Hi All - Sometime ago I had written to say that I settled on a DMin program for now. I thought that would be the end of it. But then I took my first class and was thoroughly disappointed. On the bright side, it encouraged me to go back and finish my ThM. I graduated with that in May and am now looking at various PhD options. I currently like the Greenwich School of Theology, which goes through North-West University in South Africa. The other program I've looked at is SATS. Both seem decent, though the GST option is less expensive. It's not a deal breaker but it does matter. But am I overlooking anything? Is one more respectable than the other? Another reason I lean toward GST/NWU is because I've narrowed down my topic to Puritan funeral preaching from 1600-60 in England. I figure finding a reader familiar with the English side of things would be easy through GST. Am I overlooking something, though, that would make SATS more preferable? Thanks!
My two cents would be that North-West is a much....much older and well respected residential institution with distance learning options (at least the PUCHE Campus founded in 1869). SATS is not only recently founded but more expensive. There is nothing wrong with SATS. It is accredited and has credible faculty. Perhaps the difference between studying at a conservative version of Princeton Theological Seminary and Liberty U.
There are a few missing pieces from your puzzle. First, I’ll assume that you’re in the United States and lean toward the evangelical and Reformed side of things. By the way, I compliment you on your research topic – nice and focused, which won’t hang you up for years on the literature search alone. (A friend of mine did his doctorate through one of the pontifical universities in Rome, and decided to do his dissertation on Augstine. Waaaaaaay too broad – he got hung up on the lit search in a major way by not having a more focused topic.) All that said, I would lean against any South African school unless you were planning to visit South Africa. I have always maintained that a doctoral-level program should have some degree of residency, especially if its in a helping profession (and ministry is a helping profession). I know several theologians who took their doctorates from European universities such as Free U. of Amsterdam, U. of Tubingen, and U. of Strasbourg, and all of them made at least one physical visit to the school. Even at the bachelor’s level, when I did my B.A. at Edison (through which one never has to show up), you betcha I showed up at least a dozen times for meetings with my program advisor, portfolio advisor, testing/assessment advisor, etc. There’s a difference between saying, “I earned my degree from…” versus being able to say, “I went to…” Regarding Greenwich, I’d caution you to check out their history carefully. At one time they were affiliated with the unaccredited Greenwich U. in Hawaii before they bopped off to Europe. In some circles, they are not considered a credible school despite their ultimate affiliations with Potch, N.W., etc. As for SATS, it’s essentially an online school, and I’ll admit to the prejudice of believing that online university] is an oxymoron. By the way, if you haven’t done so, grab a look at Westminster Theological Seminary – one of the cadillac schools in Reformed theology. I’ve heard that, several years ago, their D.Min. curriculum was a vigorous as a Ph.D. elsewhere (and that they have since corrected that fallacy), and have no idea what their non-resident options are, but they’re top of the line in reputation. You have not specified whether your ultimate goal is to continue in pastoral ministry or to move toward theological education as a primary calling. Whatever you decide to do, however, the main goal should be to leave no holes in your own credibility.(see Phil. 2:15).
Thanks for the thorough reply. I did my MDiv at Westminster. I've considered various DMin programs; however, I was not satisfied with a course I did at a Reformed seminary in Pittsburgh. I have been less than impressed by several other programs. I know that the topic of Puritan funeral sermons would do well in a DMin or PhD program. I'm just not sure I need more classes, such as the DMin will require. I just did 10 seminar courses for my ThM program. Also, the PhD at WTS is extremely pricey...outside of my budget. All that said, my goal is to remain in pastoral ministry and - perhaps - have a chance to write something worthwhile in the future. I enjoy writing and I enjoy teaching but preaching is my call. I do work with a large number of college students and professors, so I have plenty of opportunity to teach. I like the "no holes" statement. That's why I chose WTS for the MDiv. However, which is more of a hole: a DMin from a US school with ATS accreditation or a PhD in Theology from a South African school with no residency? There have been several in my denomination who have done PhDs through SA schools such as UFS. I know they are not considered to be on the same level as the PhDs from WTS, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and the other schools we have represented but they do seem to be accepted. In the end, these are my financial options: SA PhD or US DMin. I'd just need to find a DMin that works with my schedule and that is respected and challenging.
