Doctor of Deistic Theology?

[Neo Deist]

I was trying to find a place where this topic would have the best fit. It is not a debate per se, and it is not really something that was exclusive to the DIR. At least here it can be discussed in a civil manner.

As many of you know, I finished seminary back in 2016 and received a Doctor of Theology degree, which is initialed as ThD (same thing as a PhD, just religious instead of secular). But as a deist, I take a different view on things. I am "outside of the box," so to speak, when it comes to Christianity (having grown up as a Baptist and later...morphing?). My opinions and rationalizations are unorthodox.

I ask because there is not a deist university or seminary. I can't get a degree from a place that does not exist. Colleges and universities are expanding their degrees and fields of study all the time, and they basically create titles that go with them.

Should I (or others) go by the title of Doctor of Deistic Theology, which would reflect what we believe and/or teach? Would it be wrong for me to apply "Deistic" as a descriptor to the title?

 

[David T]

What's john Muir? You are southern it appears, and religion in this country is rooted deeply in its music. Bob Dylan went into Christianity went running out with his hair on fire. Joan baez hung out a lot with Thomas Merton. Why? Leonard Cohen sung "hallelujah" in 1984 there isn't a single version since except his that captures what the song is about. So if you want to accedemic it all I suggest art criticism classes and be an art critic because that's all theology is. People telling people their opinions propping it up with bible verses or Rudolph bultman etc creating humongous text with complex phraseology so that at the end his entire work can be summed up " I really really really really love the bible" it's taught in undergrad and big head grad classes cuz it's hard and by God if it costs so much money it better be hard work to slog through abstractive nonsense. I might explore Muir a bit more or bultman, Or barth (lame lame) , you choose.

 

[David T]

What's john Muir? You are southern it appears, and religion in this country is rooted deeply in its music. Bob Dylan went into Christianity went running out with his hair on fire. Joan baez hung out a lot with Thomas Merton. Why? Leonard Cohen sung "hallelujah" in 1984 there isn't a single version since except his that captures what the song is about. So if you want to accedemic it all I suggest art criticism classes and be an art critic because that's all theology is. People telling people their opinions propping it up with bible verses or Rudolph bultman etc creating humongous text with complex phraseology so that at the end his entire work can be summed up " I really really really really love the bible" it's taught in undergrad and big head grad classes cuz it's hard and by God if it costs so much money it better be hard work to slog through abstractive nonsense. I might explore Muir a bit more or bultman, Or barth (lame lame) , you choose.

Also might try David abrams, Rudolph stiener, jung, fr.Thomas berry, heraclitus, Lao tzu, buddha, native American culture and mushrooms if all fails!!!! BTW Abrams opted to absilutely not involve himself in the university system its so BaptIst.

 

[siti]

David T - I didn't get much of that except Leonard Cohen (agree - perhaps the most misinterpreted and "hijacked" lyrics ever written) and mushrooms (no comment) - but I certainly don't agree that theology is "art criticism" - or (for that matter) that art criticism is not of academic value (as your remark seems to be imply). For better or worse, theology, like art, has been an important way in which humans have sought to understand their place in the world for millennia. It needs to be studied. Mind you - I think a post-modern deconstruction of holy writ might finally yield something valuable compared to the usual attempts to figure out what was in the supposed "author's" mind when it was written - as if supposed divine or authoritative origin makes any difference to the validity of the written ideas.

Neo - I would be careful about appending the "deistic" epithet to your credentials - it doesn't mean much to many people anyway and uninformed people might imagine some kind of cultish connection or that your qualification was not genuine. Deism is a theology - albeit a rather sparse one - so it is really captured under theology anyway. Just my thoughts.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Should I (or others) go by the title of Doctor of Deistic Theology, which would reflect what we believe and/or teach? Would it be wrong for me to apply "Deistic" as a descriptor to the title?

From the academic tradition, you are a ThD if that's what it says on your piece of sheepskin. You would refer to yourself as Neo Deist, ThD. You could then add "Specializing in Deism" or some such, set off by a comma or parentheses, but that would be unusual.

Frankly, what and how you identify yourself (as long as you don't misrepresent your degree or position) is of little consequence or concern to anyone outside of academics or a professional field. I'd just say, "I have a doctorate in Divinity, and I am a Deist."

 

[Neo Deist]

My eyes are bleeding @David T ...

 

[Neo Deist]

I thought about it, and changing the degree title conferred might very well invalidate it. @siti and @beenherebeforeagain are right. I'll leave it as is, and if anyone asks then I can go into detail. I need sleep...

 

[allfoak]

I was trying to find a place where this topic would have the best fit. It is not a debate per se, and it is not really something that was exclusive to the DIR. At least here it can be discussed in a civil manner.

