ERSKINE SUGGESTS MDIVs SHOULD TEACH DMIN

In a bold move to break with tradition Erskine Seminary lists Prof Doug White, possessor of a mere MDiv, as teacher of doctoral level classes at said Seminary.

From this it may be deducted using Russellian Logic that Erskine rejects ,in general, the notion that one should first have a doctorate before one teaches at the doctoral level !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sawubona, Bill!

 

What tradition? And what should the rest of us conclude from this revelation?

Actually I do think that there is some relevance to this, believe it or not. There does seem to be an assertion going around that doctoral students must only receive instruction from instructors with doctorates. Where that "rule" came from, I don't know. Nor do I know who enforces it.

The problem arises from the fact that in many fields most *practitioners* don't have doctorates. Businessmen tend to have MBAs, engineers are BSEEs or MSEEs etc. Priests and ministers usually aren't doctors. But even at the doctoral level many courses will be practice oriented, or will explore the theoretical implications of practice.

So it's easy to imagine cases where a person with a masters will have far more industrial R&D, executive suite or church leadership experience than an applicant with a more academic background would likely have.

If it's really the case that it's inappropriate for people with real-world experience to teach about that experience unless they have acquired a "doctorate", there will be a motivation to get people doctoral degrees as quickly and easily as possible, with few questions being asked. The degree will only be there for cosmetic reasons anyway.

I think that this could be a major contributor to the phenomenon of university faculty at respectable schools sporting iffy non-accredited doctoral degrees.

My personal opinion is that it's misguided. We need to accept that there are people without advanced degrees whose experience does permit them to teach, just as we accept that there are people with doctorates but with very little applied experience who teach.

I remember that there was a guy teaching at Cal Tech ten or twenty years ago who only had a bachelors degree. And I'm sure that if Bill Gates or Steve Jobs wanted to teach a B-school class, few business schools would turn them down because they lack doctorates. They might not be the best choice to teach some technical courses, but few doctors are qualified to teach every specialty either.

 

Bill

The tradition easily demonstatrable that Seminaries hire RA docs!!!!!!!

While this post is joking, of course it does have a serious side. One of the brightest and most productive New Testament scholars, FF Bruce, is listed in his many works as possessor only of the MA.

The crux of my jest was the assumption that Erskine in general approves or practices such. It does not, as per faculty roster, ie, the exceptional cases of one being highly qualified by experience or non formal training are just that and do not establish a trend in Erskine's hiring practice.

Your point is good in my opinion.

 

Perhaps such exceptional instructors (brilliant praxis folks w/o terminal degrees) would be appropriate recipients of honorary doctorates. I'm no fan of honorary doctorates in general, but this might be one instance where it could make sense.

Notice: perhaps...would...might...could. This is not a decree (let alone a degree) from On High.

 

Here, Here, Uncle Janko, congratulations are in order!!!!!!!!

Once one has received the honorary doctorate, I assume it is ok to address them as "Dr.," right?

Uncle Janko, you may now:

1. Have "Dr." Janko printed on your business cards/letter heads.
2. Use the title "Dr." in cyberspace.
3. Demand that others address you as "Dr."
4. Intimidate Bill Grover.
5. Travel through Oregon without fear of incarceration--after all it is only honorary.

 

Buna seara, guys. Lutheran, actually.

 

Question for Uncle

Here in cyberspace, which would be your preference, "Dr. Uncle Janko" or "Uncle Doctor Janko?"

Russell: "Uncle Janko, you may now:

1. Have "Dr." Janko printed on your business cards/letter heads.
2. Use the title "Dr." in cyberspace.
3. Demand that others address you as "Dr."
4. Intimidate Bill Grover.
5. Travel through Oregon without fear of incarceration--after all it is only honorary."

 

A number of one word comments come to mind....




My, what shiny boots I have!

 

Besides, intimidate Bill? The warrior of Zululand? The one-man theological mfecane? The systematical son of Shaka?

Hardly.

 

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"mfecane' ? Now that sounds like a cussword, Unk!

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Oh No! Here we go again.