I have read that the Doctor of Divinity degree is usually only granted as an honorary degree. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Divinity If that is the case, would someone who received an honorary DD have to specify that it is honorary - or is that always assumed?
I think I've seen an accredited DD somewhere that most definitely wasn't merely honorary. Can't remember where, though, at the moment. Perhaps someone can help. Unless specifically stated, the DMin is certainly not to be assumed merely honorary; nor PhD's and ThD's -- or even DA's -- in religion, divinity studies, ministry, theology, etc. But I don't know about the DD. Hmm. Interesting. I'd guess that it's not to be assumed that it's honorary... but I'd like to hear from folks like Bill Grover, Janko and others around here to tend to know these sorts of things cold. An additional thought: See also Rich Douglas's point made in a thread around here recently regarding the reliability -- or, perhaps more accurately, the lack thereof -- of wiki web sites, just generally.
My Rabbi (redundant, that) has an honorary DD from Hebrew Union. He told me that it is usually given to mark some huge number of years in the Rabbinate.
I believe that the DD is still an earned degree in the UK, as it was in the US in the nineteenth century.
Ted is correct impliciter: the DD is purely an honorary degree in the US. It is an inane thing, full of sound and fury and signifying a pompous 1950's kind of mainline Protestant or an Anglican archdeacon of the horsey set variety. Incidentally, having known a few archdeacons, they were mostly rather jaded and not arch at all. Strange, that.
While I have heard that generally the DD is an honorary degree, there are apparently a few places, at least, where it is earned. The University of Pretoria appears to list it as an academic qualification, though it doesn't give any details I've been able to find on the web site. The University of Durham apparently used to have a DD for published work, but that is no longer listed under the research degree section of their site. Matt F
I understand that in England, around the time of St. Thomas of Canturbury, there was a spoof debate concerning whether an archdeacon could possibly get to heaven. IIRC, the answer was, "No."
You can get a DD among many other degrees through the Universal Life Church. They are all noted as being honorary titles that come with an ID card and certificate for the complete experience.
