ThD and PhD (Religion), Which one is higher?

In some seminary have both ThD and PhD and also pre-requisite is the same. I'm only wonder that Which one is higher?

 

Both degrees typically carry the same weight. Most often the difference is in name only. The only thing I can think of is that the PhD is recognized more in the secular academics than the ThD. However the work that goes into both is just as diffucult.

HTH,

cbryant

 

I think that the answer depends on what university we are talking about. In some places, there is no real difference and the degree titles are kind of interchangeable.

But a common pattern is for the Th.D. to be a theology degree, offered specifically within the presuppositions of the Christian (or sometimes Jewish) tradition.

The Ph.D. on the other hand, is often a religious studies degree, examining religion in the light of history, psychology, sociology, textual studies or philosophy.

That's the pattern at Harvard, where the Th.D. is offered by the Harvard Divinity School, while the Ph.D. is offered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Here's a chart that compares and contrasts the two degrees:

http://www.hds.harvard.edu/afa/thd_phd_comparison.html

A further complication is introduced by the fact that the Th.D. is basically only for Christians and Jews, which sends members of other traditions to the Ph.D. program by default. That's true regardless of how rooted these people are in their own traditions.

Havard posts a list of recent Ph.D. and Th.D. program dissertation titles, but I don't know how to link to a page within frames. So go to this webpage, click on 'doctoral' on the top bar, then click on 'recent theses' on the left bar.

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~csrel/

Recent Ph.D. dissertation titles are listed first, so scroll down to get to the Th.D. titles. The 'fields of study' for the Ph.D. and the Th.D. are interesting as well.

 

It is here.

 

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To zvzvda, greetings,

CBraynt is correct both degrees are usally on the same level.

However, in some Bible colleges and Seminaries they will structure some of their Doc programs so that the PhD is a step higher.

The best person to answer this question is Mr. Bill Grover!!

Rich Hartel

A.A. in Theological Studies, Trinity College of the Bible (present)

 

Re: Re: ThD and PhD (Religion), Which one is higher?

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Mostly depends on the school.

The ThD is not so popular anymore in the USA. Dallas now only offers the PhD. The Master's Seminary offers a ThD. Just to get in requires a four year USA sort of masters, ie, the 120 plus unit ThM, the passing of five four hour (each) tests, Greek and Hebrew. Eventually the student must also demonstrate ability in two additional languages. This Masters Seminary ThD degree certainly is not less in time or rigor than any PhD. The site affirms that it will not "water down" its ThD reqs to mere MDiv level studies.

At Unizul it appears the D.Phil and D.Th are about the same, yet my catalogue says the latter is "...the highest... ." Don't know why.

 

My Rabbi is a D.D. I take that to be a sort of honorific? I think his seminary degree is a M.H.L.

 

In the U.S. a D.D. is almost always an honorary degree. In the U.K. a D.D. can be a higher doctorate.

A rabbi once told me that once you've completed 25 years of rabbinical service and "if you've kept your nose clean" the honorary D.D. is pretty much a slam dunk.

In regard to the original question, the A.T.S. Standards (.pdf) states that the Ph.D. and Th.D. programs are "intended primarily to equip persons for vocations of teaching and research in theological schools, colleges, and universities, or for scholarly enhancement of ministerial practice. The same overall aims and standards apply to both the Ph.D. and the Th.D.; the nomenclature differs according to the history of its use in a particular school." (L.1.0)

 

At some schools in South Africa, I have noticed that the PhD is open to those who have mastered either New Testament studies or Old Testament studies. One can only apply for the ThD with proof of mastery of both, particularly in the languages.