texas cities, as well as through interactive lessons taught over the Internet", with 20 such "teaching churches" in operation throughout Texas as of November 2006. The school plans to focus on the use of distance education to make it easier for students to obtain theological education. As of 2006, the school's second year of operation, B. H. Carroll Theological Institute had 300 students taking courses and an additional 300 students auditing courses. Bruce Corley was Carroll's first president; Gene Wilkes is Carroll's second president.
Master of Theology is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a PhD program or as a stand-alone terminal degree depending on one's particular educational background and institution of study. In North America, the Th.M. typically requires at least three years of prerequisite graduate study for entrance into the program, typically a Master of Divinity or equivalent.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seminaries are educational institutions with an institutional or covenant relationship to the Presbyterian Church (USA), geared primarily towards the training of ministers. The seminaries are independent institutions but relate dynamically to the PC(USA) through the Committee on Theological Education, a committee of seminary presidents and ministers and elders from across the PC(USA). The Theological Education Fund (TEF) of the Presbyterian Foundation is the only denomination-wide funding system to support the schools.
A Master of Theological Studies (MTS) is a graduate degree, offered in theological seminary or graduate faculty of theology, which gives students lay training in theological studies. Under Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) standards, programs require graduates to have earned an accredited bachelor's degree or its equivalent. Programs usually require students to complete two years of full-time study or its equivalent to earn the degree. The degree can serve as preparation for entering a masters or doctoral program in theology (Th.D.), religion (Ph.D.), or a related subject, such as education, counseling, social sciences, or humanities.
Divinity is the study of Christian theology and ministry at a school, divinity school, university, or seminary. The term is sometimes a synonym for theology as an academic, speculative pursuit, and sometimes is used for the study of applied theology and ministry to make a distinction between that and academic theology.
The Doctor of Ministry is a professional doctorate, often including a research component, that may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in some form of ministry. It is categorized as an advanced program oriented toward ministerial and/or academic leadership. As a terminal professional doctorate, the Doctor of Ministry is primarily concerned with the "acquisition of knowledge and research skills, to further advance or enhance professional practice," and is, therefore, distinct from the Doctor of Philosophy in its aim. Some institutions offer Doctor of Ministry programs which are more akin to the Doctor of Theology, requiring a research component that constitutes the majority of the program.
Boston University School of Theology (STH) is the oldest theological seminary of American Methodism and the founding school of Boston University, the largest private research university in New England. It is one of thirteen theological schools maintained by the United Methodist Church. BUSTH is a member of the Boston Theological Institute consortium.
The Doctor of Practical Theology is a professional doctorate developed for those seeking to apply theological principles to their professional practice. It should not be confused with a Doctor of Philosophy in Practical Theology such as offered by Princeton Theological Seminary.
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) is a private Baptist seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary also houses an undergraduate college, Spurgeon College.
Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary is a Reformed seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Joel R. Beeke was the president of Puritan Reformed from 1995 to 2023 and currently serves as the chancellor, while Adriaan C. Neele serves as the president and Gerald M. Bilkes as the vice president. Founded by the Heritage Reformed Congregations in 1995, Puritan Reformed is a graduate school that offers both masters' and doctoral degrees. All of its faculty subscribe to the Three Forms of Unity and the Westminster Standards. Since 1998, the Free Reformed Churches of North America (FRCNA) has sent its theological students to Puritan Reformed.
The Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), is a Seventh-day Adventist graduate institution located in the Philippines, offering graduate degrees in Business, Education, Public health, and Theology. It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist education system, the world's second largest Christian school system.
Western Seminary is an interdenominational Evangelical Christian seminary with campuses in Portland, Oregon and San Jose, California. Western Seminary also has online-only degrees and programs and offers cohorts at partner churches around the U.S.
Northeastern Seminary (NES) is a private Wesleyan seminary on the campus of Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, New York. Though it is independent and multi-denominational in its approach to theological education it has strong affiliation with the Free Methodist Church. Degrees offered are the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, graduate-level certificates, and Doctor of Ministry; all master's degree programs are offered online. Students and graduates represent more than 30 Christian faith traditions.
Torch Trinity Graduate University is an evangelical graduate school and seminary in Yangjae-dong, Seocho District, Seoul, South Korea. It was formerly called Torch Trinity Graduate School of Theology (TTGST). The university commits itself to the cause of Christian missions, with an emphasis on training future leaders of the church from all over the world.
The Carolina Graduate School of Divinity was a divinity school in the evangelical tradition located in Greensboro, North Carolina. It opened as a branch campus of Houston Graduate School of Theology in 1994. The campus unlinked from HGST in 2003 and became Carolina Evangelical Divinity School. It was renamed Carolina Graduate School of Divinity in 2010 and in June 2016 ceased operations due to financial stress. The institution's official records are now held at the Houston Graduate School of Theology.
Asian Theological Seminary (ATS) is a theological seminary in Quezon City, Philippines.
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