In the academic study of
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
theologyThe term "theology" literally means the study of God, deriving from the Greek word theos, meaning 'God', and the suffix -ology from the Greek word logos meaning "discourse", "theory", or "reasoning"...
, the
Master of Divinity (
M.Div.,
magister divinitatis in
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
) is the
first professional degreeA first professional degree is an academic degree that prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
of the pastoral profession in
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
. It is the most common
academic degreeA degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study.- History :...
in
seminariesA seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of higher education for instructing students , sometimes at the postgraduate level, in philosophy, theology, spirituality and the religious life, to prepare students for ordination as clergy or other ministry...
and
divinity schoolsA divinity school is an institute of higher education devoted to the study of divinity, religion and theology. Different nomenclature is used for a divinity school depending on national location and denominational affiliation.-United Kingdom:...
.
In many
Christian denominationA Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity.Worldwide, Christians are divided, often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and another are...
s, and of some other religions, this degree is the standard prerequisite for ordination to the priesthood or pastorship or other appointment, ordination or licensing to professional ministry.
In the academic study of
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
theologyThe term "theology" literally means the study of God, deriving from the Greek word theos, meaning 'God', and the suffix -ology from the Greek word logos meaning "discourse", "theory", or "reasoning"...
, the
Master of Divinity (
M.Div.,
magister divinitatis in
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
) is the
first professional degreeA first professional degree is an academic degree that prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
of the pastoral profession in
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
. It is the most common
academic degreeA degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study.- History :...
in
seminariesA seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of higher education for instructing students , sometimes at the postgraduate level, in philosophy, theology, spirituality and the religious life, to prepare students for ordination as clergy or other ministry...
and
divinity schoolsA divinity school is an institute of higher education devoted to the study of divinity, religion and theology. Different nomenclature is used for a divinity school depending on national location and denominational affiliation.-United Kingdom:...
.
In many
Christian denominationA Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity.Worldwide, Christians are divided, often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and another are...
s, and of some other religions, this degree is the standard prerequisite for ordination to the priesthood or pastorship or other appointment, ordination or licensing to professional ministry. At accredited seminaries in the United States this degree requires between 72 and 90 credit hours of study (72 being the minimum determined by academic accrediting agencies and 90 being on the upper end of certain schools that wish to ensure a broader study of the related disciplines).
It generally includes studies in
ChristianChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
ministry and theology. Coursework usually includes studies in
New Testament GreekKoine Greek is the popular form of Greek which emerged in post-Classical antiquity . Other names are Alexandrian, Hellenistic, Patristic, Common, Biblical or New Testament Greek...
, theology,
philosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing these questions by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on reasoned...
, church history,
pastoral theologyPastoral theology is the branch of theology concerned with the practical application of theology in the pastoral context. This approach to theology seeks to give practical expression to theology. Normally viewed as an 'equipping' of ministers, practical theology is often considered to be more...
, Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), and
New TestamentThe New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament, both terms being associated with Supersessionism...
studies. Many programs also contain courses in church growth,
ecclesiologyEcclesiology is the study of the theological understanding of the Christian church. Specific areas of concern include the church's role in salvation, its origin, its relationship to the historical Christ, its discipline, its destiny, and its leadership...
,
evangelismEvangelism is the practice of attempting to convert people to a religion. The term is used most often in reference to Christianity's religions, since they mandate that their followers make efforts to recruit as many people as possible into their faith...
,
systematic theologySystematic theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs. Inherent to a system of theological thought is that a method is developed, one which can be applied both broadly and particularly...
, Christian education,
liturgical studiesA liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions. The word may refer to an elaborate formal ritual such as the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and Catholic Mass, or a daily activity such as the Muslim salat and Jewish services...
, Latin,
HebrewHebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Culturally, it is considered a Jewish language. Hebrew in its modern form is spoken by more than seven million people in Israel while Classical Hebrew has been used for prayer or study in Jewish communities around the world for over...
,
canon lawCanon law is the body of laws and regulations made by or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
,
patristicsPatristics or Patrology is the study of early Christian writers, known as the Church Fathers. The names derive from the Latin pater . The period is generally considered to run from the end of New Testament times until around the 8th century.- Patrologia vs. patristica :Some scholars, chiefly in...
