A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced
academic degree
An academic degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at various levels, usually including und ...
in
divinity
Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.[divine< ...](_blank)
.
In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the
University of Oxford
, mottoeng = The Lord is my light
, established =
, endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019)
, budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20)
, chancellor ...
, doctors of divinity are ranked first in "academic precedence and standing", while at the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
they rank ahead of all other doctors in the "order of seniority of graduates".
In some countries, such as in the United States, the degree of doctor of divinity is usually an honorary degree and not a research or academic degree.
Doctor of Divinity by country or church
British Isles
In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
and
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
, the degree is a
higher doctorate conferred by universities upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction, usually for accomplishments beyond the Ph.D. level. Bishops of the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Brit ...
have traditionally held
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
,
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
,
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...
, or
Lambeth degrees making them doctors of divinity. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ranked first in "academic precedence and standing". At the University of Cambridge, they rank ahead of all other doctors in the "order of seniority of graduates".
Typically, an academic candidate will submit a collection of work which has been previously published in a peer-reviewed context and pay an examination fee. The university then assembles a committee of academics both internal and external who review the work submitted and decide on whether the candidate deserves the doctorate based on the submission. Most universities restrict candidacy to graduates or academic staff of several years' standing.
United States
In the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
, most doctors of divinity hold a degree conferred ''
honoris causa
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
'' by a church-related college, seminary, or university to recognize the recipient's achievements as a minister of religion. For example,
Martin Luther King Jr. graduated as a Ph.D. in
systematic theology from
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original cam ...
in 1955 and subsequently received honorary doctor of divinity degrees from the
Chicago Theological Seminary (1957), Boston University (1959),
Wesleyan College (1964), and
Springfield College (1964).
Billy Graham, who received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from
The King's College and the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...
, was regularly addressed as "Dr. Graham", though his highest earned degree was a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
degree in anthropology from
Wheaton College Wheaton College may refer to:
* Wheaton College (Illinois), a private Christian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois
* Wheaton College (Massachusetts)
Wheaton College is a private liberal arts college in Norton, Massachus ...
.
Under
federal law
Federal law is the body of law created by the federal government of a country. A federal government is formed when a group of political units, such as states or provinces join in a federation, delegating their individual sovereignty and many ...
, a 1974 judgement accepted expert opinion that an "honorary doctor of divinity is a strictly religious title with no academic standing. Such titles may be issued by bona fide churches and religious denominations, such as plaintiff
Universal Life Church, so long as their issuance is limited to a course of instruction in the principles of the church or religious denomination".
However, under the California Education Code, "an institution owned, controlled, and operated and maintained by a religious organization lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious corporation pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 9110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code" that offers "instruction... limited to the principles of that religious organization, or to courses offered pursuant to Section 2789 of Business and Professions Code" may confer "degrees and diplomas only in the beliefs and practices of the church, religious denomination, or religious organization" so long as "the diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of that education"; institutions "shall not award degrees in any area of physical science", while
In a 1976 interview with
Morley Safer of the TV newsmagazine ''
60 Minutes'', Universal Life Church founder
Kirby J. Hensley professed that the church's honorary doctor of divinity degree was "...just a little piece of paper. And it ain't worth anything, you know, under God's mighty green Earth—you know what I mean?—as far as value." In 2006, Universal Life Church minister Kevin Andrews advised potential degree recipients not to misrepresent the title as an educational achievement to employers, recommending instead that it would be appropriate to list such credentials "under the heading of Titles, Awards, or Other Achievements" on ''curricula vitae''.
As of 2009, 20 U.S. states and
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
had some form of exemption provision under which religious institutions can grant religious degrees without accreditation or government oversight.
Roman Catholic Church
In the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, a doctor of divinity is usually the holder of an honorary degree, often conferred upon a
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...
. In the
pontifical university
A pontifical university is an ecclesiastical university established or approved directly by the Holy See, composed of three main ecclesiastical faculties (Theology, Philosophy and Canon Law) and at least one other faculty. These academic institute ...
system, a holder of the highest earned degree in
Catholic theology
Catholic theology is the understanding of Catholic doctrine or teachings, and results from the studies of theologians. It is based on Biblical canon, canonical Catholic Bible, scripture, and sacred tradition, as interpreted authoritatively by ...
is styled "
Doctor of Sacred Theology" (in Latin, ''Sacrae Theologiae Doctor'', abbreviated STD).
Contrast with other religious degrees
A doctor of divinity should not be confused with a
Doctor of Theology (Th.D.), the holder of a
research doctorate in theology awarded by universities and
divinity schools. However, many universities award a
Ph.D. rather than a Th.D. to graduates of higher-level religious studies programs. A
Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD) holds another research doctorate, in particular awarded by Catholic
pontifical universities and faculties. A
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) holds another doctorate-level religious degree, which is a
professional doctorate rather than a research doctorate.
''The Doctor and Student''
Christopher St. Germain
Christopher St. Germain (1460–1540) was an English lawyer, legal writer, and Protestant polemicist.
Biography
Christopher St. Germain was born in 1460 to Sir Henry and Anne St. Germain of Shilton, Warwickshire.
In 1528, St. Germain publ ...
's book ''
The Doctor and Student
''The Doctor and Student: Or Dialogues between a Doctor of Divinity and a Student in the Laws of England'' is a legal treatise by Christopher St. Germain, first published in the early 16th century. As its name suggests, the work is structured as ...
'' (1528) describes a dialogue between a Doctor of Divinity and a law student in England containing the grounds of those laws together with questions and cases concerning the equity thereof.
See also
*
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD or BDiv; la, Baccalaureus Divinitatis) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theolog ...
*
Doctor of the Church
Doctor of the Church (Latin: ''doctor'' "teacher"), also referred to as Doctor of the Universal Church (Latin: ''Doctor Ecclesiae Universalis''), is a title given by the Catholic Church to saints recognized as having made a significant contribu ...
*
Master of Divinity
For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and di ...
*
Lambeth degree
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
The Doctor and Student pdf files
{{DEFAULTSORT:Divinity, Doctor of
Doctoral degrees
Higher doctorates
Religious degrees
Degrees offered by unaccredited institutions of higher education