Pontifex University

This is an interesting looking school. Their Doctor of Theology is available 100% online. I would expect that most people pursuing it who aren't already heavily steeped in Catholic theological education would have to take the eight leveling foundation courses prior to admission to the doctor of theology.

https://www.pontifex.university/page/show/269551

 

"Pontifex University is an apostolate of the Solidarity Association which is an Association of the Christian Faithful erected as a Public Juridic Body by Decree of the late Archbishop John Francis Donoghue pursuant to canon law sections 298-329. The operational authority granted to the Solidarity Association includes the provision of education and formation at all levels.

Pontifex University is a Catholic University pursuant to Can. 808. having been granted formal recognition by Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, Archbishop of Washington DC, when serving as Archbishop of Atlanta.

Additionally Pontifex University is compliant with the Decree of Promulgation of Ex Corde Ecclesiae."

They were founded in 2015 and appear to be clear that they do not yet have accreditation other than the approvals of the Catholic Church.

 

Quote from Stanislav in another thread where Pontifex U was mentioned. Found it on the search thingy.

IIRC Pontifex U. program was $10,000 which was felt by someone to be high for an unaccredited program. I haven't searched the cost of the fully-accredited St. Leo doctoral program, as I have no personal interest in earning this type of degree. YMMV.

I dunno -- the Pontifex degree appears to have full Church approval, so regardless of secular accreditation, the degree should get you where you want -- Heaven or whatever, shouldn't it? Isn't that what people are supposed to believe?

 

@Johann

Looks like the MTS is in the $10,000 range. It is hard to figure the ThD out but it appears if you are a lucky person and can simply do the ThD it might be around $7,800. Seems like most people are going to need some sort of foundation work and that will add money at about $300 for credit.

The backing of the Catholic Church will carry a lot of weight in ecclesiastical circles. Roman Catholics have been managing higher education for a long time.

This appears to be an attempt at a conservative Catholic online educational institution. Many Catholics express concern about liberalizing trends in Catholic educational institutions.

 

@Johann

St. Leo's ThD looks pretty good. About 780 per credit hour in 2023. I didn't check the number of credits but if it is 60 credit hours that is a significant chunk of change plus some mandatory in person attendance. Around $50,000?

As the Catholics say, "Lord have mercy"!

 

I'm not Catholic, but I'm all for some types of conservatism there. I was REALLY upset in 1962 when the Church um-decommissioned the Latin Mass. I'd just spent five years learning Latin --- and now Catholics didn't have to? Outrageous! I was about 19. I was going to write the Pope (St. John XXIII) an angry letter in Latin --- but I chickened out. Probably for the best.

 

Definitely a niche product, but last I asked they were able to hit their (relatively modest) enrollment goals.

 

Not too many Catholic colleges, let alone doctoral degree granting ones, in the South. And this despite growing population in those states.

Any word on Pontifex’s possibility for RA?

 

This, from the site: "As a new academic program, the Doctor of Theology and the Master of Sacred Arts degrees are not eligible for accreditation and Pontifex University will explore appropriate options for accreditation when the programs have reached an appropriate level of maturity:" From here: https://www.pontifex.university/page/show/269553

I think it requires a two-year minimum, to apply. From the text on the same page, the school certainly seems to have sufficient endorsement from the Church, to start with. That alone should cover most purposes for which these degrees are intended.

RA - we'll see, I guess.

 

Just thought - there might be people interested in these degrees, who aspire to teaching religious subjects at other Catholic (RA) universities. If Pontifex attains RA, grads would possibly have a better chance at teaching positions within other RA Catholic universities ... wouldn't they?