Which seminary is best if I want to stay in academia?

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

 

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Trinity Evangelical Divinty School

 

Don't forget about Dallas Seminary...

 

Can't do an MDiv at DTS, though.

 

Forget the M.Div.

Get an M.A. (two years) at Trinity International University - TEDS. Then go on. Why waste time with all of the methods classes. They are completely useless if you are going for a Ph.D.

 

I would put my vote in for The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

 

I second that. And third it. :smilewinkgrin:

 

I know NOBTS has some MAs that are sufficient for entry into PhD programs there.

 

I guess thats true... M.A.B.S. or Th.M...

 

I would at least get a catalog from DTS you might find the language department interesting. If you are not in a hurry DTS has a ThM and ThD, each program is 4 years and very complete for academic purposes. I would also check out the big 6 SBC schools all have good reputations and programs.

I guess you have to decide whether speed or completeness of education is more important. From the tone of your entry I would guess completeness would be your choice.

 

No, but you can directly do the Th.M. (120 Hrs.), or in the alternative, one can do an M.A. BS; M.A./BEL.; M.A.CE; at 62, 62, and 65 Hrs, respectively.

The Doctoral programs at a reputable, "top-tier" institution will normally take into account the level of the Master's, and the amount of additional work will likely vary accordingly.

Very few, if any, are going to consider even a fully reputable 32-45 hr Master's (Yes, they do exist.) to be the full equivalent of a Th.M. in the 120 Hr. range.

Dallas, Trinity Evangelical, Southern, Southwestern, Southeastern, Liberty, Southern Evangelical, Westminster, Western among and plus probably some others, all have several varied merits, IMO.

Ed

 

The nomenclature and program of the Th.D. is now that of a Ph.D., I do believe, at both Dallas and Southern. Don't know about most others.

Ed

 

In Regards To DTS

As a student at Dallas Seminary who is halfway through his Th.M. in the Academic Studies of the New Testament, I would dare say that you first have to know exactly what you want because it has a direct bearing on later issues. I didn't know that much, and I now may have problems because of it.

1) Do you wish to teach in seminary or college or university level?

2) Are you confined to a particular denomination?

3) Where precisely do you plan to do a Ph.D.?

The first two help control the answer to the third.

I originally had what I thought was an easy plan. I lived in California and liked John MacArthur, so I was going to The Master's Seminary. How close did I come? I had already put down my tuition deposit for the fall semester as well as a deposit for my child's education in private school.

But here was the problem: I had planned to do doctorate level studies at DTS. The four-year M.Div. would not be recognized by DTS, so I would have to then complete ANOTHER Master's Degree called a Master's of Sacred Theology, which was something like 36 additional hours and THEN I could get into the Ph.D. program.

Yet then there's another dirty little secret they don't tell you: what if your studies in theology lead you to different conclusions than your original convictions?

The name DTS causes our graduates no end of problems. They're fine if:

a) You want to teach at DTS, but we all know there's a limited number of positions. We have professors on staff like Pentecost and Hendricks who knew Lewis Sperry Chafer personally

b) You go to a dispensational church.

Otherwise, your degree is virtually useless without the Ph.D. - and where do you go for that?

Now I hasten to add: our language program is truly awesome, and is a big reason why a number of people come here, to study under the likes of Fanning, Wallace, Johnston, Burer, and others.

But what am I going to be able to do when I graduate that I can't already do now?

A secular school isn't going to hire me because I don't have a Ph.D. Odds are that if I do have one from UNT (for example) I will be competing with folks from Princeton and other places.

And a sacred school or seminary is going to insist I toe a doctrinal line more rigid that some churches. If I reject dispensational distinctives, I can't go to DTS offshoots.

And guess what? Covenantal places won't hire you because they see the letters 'DTS' and immediately think of Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, and John Hagee.

I've said my piece for now.

 

A M.A. from TEDS will get you into any top tier school.

Go to TEDS for the evangelical background and grounding, then earn a Ph.D at Drew, Duke, Marquette, Princeton, Harvard, Yale, et al.

If you want to teach in a university setting, do not get your Ph.D. from a seminary. And avoid the M.Div.

Just my strong opinions. It's the route I wish someone would have advised me to do. I have an M.Div. (TEDS) and a strong academic D.Min. (G-C) and have no credibilty for either seminary teaching or university teaching.

You are on the right track. Get the M.A. from an evangelical university and then go to the top tier school for the Ph.D.