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Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DD, Divinitatis Doctor in Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
) is an advanced academic degree
Academic degree

A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as University, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study....
 in divinity
Divinity (academic discipline)

Divinity is the study of Christianity and other theology and religious 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....
. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university
University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education....
 to teach Christian
Christianity

Christianity is a Monotheistic religion #Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as New Testament view on Jesus' life....
 theology
Theology

Theology is the study of the existence or attributes of a deity or gods, or more generally the study of religion or spirituality. It is sometimes contrasted with religious studies: theology is understood as the study of religion from an internal perspective , and religious studies as the study of religion from an external perspective....
 or related religious
Religion

A religion is an organized approach to human spirituality which usually encompasses a set of myth, symbols, beliefs and practices, often with a supernatural or transcendence quality, that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power or truth....
 subjects.

In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
, Doctor of Divinity has traditionally been the highest doctorate
Doctorate

A doctorate is an academic degree that in most countries represents the highest level of formal study or research in a given field. In some countries it also refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to practice in a specific profession ....
 granted by universities, usually conferred upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction.






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Doctordivinity
Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DD, Divinitatis Doctor in Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
) is an advanced academic degree
Academic degree

A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as University, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study....
 in divinity
Divinity (academic discipline)

Divinity is the study of Christianity and other theology and religious 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....
. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university
University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education....
 to teach Christian
Christianity

Christianity is a Monotheistic religion #Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as New Testament view on Jesus' life....
 theology
Theology

Theology is the study of the existence or attributes of a deity or gods, or more generally the study of religion or spirituality. It is sometimes contrasted with religious studies: theology is understood as the study of religion from an internal perspective , and religious studies as the study of religion from an external perspective....
 or related religious
Religion

A religion is an organized approach to human spirituality which usually encompasses a set of myth, symbols, beliefs and practices, often with a supernatural or transcendence quality, that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power or truth....
 subjects.

In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
, Doctor of Divinity has traditionally been the highest doctorate
Doctorate

A doctorate is an academic degree that in most countries represents the highest level of formal study or research in a given field. In some countries it also refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to practice in a specific profession ....
 granted by universities, usually conferred upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction. In the traditional descending order of seniority, the Doctor of Divinity degree is followed by Doctor of Laws
Doctor of Laws

Doctor of Laws is a doctorate-level academic degree in law. What follows is a country-by-country analysis of earned doctorates in law, which are the most analogous to the concept of the LL.D....
 (or Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law

Some universities, such as the University of Oxford, award Doctor of Civil Law degrees instead of Doctor of Laws degrees.At Oxford, the degree of Doctor of Civil Law by Diploma is customarily conferred on foreign Heads of State, as well as on the Chancellor of the University....
) for law, Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine

Doctor of Medicine is a Doctorate for physicians . The degree is granted from medical schools.It is a first professional degree in some countries, including the United States and Canada, although training is entered after obtaining at least 90 hours of university level work ....
 for medicine, Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters

Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree.In the United Kingdom, Australia, India and certain other countries, the degree is a higher doctorate, above the Doctor of Philosophy , and is issued on the basis of a long record of research and publication....
 for letters, Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science

Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated D.Sc., Sc.D., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world....
 for science, and Doctor of Music
Doctor of Music

The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music....
 for music. The high status of the Doctor of Divinity qualification in British universities owed to their traditional affiliation with the Christian church. As universities became increasingly secular in the 20th century, the Doctor of Divinity degree lost much of its pre-eminence in practice, though officially it is still the most senior qualification at the English
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
 universities of Oxford
University of Oxford

The University of Oxford , located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation in the English-speaking world....
, Cambridge
University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge , located in Cambridge, England, is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation university in the Anglosphere....
, and Durham
Durham University

Durham University is a university in Durham, England. It was founded as the University of Durham by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837....
, as well as at the Scottish
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 universities of St Andrews
University of St Andrews

The University of St Andrews is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation university in Scotland and third oldest in the English-speaking world, having been founded between 1410 and 1413....
, Glasgow
University of Glasgow

The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451, in Glasgow, Scotland, and, along with its contemporary institution, the University of St Andrews, it formed the Kingdom of Scotland's equivalent to Oxbridge....
, Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen

The University of Aberdeen is an ancient university founded in 1495, in Old Aberdeen, Scotland. It is the fifth oldest university in what is now the United Kingdom, and in the wider English-speaking world....
, and Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh founded in 1582, is an internationally renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom....
.

