I read an article a while back (trying to find the link) that talked about how a "religious degree" is basically worthless. It went on to point out that bible colleges or "universities" charge outrageous tuition fees, make you research the same crap you already knew from growing up in church, they are biased toward their particular beliefs and in the end give you a piece of paper that grants you a title for your name.
I don't see that, actually. Take Catholicism and going into priesthood. In the Church there are no Bibles as some protestant Churches I'm used to. Half the Catholics I met don't even know
personally what is in their Bible a part from the Church. When they go to a university, then they are studied in what they did not know. They study the Bible.
However, I agree that they are bias towards their own religion. That's basically the point of the degree, though.
It's just like American Sign Language Interpretation. I wanted to go through a degree in that and was half way done when I hit a pit hole*. You can get up to a MA and I'm surprised not a Dr. based on all the work, expense, and license we need to get every year to keep our profession. Yet, if I took my future degree across to Mc Donalds, they'd tell me "I'm over qualified" or "this degree doesn't hold any thing that relates to managerial positions you're asking for Ma'am."
So, I have to use the degree within Deaf Studies, language, social psychology, psychology, social work, education, etc. All of these (like
@lovesong was saying about combination) are a good combination with the degree needed to fulfill the position.
I also found out recently, they'd rather future interpreters get a general degree in Deaf studies or similar not an interpreting degree. (Instead of a Christian theology degree, get a "Abrahamic degree" I made that up to compare) so you have more options.
Its still work, effort, time, and expense. So I wouldn't see why one wouldn't want to hold their Dr. title as per their hard work has brought them.
Now that I think of it, I know ten years or so from now, we would need a Dr. to get an interpreting licenses. First we didn't need a degree, then an A.S., now a B.A. In four years I think they said they are going up to M.A. for some reason. People still work without going up that far. It depends on
how you use the degree not the degree itself. Unless you are going into professions like medicine, that's more specific. A Dr. Professor at a university probably has just as much hard effort as the doctor and most definitely the interpreter.
It just depends on how the degree is used and where one can use it, theology or otherwise.
That same degree does not teach you to perform surgery, become an engineer, an architect, a musician, a mechanic, or how to properly flip burgers at McDonald's. It is only good in religious circles, and in particular, your own religion/denomination. Those that hold such degrees and insist on being called "Dr." are a joke...like this guy:
It depends on how you are using the degree. If you are taking the degree to get a position in Horticulture or go down the street to be a U.S. Congressman, then no, the degree title won't work but in the U.S. a lot of times just having a B.A. will get you in and then the job will pay for whatever you need in relation to your position.
If it's in ones own religion, then a Doctorate in one's own religion doesn't sound off. If you are comparing it to a doctor with a PH in medicine, that's different.
Does Dr Studies in theology have internship? I notice the medicine, interpreting, archaeology, and so forth all have internships towards their masters or doctorates.
Divinity and Ministry degrees are the jokes that the article refers to. You can buy these for about $25 online, and they hold the same weight as getting one from a university for thousands more. D.D. (Doctorate of Divinity) is normally an honorary degree awarded by an institution or church, and the recipient should not use the title of Dr. in their name. Many do though, in an effort to boost their position, book sales, etc.
Another question. I know over here you have to have a degree by an accredited university and the government checks to see if you were a student at that school and got your degree there. So, if I bought a $25.00 degree online, it would mean nothing position wise.
I don't know about other religious Doctorates. I do know a priest rightfully earned their doctorates. My interpreting teacher wanted people to call her by Dr. She got upset when people didn't.
I think it's about how much work and training one puts into a profession. Being a pastor and priest shouldn't be any different than a doctor of medicine or interpreting. They are a specialist within their own group.
Eh. Just my thoughts.
