In the years since I graduated from seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in 2001 much has changed. The overall landscape of theological education has shifted. While the Master of Divinity degree remains the preferred pathway to ordination in Mainline Protestant denominations, it is increasingly possible for folks to chart paths to ordination without it. And, it is also now possible to complete one's entire program (M.Div. or otherwise) online without ever stepping foot on a seminary Read More …
Master of Divinity
Life After Seminary (#1100)
For generations, seminaries were primarily designed to train people for pastoral ministry. Today, less than half of all graduates of the typical seminary degree for pastors (master of divinity) plan to engage in full-time church ministry. According to the Association of Theological Schools the shift has taken place in just a few decades. At that time, over 90% of students planned to enter full-time church ministry. The percentage has declined ever since, reaching 52% by Read More …
Reshaping Seminary Education (#0315)
Earlier this month, I wrote "A Shift in Theological Education" to highlight the shift in seminary education from primarily an on campus face-to-face learning experience to one that includes hybrid (using both face-to-face and online components) or online courses. This shift mirrors what has happened in higher education more generally where online enrollment grew 20% over the most recently available seven year period from 9% to 29%. Interestingly, The Reverend Dr. Frederick W. Read More …