How respectable is a degree in Theology?

[cleanhippie]

Your opinions, please. And your reasons why or why not.

[provis99]

1. Splendidly respectable.

Just like a degree in Astrology or Chiropracty.

[cleanhippie]

2. !

[DonCoquixote]

3. It depends on where it was

The bible schools use it to defend their brand of religion, but if someone makes a study of all types of this phenomena, it can be as valuable as any iother social science, as it records and analyzes the history of something that people still live and die for. Granted, I would rather it become a subdivison of anthropology, but then again, some people keep saying that social science is no science.

[cleanhippie]

5. That is an intersting take on it. Thanks.

[AlbertCat]

10. but if someone makes a study of all types of this phenomena,

Is it "theology" anymore?

Or social anthropology?



Theology is like arguing whether Santa Clause comes down the chimney head first or feet first.

[DonCoquixote]

18. Note the comment

The line between Social Anthropology and Theology can indeed blur here, with Sociology thrown in for good measure. However, that does not change the fact that it is something that, if not done as propaganda like the Jai-zuzz freeks do, will help us analyz something people still kill and die for.

And while you do not have to agree which way "Santa Claus" goes down the chimney, we will need professionals who understand the argument, why? Just take a look at Iraq, where, despite the fact that they have the Americans invading, the Sunni and Shia still bomb each other's holy sites, and indeed, have ramped it up. Or, take a look at Israel. Siorry to say, if we are going to force the two sides of Jerusalem to talk, we wioll need to understand things that make Santa Claus seem as tangible and provable as 2+2=4.

[MarkCharles]

4. In reality, They run soup to nuts. It depends upon...

the nature of the degree, (Bachelor or Master's or higher level), and the actual college or university awarding it.

Unfortunately, there's hundreds of "schools" of divinity/theology etc. Some are merely schools of theology, some are affiliated with major universities. In most cases, those associated with major universities, (E.G. Harvard, Yale, U Chicago, etc.) are graduate level programs, only admitting graduates of other colleges with solid prior academic training.

The major schools teach biblical history, ancient Greek language, Hebrew Language, (and basics in another middle eastern language, Aramaic), as well as a complete reading of the Christian Bible. and courses in comparative philosophy, ethics, as well as skills courses in counseling techniques, crisis intervention, topics in child development, and topics about the nature of aging.
Students also practice skills oral presentation, group dynamics, leadership styles, and a few other useful practical areas in demand for most of today's churches.

Then there are the fly-by-night schools, (the ones without the affiliation to a major college or university), and even lower on the scale are the mail order ones. What is taught and to what depth it is taught, I am not honestly aware. I doubt it compares in any way

[cbayer]

6. Nice synopsis on the variability of programs available.

[Critters2]

25. There are free-standing seminaries (not affiliated with universities) with good academic reputations

Princeton Theological Seminary, which, in spite of its name and location, is not affiliated with the university; Andover Newton Theological School, which has reciprocal agreements with Harvard, BC, and BU but is not a part of any of those schools.

The real issue is denominational affiliation. There are denominations that use the social sciences and other academic disciplines to inform theological education, and there are those that do not. The seminaries affiliated with those that do will be fairly academically rigorous. The others will basically be "Bible Schools" doing more indoctrination than education.

[dmallind]

7. Assuming we're talking real schools not Bible colleges, perfectly

The discipline has aspects of history, sociology, philosophy and literature. As a purely academic subject it's as valid as any of them. In fact at odd moments I have toyed with the idea of pursuing a theology degree for fun. Bit too late now really.

[deacon_sephiroth]

8. You've got a degree in Bologna

[FarCenter]

9. Employment Outlook and Salary Information

The most common career for graduates of a Doctor of Theology program is postsecondary teacher. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects the employment rate for postsecondary teachers to increase 15% between 2008 and 2018 (www.bls.gov), which is faster than the national average for all professions. The median annual salary for philosophy and religion professors was $61,240 as of May 2008. The highest-paid professors earned upwards of $109,300, while the lowest-paid made less than $34,130.

http://education-portal.com/articles/Doctor_of_Theology_in_Bible_Studies_Program_Information.html

[gopiscrap]

11. Too me much depends on where it is earned

one from Garret, PLTS, Luther, Emory, Harvard etc would be eminently valuable and esteemed...one earned either fast tracked through a psuedo fundie sem or from Liberty, Bob Jones, Oral Roberts et al would want to make me puke! IMHO

[2ndAmForComputers]

12. My Mom said, if you can't say anything good, don't say anything.

And this is why I won't say anything about degrees in Theology.

