D. Min. Teaching Opportunities?

Stefan,

You point out an interesting progression in the D.Min. degree. At one time, it seemed that all D.Min. programs functioned more like a fourth year of seminary - a little of this, a little of that!

But now some D.Min. programs have been developed that focus on only one topic, such as the ones at Gordon-Conwell.

 

This is true for the DMin at Southern. My DMin is in Expository Preaching and everything I have done is centered on that. I have not had to do a little of this and a little of that. It is one of the things I have really enjoyed about the program.

 

PastorSBC,

Me too!

 

Paul, great!

 

==I don't think that affects the outcome of the degree. The DMin is designed for pastors (etc) and not for seminary/university professors. Therefore it "generally" prepares men for the ministry and not for academic research (etc). Now I am not saying that many DMin folks could not teach at the university/seminary level or do academic research. I know many who can and who can do a very good job. However that is not the purpose of the degree.

I stand by what I have said, if I were a seminary/university president and I was hiring a New Testament professor and I had the following two people before me:

Dude #1
BA: The University of North Carolina
MDiv: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
DMin: Luther Rice University

Dude #2
BA: North Carolina State University
MDiv: The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
PhD in New Testament: New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

All things being "equal", that is both are fine men of God with the proven ability to teach in a university/seminary classroom, I would hire Dude #2. Why? Because of his PhD in New Testament. Now if I where hiring for a pastoral ministries teaching position (etc) then I might lean towards Dude #1 unless Dude#2 had more ministerial experience here I am assuming that most DMin programs require at least 3yrs ministry experience).

Please notice my little jab at UNC folks! That was not an accident. :laugh:

==This is because the DMin prepares a person for a professional position (ministry). The PhD is an academic degree preparing people for academic positions.

==Then I guess my previous question has been answered (so I deleted it).

Not to get off topic but we have something in common, we are both interested in American religious history. I enjoy studying early American history and early American religious history. My main interest, however, is religion in the Colonial period and the Puritans. At the present time I am working on my major research project for my MA degree in history. I will be doing my research on Plymouth Colony, though I have not yet settled on a specific topic. I have a very deep interest in Plymouth Colony. I am interested in the religious practices of the colony and the relationship the members of the colony had with the local Wampanoag Indians. The professor I am working with is wanting me to do research on some aspect of daily life in the colony. I will have to be careful about my choice of topic because we (students in my program) are required to do original research based on primary sources. We can use secondary sources as "backup" (etc) but our research has to be based on primary sources. It is not that hard to find primary sources on Plymouth, but I don't want to pick an area where the source material is too thin (if you know what I mean). Right now I am reading six books on Plymouth (some primary, some secondary). By the end of this I will either continue to love Plymouth and its people or I will hate them. :laugh:

What is your favorite period/topic?

 

Allow me to amend my comments:

I suppose an DMin from Southern Evangelical, which focuses on apologetics, would be acceptable for someone wishing to teach apologetics (etc) at a seminary/Christian University. Those who hold a DMin degree which focuses on other academic subjects (NT, OT, Philosophy, Ethics, etc) would also be qualified to in that subject area in a Christian university/seminary.

Paul mentioned Gordon Conwell's DMin program. Well I could see a person with a DMin from Gordon-Conwell teaching class on preaching, discipleship, counseling, pastoral ministries, business, etc.

My comments referred more to the classic DMin program (like at LRU). So please understand my comments in this light.

 

Hopefully with a temperature like yours that should not be much of a problem. Some people have a lot of degrees and little temperature.

 

I think the rule of the day should be that a person holding a DMin or a PhD is qualified to teach in the field of that degree.

A DMin in Expository Preaching should not be a New Testament professor, but he would do quite well IMO as a preaching professor.

A generalist DMin would prepare one to teach general ministry courses.