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The Resurgent Doctorate: An Interview

Originally published in the Midwestern Magazine, Issue 37.


The increase in enrollment at Midwestern Seminary has been experienced across disciplines and degree programs. With renewed interest in continuing theological education among pastors, we have seen a resurgence of interest in our post-graduate training. Both our D.Min. and Ph.D. programs continue to be popular options among ministry leaders, and we thought we’d talk to two of our leaders in Midwestern’s Doctoral Studies Department to find out why.

Dr. Rodney Harrison is the dean of Post-graduate Studies at Midwestern, as well as the dean of Distance Education and Effectiveness and a professor of Christian Education. Owen Strachan is the director of The Residency, Midwestern’s residential Ph.D. component, as well as director of the Center for Public Theology and an associate professor of Christian Theology.

The resurgence in theological education in evangelicalism has certainly impacted Midwestern Seminary, and the doctoral programs are not exempt from this growth. To what do you attribute this increase?

Dr. Rodney Harrison

Harrison: While Midwestern’s doctoral program has seen steady growth for the past 15 years, President Allen’s vision clarity—scholarship For the Church—coupled with an attentive doctoral staff, strategic faculty additions, and increased degree offerings has accelerated doctoral growth at Midwestern since 2012.

Owen Strachan
Dr. Owen Strachan

Strachan: And in an age when many seminaries are paring their residential programs, under the visionary leadership of Dr. Allen, MBTS is investing in personal ministry training with a vengeance, which is also a magnet for serious students.

Are more pastors — those not in pursuit of post-doctoral academic employment — pursuing doctorates?

Harrison: A growing number of churches are looking for pastors holding a terminal degree. Although the M.Div. is, and will continue to be, the foundational degree for most pastoral settings, large and mid-size churches are turning to pastors holding a terminal degree. Churches understand an advanced degree does not qualify one for ministry. However, a doctorate does demonstrate the discipline required to balance ministry, family and academic pursuits. The research skills gained during the seminar and dissertation process will likely inform day-to-day decision-making, strategic planning, sermon preparation and team development. It is not by chance that a majority of this generation’s well-known evangelical leaders possess an earned terminal degree. 

Would you encourage a pastor to get a Ph.D.?

Strachan: Pastors do not need to do a Ph.D. But coming behind a M.Div., a Ph.D. can be part of what sharpens and grows and theologically strengthens a pastor. You’ll read perhaps 70-100 books in your given field. But on top of that, you’ll write 8-10 major papers on areas of Bible and theology. And then on top of that, you’ll write a 250-page dissertation establishing you as a specialist in your field. How can this not benefit your ministry of the Word? How can this not affect your ability to communicate? How can this not shore you up in biblical teaching?

Harrison: In the first doctoral seminar, Colloquium, I cover how the Ph.D., D.Min. and D.Ed.Min. are similar—and different. The pastor who pursues a Ph.D. over a D.Min. should be motivated by the desire to engage in classical academic research. The D.Min. and other professional doctorates are best understood as field research degrees that advance the practice of ministry, whereas the Ph.D. seeks to advance knowledge and scholarship.  Both outcomes benefit the church; therefore, I would encourage every pastor to consider a terminal degree after two or three years of ministry. The Ph.D. is ideal for the pastor-scholar whose passion and calling are best expressed in academic or textual research. The D.Min. is designed for the pastor-practitioner motivated by the idea of original field-based research that will impact ministry. Both are terminal degrees and serve the church in equal, but different ways.

What strengths do our doctoral programs have at Midwestern?

Harrison: The curriculum in each program was designed by Midwestern Seminary’s world-class faculty. Students frequently study under faculty who “wrote the book.” In addition, every professor is committed to the confessional documents of Midwestern—the Baptist Faith & Message 2000, the Chicago Statement on Inerrancy and the Danver’s Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womenhood.

Another strength is the modular seminar approach that allows students to remain in their current ministry while enjoying the camaraderie and community of a traditional classroom. The size of our program means seminars are offered regularly. In many institutions, if a seminar is missed due to ministry commitments or illness, a student will have to wait for the seminar to be offered at a much later time. At Midwestern, most seminars are offered several times each year, providing maximum flexibility.

Unique to Midwestern is the Residency Ph.D. program. The Residency provides the flexibility of modular seminars and research majors augmented by structured learning with faculty and seminary leadership. Students in the Residency earn a graduate certificate in Theological Education in addition to the Ph.D.

Strachan: The Residency, in particular, features theological discipleship, regular mentoring, select teaching and publishing opportunities, and a spirit of unfettered exultation in the life of the Christian mind for the church’s upbuilding.

Harrison: We should also mention that the doctoral programs at Midwestern are affordable. Once enrolled, the student’s tuition will not go up. And students may also apply for Federally-secured student loans to assist with their educational goals.

What’s in the future for doctoral studies at Midwestern?

Harrison: Midwestern was one of the first seminaries to design every doctoral program around the “18-hour rule,” which informs faculty standards for colleges and universities. This means that most graduates are able to serve in two disciplines with one degree. We’ve also just launched this year new Ph.D. programs in Biblical Counseling and Biblical Theology, and we are exploring innovations that will make a Midwestern doctorate more accessible to pastors.

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