[Dorian Gray]

13. I think it's as respectable

as any other degree. Of course, schools and programs vary in intensity. Most of the people who I know who studied Theology did so at seminaries, though there are several divinity schools that have good names. Usually the degree involves philosophical and psychological studies, as well, and I find it all fascinating.

[darkstar3]

14. On a scale of 0-10? 0.

Theology has its good points, as some here have pointed out. You dabble in history, anthropology, and several other liberal art pursuits that are respected and useful. There's a problem, though, and I like to call it "rose-colored glasses."

You see, a study in theology starts from the preconceived notion of an existent God, not to mention several others. History, for example, is not studied in order to obtain a broader understanding of our current state, but rather in order to provide support to the preconceived notions.

The theology students I've known have spent inordinate amounts of time and energy finding ways to (poorly) support someone else's imaginary characters and the alleged rules by which they live.

[Odin2005]

15. About as respectable as a bowel movement.

[laconicsax]

16. You must not be someone who deals with constipation.

I'm not either, but I understand that for those who are, there's great relief in finally attaining that theology degree.

[JNelson6563]

26. lolz Well put!

[JDPriestly]

17. My father had a graduate degree in theology from an excellent university and was a minister.

He was a brilliant, well educated man.

He knew the history of the Bible. He lived the teachings of Jesus more than any person I have ever heard of. He was tolerant and loving.

If I judged the value of a degree in theology by his sincerely Christian life, I would say it is extremely valuable. It helped my dad stay the course when he faced down dire poverty, sickness, death and intolerance. And he faced all those things regularly in his work in inner cities and poor congregations.

Not all graduates with degrees in theology live truly Christian lives. That is between them and God. My dad would not have judged them. He would have given one of his favorite sermons about how if you want to judge another person you should walk in their shoes -- you know the story. I don't need to tell it to you.

[cbayer]

19. Great post.

I suspect your father was a good man with or without the degree, but perhaps it gave him the insight and understanding to take his goodness to a higher level.

He sounds like a wonderful man, and someone I would have liked to have known (and a lot like my father).

[MarkCharles]

22. I have to agree with you on this. I think people of sound and ethical and..

sensitive character are more born or formed by their childhood and not made by a degree in theology.

For them, a degree in the theological teachings of any religion can serve as a reinforcement for their already well balanced and giving personality.

I also think advanced degrees in teaching, counseling, medicine, law, administration, and other disciplines can help reinforce those same personal characteristics. Perhaps theological training does it in a slightly different set of interdisciplinary studies.

[Deep13]

20. Depends what you mean by "respectable."

People respect them, ergo, they are respectable.

For my own self, it depends. If the degree is in how people think about religion and how they have thought about it in the past, then its as good as any other history, literature or philosophy degree.

If the degree is in how divinity actually works, then I'm afraid I agree with Dawkins and have very little respect for it. Literature students study literature, science students study the results of experiments, history students study surviving writings. These are all independent bases for drawing conclusion. What does the theologists study? God? How does s/he do that? What that student really studies are other people's guesses about god. There is no real evidence for any of it.

[cleanhippie]

21. Great answer!

Well done.

[ZombieHorde]

23. Depends on who is considering the degree because respect is not a quality of degrees.

Lots of Americans really seem to strongly respect some religions; e.g., Christianity and Judaism, so a degree in theology may be very respectable to them. Many here in the US probably respect a theology degree more than a hard-science degree.

[iverglas]

24. it really is proof of successful study of a field

just like any other degree.

(edit because I meant to say what others have said: if it is a real degree from a real school, and not something from a bible college cornflake box)

It's not an uninteresting field, if you like history and ideas and all. People who are not believers study theology.

An old friend of mine, a Maoist back in our undergraduate days many years ago, has a doctorate from Yale:

http://divinity.yale.edu/

(and edit again - that program is really intended for future clergy, rather than being theology per se, but it's an example of "respectable" -- look at the fields listed for the faculty members, e.g. one who specializes in human rights and "just-war theory&quot

She had vague intentions of being ordained in the Anglican Church of Canada. That didn't pan out, so she has worked for a long time at an inner-city church on its various community programs. There still ain't an iota of anything right-wing about her politics.