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Luther Rice

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by Pastor Shaun, Apr 13, 2008.

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  1. Pastor Shaun

    Pastor Shaun New Member

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    I really like what I see at LRU. One of the sharpest guys I know is an alumni there. I am also a Charles Stanley fan. Does anyone know why they aren't RA? Have they ever been and what are they chances they will be? Are they pursuing it?

    Any other good thoughts on Luther Rice?
     
    #1 Pastor Shaun, Apr 13, 2008
  2. StefanM

    StefanM Well-Known Member
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    They recently applied for RA and were rejected. When I spoke to them last year, they said that the plan was to reapply in a few years.
     
    #2 StefanM, Apr 13, 2008
  3. Broadus

    Broadus Member

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    I am of mixed views when it comes to Luther Rice, having earned an MDiv and DMin there and then another entire MDiv and PhD from SBTS. For distance learning, it is pretty good. However, I found its requirements fairly weak when compared to SBTS.

    The RA thing has been an ongoing disappointment. They've been seeking SACS accreditation since the mid-1980's.

    Bill
     
    #3 Broadus, Apr 15, 2008
  4. Rhetorician

    Rhetorician Administrator
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    Broadus (Bill) Response

    Hey Bill,

    I hope to see you at the "Broadus" Symposium planned at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for Sept 8 & 9? All of our contributors to the Broadus volume are supposed to be on the program. Also, Tom Nettles has just submitted his mss, a new Boice monograph, to a publisher and another prof is writing a new history of Southern. This is FYI!

    To the question on the thread:

    I graduated from Mid America Baptist Seminary in the mid 80s with a Diploma of Theology later to be changed to an Associate of Divinity (96 sem hrs./same as an MDiv at the time with minor adjustments).

    I went on to Mid South Bible College to get my BSc. The name of the college was later changed when the president, Dr. Jim Crichton--a great DTS scholar, preacher, and college prof/president, died.

    Both schools went through the "RA (SACS) accreditation dance." Both were eventually accredited by SACS. The major issues seemed to be: endowment, library resources, number of full time professors, number of professors with terminal degrees, internal study apparatus, and on and on and on. Let the record show that; "terminal earned degrees"--Doctor of Ministry degrees, can be counted if earned from a RA school. But most institutions opt for the PhD or ThD degrees b/c of their status as a "research degree" rather than a "ministerial" or "practitioner" degree. This seems to give more credibility to the school, if only in the school's mind?!

    As you can imagine, all of these issues take major bucks. Just the self studies thing alone can take two to three full time people with a high degree of specialization, education, and experience to do such work. In some spheres this is called "Institutional Effectiveness."

    Now, that is not to even mention all of the other things I have cited above. Another thing that comes to mind. Sometimes when a school it trying to get (or keep) the RA it is because they are using an inordinate amount of adjunct profs. There is even a ratio of full time to part-time adjuncts for those sorts of thing.

    So anyway, it is not hard to see why and how it is so difficult to get (and keep) the RA status from a group like SACS. And by the way, anecdotally from my small observations, SACS seems to be the most demanding or idiosyncratic.

    My two cents worth!:laugh:

    "That is all!":thumbs:
     
    #4 Rhetorician, Apr 15, 2008
  5. Pastor Shaun

    Pastor Shaun New Member

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    Rhetorician,

    So If someone were to study for the DMIN at LRU then could they be hired to work at an RA school? How would their DMIN look in the eyes of a RA seminary? Could they actually call them self a "Doctor of Ministry" or what causes people to look down at accredited schools compared to RA schools. I know that Dr. Charles Stanley is a graduate of LRU.
     
    #5 Pastor Shaun, Apr 15, 2008
  6. Broadus

    Broadus Member

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    Shaun,

    Rhet can join in, but please allow me to offer an opinion. I doubt very seriously that earning a DMin from Luther Rice will get one hired at an RA institution. Actually, a DMin is seen as a practical degree, whereas a PhD is seen as an academic/research degree.

    It is difficult to get a teaching job at any RA seminary with a DMin, not that it cannot be done. Rhet has a DMin, but his is more academically/research focused than the typical DMin. Still, most who teach in RA institutions with a DMin are either quite well known for their pastoral experience or are college or seminary chaplains.

    As a matter of fact, garnering a PhD does not guarantee one a teaching position. There are more PhD's than there are positions available.

    Charles Stanley's doctorate is actually a ThD, but, for all practical purposes, it is equivalent to a DMin. LRS did not offer the DMin initially, IIRC. Their doctorate has always been directed toward the practice of ministry rather than to the academic side of theological study.

    Best,
    Bill
     
    #6 Broadus, Apr 15, 2008
  7. Rhetorician

    Rhetorician Administrator
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    Shaun Response!!!

    Shaun,

    I concur with Broadus completely.:laugh:

    "That is all!"
     
    #7 Rhetorician, Apr 15, 2008
  8. Siberian

    Siberian New Member

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    I talked with LRU about this just a month ago, and they still have SACS in their sights - but no specific time-scale. They are doing what they can to qualify, and if they keep on that road they will eventually achieve RA.

    As for the quality of LRU - I have been working on an MDiv through LRU for the last year and I find them fairly good. There are classes that I have been totally disappointed with for lacking rigor - but most of the classes have been good. Also, I have been in communication with a few RA seminaries who will consider the LRU MDiv for entrance to their DMin program. One example is Baptist Bible Seminary in Clark Summit (though they are RA, they are not ATS).
     
    #8 Siberian, Apr 17, 2008
  9. Broadus

    Broadus Member

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    When I first started with then LRS way back in 1982, they had "SACS in their sights." Rhet may be right by saying that SACS has the highest standards of the six regional accrediting agencies. I simply don't know. I do know that Luther Rice has made dedicated efforts for SACS accreditation, but to no avail. Some have claimed that their finances remain too uncertain; others that the library is too small. I don't know what the issue is.

    I agree with these assessments. Of course, you can have courses anywhere which have lacked rigor, but I think the statement about some courses at LRU is fair. BTW, I know of a student several years ago who had an LRU undergrad degree and was accepted, on probation, to SBTS's MDiv program.

    Bill
     
    #9 Broadus, Apr 18, 2008
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