Theology school

Goodbook

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If any of you have studied theology, at a seminary or bible college/university or doing it now, can you share what papers you are studying? I just want an idea of what kind of study you engage in, and if you've written a thesis or proposing to write one, what is your topic.

Just out of interest. And how many years does it take?

I have a friend at church who says she's going for her Phd and her proposed topic is theology and photography. I'm not sure what the link will be but something to do with that..or maybe she will have photos that show God or his creation or something like that.
 

Goodbook

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I don't have any interest in studying a phD myself, and never studied theology formally but maybe you do have an idea for a thesis. Although, it seems to me that PhDs are more geared toward church history and how theology flows from that rather than actually studying the Bible itself.

To me church history is a complicated thing and really depends on which denom you subscribe to. If you interested in the a past I suppose its interesting or involved in church that was planted years ago but...it never seemed to really engage me because of all the fights over doctrine and misunderstandings between different branches of the church family.
 
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98cwitr

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Both of my in-laws are ordained PhD'd ministers...took about 4 years for my sister-il and 7 years for my brother-il. That said they are perfectionists and their theses were about 200 pages each. My brother-il focused on just Southern Appalachian church history during the 17th-19th centuries. It's interesting talking to him.
 
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Goodbook

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thats interesting. None of my family are Phds in theology. None are ministers that I know of. I once got chatting to a workmate and he'd done a divinity degree but I didn't chat long enough to find out more.

The other people that I know of who've studied theology are church pastors of course. But also a friend of mine said she studied theology papers while doing her teaching degree but it was at a secular university so it was different to how she expected. I think it would be unnerving to study the bible under teachers who didn't have any regard for scripture and just saw it as literature like everything else.
 
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Goodbook

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I dont have any ideas for a thesis, sorry. My mind just gone blank.

I've never read a theological one, so, don't have any examples to follow. I am also, not sure what practical application it would be.

Maybe a longitudinal study with two families. One would be a married christian couple starting a family and the other would be an unequally yoked couple and the other would be a heathen couple. They would all be similar ages. You would follow them for 7 years studying their habits and relationships and lifestyles and beliefs and compare them with each other and the effect it has on their children. Then another 7 years and each seven years make a gauge of their faith (or lack of). It could be some turn to the Lord or some turn away. That would be interesting.
 
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I dont have any ideas for a thesis, sorry. My mind just gone blank.

I've never read a theological one, so, don't have any examples to follow. I am also, not sure what practical application it would be.

Maybe a longitudinal study with two families. One would be a married christian couple starting a family and the other would be an unequally yoked couple and the other would be a heathen couple. They would all be similar ages. You would follow them for 7 years studying their habits and relationships and lifestyles and beliefs and compare them with each other and the effect it has on their children. Then another 7 years and each seven years make a gauge of their faith (or lack of). It could be some turn to the Lord or some turn away. That would be interesting.

A thesis could be one of many topics.

An example thesis could be the effects of the Charismatic movement in Africa.

Or looking in to how Christianity has or has not possibly been affected by consumerism(one could discuss the prosperity gospel) etc. It could be interesting to observe how societal and secular change could affect our spiritual and theological bearing and outlook.
 
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High Fidelity

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To your point about questions, it may be worth contacting a few seminaries to ask for some sample questions from past(or present) modules for your own intellectual and spiritual curiosity.

I'm sure at least some of them would oblige you.
 
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Goodbook

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I suppose I could just check on their websites. But i thought I would ask peope who'd actually studied on here first. And what their experiences were of studying those topics.

I think to do one paper it costs at least $500 so Its not something Im keen on doing anytime soon. I think I've done enough post grad tertiary study for now. These days you have to pay to do a phd even after you are approved.

My friend who works at the bible college says they have theology 'tasters' like free public lectures but I do wonder if some of them might do my head in.
 
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High Fidelity

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I suppose I could just check on their websites. But i thought I would ask peope who'd actually studied on here first. And what their experiences were of studying those topics.

I think to do one paper it costs at least $500 so Its not something Im keen on doing anytime soon. I think I've done enough post grad tertiary study for now. These days you have to pay to do a phd even after you are approved.

My friend who works at the bible college says they have theology 'tasters' like free public lectures but I do wonder if some of them might do my head in.

