Cheapest Master of Divinity

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Michael, Jun 15, 2009.

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  1. Michael

    Michael Member

    Okay, Ted, go argue with yourself. I know what I said, I know what I meant, and I know the "political economics" of churches and religious educational institutions. And I still maintain and always will that it is against the spirit of Christ to put ministers under a mountain of debt.
     
  2. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    In other words, your notion is that seminaries should charge nothing at all ... give everything away for free ... and then go make themselves into professional beggars. Not very good stewardship of resources.
     
  3. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    Ted,
    Our new friend the vagante bishop did not mean any such thing. Besides, what's wrong with beggars? Begging was the initial financial engine of e. g. Orger of St. Dominic - and, for that matter, of Jesus & Apostles.
     
  4. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    One does not do a darn thing to help the poor by voluntarily becoming poor onesself.
     
  5. Michael

    Michael Member

    Nope, you said that, not I. Stop putting words in my mouth and misrepresenting what I've said.

    Ted, I have appreciated your past posts, so let's leave it at that, okay?
     
  6. Lukeness

    Lukeness Member

    So... are you going to tell us about your decision?
     
  7. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Your words are very clear, sir. You have accused any seminary that charges tuition of robbery. You've made it very clear that you want something (a seminary education) but do not wish to pay for it but you are unwilling to call that robbery. I'll leave it at that.
     
  8. ewillmon

    ewillmon New Member


    I believe he gives his decision in this thread.
     
  9. AUTiger00

    AUTiger00 New Member

    Ted, I don't think the OP was saying that seminaries shouldn't charge ANY thing, he just feels that many of them charge too much. If I am wrong in that, and Michael thinks his education should be completely free, then I completely agree with you.
     
  10. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    Usually, no, but are you suggesting no member of a monastic order like Franciscans (starting with St. Francis) or Dominicans(with their respective holy patron) ever helped the poor? Mother Theresa was "voluntarily poor". All Bishops in my Church are monastics and thus "voluntarily poor" (at least in theory).
     
  11. Stanislav

    Stanislav Well-Known Member

    That's my understanding as well.
     
  12. Michael

    Michael Member

    That is a LIE!! Show me where I EVER said that!! Stop putting words in my mouth!! I have tried to let this go, but you won't have that, will you?

    I am willing and able to pay REASONABLE costs; that's why I've decided on a SA degree. There are also good schools in Australia and in the UK with reasonable fees, Spurgeon's College in London being one.

    On our denominational website, I have listed schools in the USA, SA, UK, and Australia which will not bankrupt our members and ministers.

    Stop misrepresenting my views!!!! Do you not have any integrity?
     
  13. dave042

    dave042 New Member

    Mike,

    What did your research tell you?

    I'm also looking for an online M.Div. program that is RA or NA in order to become a military chaplain. So far Liberty seems to have the lowest costs per hour but requires 96 hours of graduate work! ouch!

    The military requirement is 72 hours. So in the Liberty program, I would be paying for an additional 24 hours.

    I'm not opposed to taking some intensive on-campus courses as long as they don't exceed two or three weeks. I get 30 days leave a year.

    Dave
     
  14. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    A usual MDiv is 90-96 hours so it may be tough to find one that is 72 hours exactly ... what are the requirements to become a military chaplain, ie does it need to be an MDiv or will another grad degree work? Could you do two 36-hours degrees and add them together to equal 72 hours? :D Like for example, NA accredited Luther Rice University's Master of Biblical Counseling (36hrs) + RA Liberty's Master of Arts in Christian Leadership (36hrs) ?
     
  15. Haggai12

    Haggai12 Member

    DEd MDiv programs

    Seems we discussed this elsewhere, no matter..

    I think Jason Baker's website is still the best resource:

    Christian Distance Learning: Online College, Seminary Degrees

    There are a bunch of MDiv programs available now [far different educational landscape then when I began DEd in the early 1990's!!!].

    Baker lists these:

    Amridge, Western, Liberty, Asbury, Andrews, Bethel, Covenant, Global, Southern Cross, Apex, Faith, King's, Southern Evangelical, Temple Baptist, Ridley, Tennessee Temple, Faith Baptist, Southwest AG, Virginia University - Lynchburg, AG Seminary, Columbia International, and Regent.

    Some are modular with fairly substantial on-campus requirements. I personally believe a really good MDiv should require some 'face-to-face' time with instructors, but there is soooooo much that can be accomplished and completed via DEd.

    Look at Baker's website for particulars about these programs, and make sure you enroll in a program that will meet the strict requirements of becoming a military chaplain [US, or Canada].
     
  16. ewillmon

    ewillmon New Member

    I believe the requirement could be satisfied with one graduate degree in religious/theological studies and the extra hours up to 72 hours. Many denominational boards may require the M.Div. degree in order to give their approval. The only M.Div. I know of that is 72 hours is Southwestern Assemblies of God University. It can be done by distance, but it is more than Liberty for sure. I am not for certain that a nationally accredited degree would meet the requirements. My denomination (Assemblies of God) has a chaplaincy website and it specifically mentions an ATS accredited degree. Maybe that's just what they desire.

    The best information would be provided by a chaplain recruiter.
     
  17. brow276

    brow276 Member

    Per Liberty's website, the M.Div is only 72 hours if you specialize in the Chaplaincy program.

    Master of Divinity - Chaplaincy | Liberty University Online
     
  18. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    Hmmm I didn't even notice that ... seems like that would be the best route for dave042 to take.
     
  19. dave042

    dave042 New Member

    Another option is Luther Rice Seminary. They will let me transfer in 30 graduate credits as electives.
    90 total - 30 transfer = 60 x $206 = $12360

    Further, I can maintain 6 credits per term so I could possibly complete it in a little over 3 years.

    I see Liberty offers a block discount but can somebody really take 15 graduate hours in a term?
     
  20. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    I took 5 courses one semester at seminary (B&M not online) and it was a lot ... I wasn't working at the time so I could dedicate full time to studies but I wouldn't recommend it, especially given the fact that since online classes often have no lectures (5 on campus classes = 15 hours of lectures per week) they often compensate by giving you more reading / writing / posting work to do. I've heard that Liberty courses are like that but haven't taken any myself.
     

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