In the United States the Doctor of Divinity is usually awarded as an honorary degree. There is no system of "higher doctorates" in the U.S., so the highest earned degrees in academic Theology are the Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy

Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated Ph.D. or PhD for the Latin , meaning "teacher of philosophy", is an postgraduate academic degree awarded by University....
, Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology

Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree, involving the publication of an original contribution to scholarship in the form of a dissertation, that is for most purposes the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy in Theology or a similar discipline....
 or Doctor of Sacred Theology
Doctor of Sacred Theology

"S.T.D." redirects here. For other uses, see STD.The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
. Professional degrees in applied Theology include the Doctor of Biblical Studies, Doctor of Practical Theology
Doctor of Practical Theology

The Doctor of Practical Theology is an advanced professional degree for practitioners seeking to apply theological principles to their professional practice....
 and the Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Ministry

The Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the psychology of religion, church growth, church...
.

Contemporary usage


In more recent times a Doctor of Divinity degree is usually granted as an honorary doctorate
Honorary degree

An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements . The degree itself is typically a doctorate or, less commonly, a master's degree, and may be awarded to someone who has no prior connection with the institution in question....
 upon a distinguished individual whose work has been connected with religion
Religion

A religion is an organized approach to human spirituality which usually encompasses a set of myth, symbols, beliefs and practices, often with a supernatural or transcendence quality, that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power or truth....
. In most English-speaking universities a graduate student who has completed a doctoral course of study and research in religion will usually receive a Doctor of Philosophy or a Doctor of Theology rather than a Doctor of Divinity. A number of universities, however, still confer the Doctor of Divinity, upon supplication, in recognition of the scholarly contributions to theology made by a person's published work. An early example was the Reverend John Andrews, D.D. (4th Provost of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania is a private research university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is America's first university and is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States....
).

In literature

A well-known piece of humorous doggerel
Doggerel

Doggerel is a derogatory term for poetry considered of little literature value. The word probably derives from dog, suggesting either ugliness, or unpalatability ....
 runs

A young theologian named Fiddle
refused to accept his degree
"It's bad enough being named Fiddle,
Without being Fiddle, D.D."


In another instance of Doctor of Divinity being used in literature for humorous purposes, Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was a prolific and genre-bending American novelist known for works blending satire, black comedy and science fiction, such as Slaughterhouse-Five , Cat's Cradle , and Breakfast of Champions .He was also known for his Humanism beliefs and being honorary president of the American Humanist Association....
's novel Mother Night
Mother Night

Mother Night is a novel by United States author Kurt Vonnegut, first published in 1961. The title of the book is taken from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Goethe's Faust....
 features the character of a deranged neo-Nazi dentist, the Rev. Dr. Lionel Jones, D.D.S.
Doctor of Dental Surgery

The Doctor of Dental Surgery degree is one of a few degrees that are awarded to dentists, the others being Doctor of Dental Medicine , Bachelor of Dentistry , Bachelor of Dental Surgery/Chirurgiae , Bachelor of Dental Science , Bachelor of Dental Medicine , Licentiate in Dental Surgery , Doctor of Dentistry , Candidate of Odontology , or Do...
, D.D. In William Faulkner
William Faulkner

William Faulkner was a Nobel Prize in Literature-winning United States author. One of the most influential writers of the 20th century, his reputation is based on his novels, novellas and short story....
's novel Light in August, the Rev. Hightower's designation as a "D.D." is said by the townspeople to mean "done damned". Also, Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish people playwright, Irish poetry and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest Celebrity of his day....
's celebrated stage comedy The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest is a play by Oscar Wilde. It premiered on 14 February 1895 at the St. James's Theatre in London.Set in England during the late Victorian era, the play's humour derives in part from characters maintaining pseudonym to escape unwelcome social obligations....
 features the character Rev. Canon Frederick Chasuble, D.D.

An additional famous occurrence is in Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan

'Gilbert and Sullivan' refers to the Victorian era partnership of librettist W. S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan . Together, they wrote fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S....
's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance
The Pirates of Penzance

The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It is one of the Savoy Operas....
, nearing the end of Act I, where Major-General Stanley's daughters are captured by the clumsy corsairs:

Here's a first-rate opportunity
To get married with impunity
And indulge in the felicity
Of unbounded domesticity
You shall quickly be parsonified
Conjugally matrimonified
By a Doctor of Divinity
Who is located in this vicinity


See also

  • Doctor of Theology
    Doctor of Theology

    Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree, involving the publication of an original contribution to scholarship in the form of a dissertation, that is for most purposes the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy in Theology or a similar discipline....
  • Doctor of Sacred Theology
    Doctor of Sacred Theology

    "S.T.D." redirects here. For other uses, see STD.The Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
  • Doctor of Ministry
    Doctor of Ministry

    The Doctor of Ministry degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada , a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the psychology of religion, church growth, church...


External links

  • , a PDF paper by Dan Shute, retrieved July 30, 2006.