As many of you know, I finished seminary back in 2016 and received a Doctor of Theology degree, which is initialed as ThD (same thing as a PhD, just religious instead of secular). But as a deist, I take a different view on things. I am "outside of the box," so to speak, when it comes to Christianity (having grown up as a Baptist and later...morphing?). My opinions and rationalizations are unorthodox.

I ask because there is not a deist university or seminary. I can't get a degree from a place that does not exist. Colleges and universities are expanding their degrees and fields of study all the time, and they basically create titles that go with them.

Should I (or others) go by the title of Doctor of Deistic Theology, which would reflect what we believe and/or teach? Would it be wrong for me to apply "Deistic" as a descriptor to the title?

I would say drop the title and forget you ever got "educated".

 

[ThePainefulTruth]

I was trying to find a place where this topic would have the best fit. It is not a debate per se, and it is not really something that was exclusive to the DIR. At least here it can be discussed in a civil manner.

As many of you know, I finished seminary back in 2016 and received a Doctor of Theology degree, which is initialed as ThD (same thing as a PhD, just religious instead of secular). But as a deist, I take a different view on things. I am "outside of the box," so to speak, when it comes to Christianity (having grown up as a Baptist and later...morphing?). My opinions and rationalizations are unorthodox.

I ask because there is not a deist university or seminary. I can't get a degree from a place that does not exist. Colleges and universities are expanding their degrees and fields of study all the time, and they basically create titles that go with them.

Should I (or others) go by the title of Doctor of Deistic Theology, which would reflect what we believe and/or teach? Would it be wrong for me to apply "Deistic" as a descriptor to the title?

Aren't you really after the Truth? Is there any Truth to be found pursuing miracles and revelation which are pure, mostly ancient, hearsay? Deism and atheism are the only two positions which are reasonable and therefore amenable to the pursuit of the Truth. Theology can only be the study of the nature of Truth, and if God exists, it must be equivalent with Truth--and to eliminate confusion, that pursuit should be called Viretalogy or some such, which allows for the possibility that there is no God.

If you insist on giving credence to what is called divine revelation, you've nothing to work with. Insisting that revelation is a viable food for thought, is best addressed by the Book of Job, the excruciatingly lengthy details of which can be boiled down to one sentence, God says His reasons for doing what He does is none of our business. That was said because the cynical author(s) of Job had to know that God doesn't interact or otherwise reveal Himself in the universe--I mean there they were, putting words in God's mouth...again.

 

[Neo Deist]

You're seriously lecturing me on deism? I think you missed the mark. Not once did I talk about divine revelation. I don't believe in it.

The OP was about altering the ThD to something more in line with my philosophies. I decided against it.

 

[Repox]

I was trying to find a place where this topic would have the best fit. It is not a debate per se, and it is not really something that was exclusive to the DIR. At least here it can be discussed in a civil manner.

As many of you know, I finished seminary back in 2016 and received a Doctor of Theology degree, which is initialed as ThD (same thing as a PhD, just religious instead of secular). But as a deist, I take a different view on things. I am "outside of the box," so to speak, when it comes to Christianity (having grown up as a Baptist and later...morphing?). My opinions and rationalizations are unorthodox.

I ask because there is not a deist university or seminary. I can't get a degree from a place that does not exist. Colleges and universities are expanding their degrees and fields of study all the time, and they basically create titles that go with them.

Should I (or others) go by the title of Doctor of Deistic Theology, which would reflect what we believe and/or teach? Would it be wrong for me to apply "Deistic" as a descriptor to the title?

I have an Ph.D. in a social science discipline. I have areas of specialization which aren't indicated or designated with my degree. I believe it is standard practice to not indicate specialized areas with an advanced degree.

 

[Yazata]

I ask because there is not a deist university or seminary. I can't get a degree from a place that does not exist. Colleges and universities are expanding their degrees and fields of study all the time, and they basically create titles that go with them.

I think that the most appropriate way to study deism at the university level might be in a philosophy department, by specializing in the philosophy of religion.

Should I (or others) go by the title of Doctor of Deistic Theology, which would reflect what we believe and/or teach? Would it be wrong for me to apply "Deistic" as a descriptor to the title?

Do you really 'go by the title'? Or is the degree only something that you would put on a cv? If you already have a degree, then you should use the name of the degree that the university awarded, whatever is written on your diploma.

 

[Rival]

I think that the most appropriate way to study deism at the university level might be in a philosophy department, by specializing in the philosophy of religion.



Do you really 'go by the title'? Or is the degree only something that you would put on a cv? If you already have a degree, then you should use the name of the degree that the university awarded, whatever is written on your diploma.

Neo Deist hasn't been here since 2017.