, and the like. The degree may or may not include a thesis.
Contemporary usage
The Master of Divinity has replaced the
Bachelor of DivinityIn Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
in most United States seminaries as the
first professional degreeA first professional degree is an academic degree that prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
, since the latter title implied in the American academic system that it was on a par with a
Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences or both....
or other basic undergraduate education even though a bachelor's degree was and remains a prerequisite for entrance into graduate divinity programs.
The M.Div. is a significantly more extensive program than most master's degrees. In the United States the degree usually consists of well over 80 semester hours, as opposed to the usual 36 or 48. Ordination in most mainline Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church thus requires seven or eight years of education past high school: the first four in undergraduate studies leading to a bachelor's degree (which may or may not be in a related field) and then three or four years of seminary or divinity school education leading to the M.Div.
The M.Div. stands in contrast to the
M.A.A Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic master degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in English, Fine Arts, History, Nursing, Humanities, Geography, Philosophy, Social Sciences or Theology and can be either fully-taught, research-based, or a...
in Theology and
Master of Theological StudiesA Master of Theological Studies is a general academic degree that gives students an introduction to basic theological studies. The M.T.S usually requires two years of program study to complete. The Latin equivalent for M.T.S...
(M.T.S.), the usual academic degrees in the subject (which tend not to include "pastoral" or "practical" courses), and the
Bachelor of Sacred TheologyS.T.B. refers to the academic degree Bachelor of Sacred Theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical University. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a BA or other first degree...
(S.T.B.), Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.),
Master of TheologyA Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by many university divinity schools and seminaries worldwide. It should not be confused with a Master of Arts degree, Master of Theological Studies, or Master of Sacred Theology, which are oriented towards general theological...
(M.Th.),
Master of Sacred TheologyThe Master of Sacred Theology is a second level professional degree conferred by seminaries and theological colleges.One must normally have an M.Div. or an M.A. in a religious or theological field before being admitted to study for the S.T.M. The S.T.M...
(S.T.M.), and
Master of ReligionThe Master of Religion degree is a theological degree granted by Wycliffe College in Toronto, Canada. The degree is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada...
(M.Rel.), which are also academic degrees. Schools with Pontifical faculties in North America often award both the M.Div. and S.T.B. at the same time after a three year period of graduate studies.
Further studies
In the United States and Canada the M.Div. is a
first professional degreeA first professional degree is an academic degree that prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
. Occasionally a Master of Divinity graduate pursues doctoral studies, often the
Doctor of MinistryThe 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...
(D.Min.), which is also a degree focused on ministerial practice. The
Master of TheologyA Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by many university divinity schools and seminaries worldwide. It should not be confused with a Master of Arts degree, Master of Theological Studies, or Master of Sacred Theology, which are oriented towards general theological...
(Th.M.),
Master of Sacred TheologyThe Master of Sacred Theology is a second level professional degree conferred by seminaries and theological colleges.One must normally have an M.Div. or an M.A. in a religious or theological field before being admitted to study for the S.T.M. The S.T.M...
(S.T.M.),
Doctor of TheologyDoctor 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...
(Th.D.),
Doctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated PhD , for the Latin , meaning "teacher of philosophy", or alternatively, DPhil, for the equivalent , is an advanced academic degree awarded by universities...
(
Ph.D.Ph.D. or PHD may stand for:* Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group* Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip* PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* Parisada Hindu Dharma, an Indonesian organization...
), and
Doctor of Sacred TheologyThe Doctor of Sacred Theology is the final theological degree in the pontifical university system of the Catholic Church....
(S.T.D.) all tend to be academic rather than ministerial degrees. In recent years it is not unusual for holders of the M.Div. to add another degree, earning either the Ph.D. or Th.D. as well as the D.Min. Graduates of the M.Div. who completed a thesis as part of their degree are often eligible for admission into Ph.D. or Th.D. programs with a requirement to take additional, more academic-oriented, coursework. While the
Doctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
is only an honorary degree in the United States, in the United Kingdom the
Doctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
(D.D.) is the highest degree in the field at most universities, normally awarded for a significant body of published work of high quality.
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