Scholars with questionable degrees?

UTA is not my favorite school.

But, it is accredited . . . and I think that the individuals you reference got Ph.D's . . . my hat off to them (even if I do or do not like their degree).

Wayne

 

Would you be happier if the institution was University of Texas at Dallas, or the University of Texas at Tyler?? No?? How about Oxford?? Just wonderin'.

Ed

 

You are correct about 'faked degrees', I'm sure. However, I'm not so sure abut degrees that come from what are often considered by many to be second, third or even fourth rate institutions. The cases I've seen are those where the alleged degree was made up out of thin air. Ones honest enough to list only the degrees actually conferred seldom seem to have this problem, regardless of the amount of difficulty in the degree, itself. Were I to claim to have , say, a Th.B., equivalent to a fifth year, at the institution from which I received my B.A. that would be 'fraud', I think, as I don't have one. Were I to have graduated with a doctorate from Oxford with highest honors, and falsely claimed to have that same Th.B., guess what- it is still fraud. Were I to enroll at a 'cut-Academic-rate' school, complete the work, and get the degree, it's still not fraud, even though the 'hirer' and I would both get probably exactly what we paid for.

Ed

 

I just get fed up with all of the politics.

Had I known that ministry had so much politics, I might have told God "No!" when He called me to ministry.

And if ya' believe that I would tell God "No" for very long, I got some beach front property to sell ya'! And I'll take the money and start a Church Planting Movement with it!

 

Your comment about politics is the same reason why many have left the SBC. Just look at the encounters Paul and Jesus had with Satan and his messengers. What is happening now just shows how alive Satan is.

 

Well Said!

And I am against bogus and low quality degrees amongst our 'seminaries'. That is just wrong on so many levels. If we want to impress the world with our academic credentials - then let's get REAL CREDENTIALS.

IMHO.

 

No, that isn't what i'm saying. i'm saying if he earned it and it is an actual degree, let him put it in his credentials.

It reminds me of a discussion i had with a friend in college about a pastor who was a retired dentist and still went by "Dr"...but never even attended seminary. This friend felt this pastor should drop the "Dr" from his name because it wasn't in theology.

I think we put too much weight on titles and and not enough on the "BA" that was mentioned earlier, Born Again.

 

Anyone who has not written a dissertation is seriously deficient in doing that level of work.

Today we are seeing the buddies of those in leadership being hired to teach in seminaries. Too many seminaries are teaching at a level that should be taught in the churches. Why should a basic course on evangelism or discipleship be taught at a seminary? Even before I attended seminary, I was involved in a parachurch organization as a young college student where all the leaders were required to have discipled or discipling at least one person. Later I decide ot go to seminary and fill out the seminary application. There was not any questions regarding the person's ability to lead. Yet, the seminary's purpose is to train leaders. Why should the seminary be required as a graduate school to teach people the basics when they ought to be training leaders to train others and teach them the basics. A number of courses I was required to take in seminary were no more advanced that what a number of church courses were which had already been established. The seminaries are too busy teaching the basics when they ought to be teaching students graduate work. Graduate work builds on a college degree already accomplished.

 

Rhet and others,

I think you're mis-reading preachingjesus' concern.

If a professor of preaching earns his Ph.D. from a neighboring university in communications, particularly "rhetoric", then he has enhanced his knowledge base in a topic quite important to the subject he has been hired to teach.

Still, I wonder with him about the trend. In addition to the aforementioned professor who is a friend of mine and whom I love dearly, both Southwestern's graduate and undergraduate deans received their PhD's through UTA. I do not think it is a slap at those who went outside of a seminary setting for their terminal degree to see the trend and ask a question or two.

Are transatlantic history and linguistics germaine to preparing future ministers (quite possibly they are) or is it simply more important to be foremost a loyal friend to a certain high-ranking official at the institution.

 

I got lost somewhere (of course I haven't read every single post word for word either). UTA?? I'm thinking it must not be University of Texas at Arlington?

 

m m m m . . . .

simple answer . . . you are most likely thinkin' wrong . . .

 

I do not think that we should award a ThD for Sunday School. However, I do not think that "graduate level rigor" is what a 'seminary' is for.

I don't think that this is the direction you would go, but I want to be clear: IMHO . . . Our (SBC) seminaries are trying to chase the 'Holy Grail' of academic acceptance. Academic excellence is what I want . . . I do not want any liberal, pagan, evil, & secular school to set the standard of excellence for what we (men of God) are to strive for.

If men of the Baptist tradition want to go to a liberal, pagan, evil, & secular school for their PhD's and ThD's - send them with a hearty - SEE YA'.

We need to get back to the basics of teaching Masters' of Divinity. IMHO. (Not that I could pass a real 'traditional' MDiv . . . )

 

so, I can't know what UTA is? If I can't that's ok. It won't be the first time I've been told no (or to mind my own business).

 

According to Preachin Jesus's post, it is the University of Texas at Arlington which is actually a fine institution. They have a great engineering, nursing, elementary and secondary education pregrams (among many others I am sure) they have a top flight architectural program as well.

A degree earned from UTA is a fine accomplishment - now if it prepares a seminary professor is between the school, its president and trustees

 

Yikes! Good thing Liberty wasn't high on my list anyway. I haven't looked at their site in a while. I know that the undergrad and non-seminary grad school is SACS accredited. I thought the seminary was SACS also. It seems that accepting too many people with non-accredited degrees would not be good for their "image" if nothing else.

Of course, I'm equally sure that they don't give a flip what I think.