Here's a playlist of seminary classes as an example;

https://www.youtube.com/user/JoshuaCrooch/playlists
 
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Paidiske

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Odd. Maybe the internet ate it. I will try again.

If any of you have studied theology, at a seminary or bible college/university or doing it now, can you share what papers you are studying? I just want an idea of what kind of study you engage in, and if you've written a thesis or proposing to write one, what is your topic.

Just out of interest. And how many years does it take?

I did a Master of Divinity and Advanced Diploma of Ministry. Normally it would take four years but I had my daughter during that time and took six years.

That included units in:

New Testament Greek
Biblical studies (a range of units across both testaments)
Theology (including a bit of philosophy)
Church history
Ethics
Liturgy (including preaching)
Pastoral care (including field placements).

I also started to write a thesis after that, looking at the ministry of ordinary believers in the very early church fathers, but I've put that aside for now because I just don't have time or headspace to give to it.

If you think you might be interested in a bit of study but you're not sure, or not sure where to start, I'd recommend choosing an area that sounds interesting to you and reading a book or two. If that scratches the itch, great, if not, you'll have some idea of what you might like to pursue. Always happy to recommend books!

Edited to add: oh, and on the church history thing, the main value from it for me was not that I learned about controversies in the past, but that it gave me some perspective to realise that what the church does or thinks now is not what has always and everywhere been done or thought. That we have developed over time and there is room for flexibility, growth and development. And having a sense of what we need to hold on to, and where we can be flexible, is a real asset to the church in a rapidly changing world!
 
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Goodbook

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Sorry i dont see a lengthy post here paidiske.

Thanks for the playlist PTL. Well, hermaneutics sounds complicated as does mechanics of preaching...
I had another friend who said she did biblical counselling but didnt finish her degree. She had an accident and then there were financial difficulties.

I suppose even if you dont graduate, its worthwhile to study. Although people do say going to seminary is like going to a cemetery. Ive done a perspectives course but thats quite different from what they teach in seminaries. It was more about missions and evangelism, but i did note a bit of bias as it was from an american based missions rather than just straight out missions coming from Jerusalem, samaria and to the ends of the earth. I think much of the course was spent trying to undo the damage misguided missionaries had done spreading western ideas and culture rather than the gospel.
 
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Goodbook

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Odd. Maybe the internet ate it. I will try again.



I did a Master of Divinity and Advanced Diploma of Ministry. Normally it would take four years but I had my daughter during that time and took six years.

That included units in:

New Testament Greek
Biblical studies (a range of units across both testaments)
Theology (including a bit of philosophy)
Church history
Ethics
Liturgy (including preaching)
Pastoral care (including field placements).

I also started to write a thesis after that, looking at the ministry of ordinary believers in the very early church fathers, but I've put that aside for now because I just don't have time or headspace to give to it.

If you think you might be interested in a bit of study but you're not sure, or not sure where to start, I'd recommend choosing an area that sounds interesting to you and reading a book or two. If that scratches the itch, great, if not, you'll have some idea of what you might like to pursue. Always happy to recommend books!

OP, did you have a similar topic also asking about what people got out of studying church history? Because I really do have the weirdest sense that I've answered this before, but I can't find the previous post in my content.

Ooh see it now. Thanks.
 
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Goodbook

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I had an idea for a thesis. Probably already been done, but it would be interesting to study.

Looking at faith of believers, how christians came to faith and whether they had repented before they were baptised or if they just came to faith by 'asking Jesus into their heart' raising their hand or some other kind of conversion. You could ask people what they repented of and the actions they took after they repented.
 
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Goodbook

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oh. thanks. I don't know if I'll read it all but this one seems to be for Lutherans and says you can only do MDiv if you're a member of Lutheran church for at least 5 years and be in good standing in that church. Interesting. Maybe other bible colleges have different criteria.
 
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MarkRohfrietsch

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oh. thanks. I don't know if I'll read it all but this one seems to be for Lutherans and says you can only do MDiv if you're a member of Lutheran church for at least 5 years and be in good standing in that church. Interesting. Maybe other bible colleges have different criteria.


While it says that, it is accredited by Brock University, and the courses are available to all. It is very common that we have Eastern Orthodox who are in formation for their priesthood attending courses at our Sem during their formation. Lots of Lay people attend classes for credit who are in various other programs.
 
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