Doctor of Theology ( la, Doctor Theologiae, abbreviated DTh, ThD, DTheol, or Dr. theol.) is a

terminal degree A terminal degree is a college degree that is the highest level college degree that can be achieved and awarded in a specific academic or professional field. In other cases, it is a degree that is awarded when a candidate completes a certain amo ...

in the academic discipline of

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

. The ThD, like the ecclesiastical Doctor of Sacred Theology, is an advanced research degree equivalent to the

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

Terminology

In the academic study of theology, often deeply rooted in the Christian religion, the nomenclature of doctoral degrees varies between Doctor of Theology,

, and Doctor of Sacred Theology. However, Doctor of Ministry is generally understood as a professional doctorate, whereas

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ran ...

is a higher academic doctorate, and in the United States of America it is often awarded as ''honoris causa''.

United States

In the United States, some of the older theological seminaries began offering the ThD as an equivalent to the research

. In Princeton Theological Seminary, for example, this practice was inherited from the German system of education since the professors involved in establishing the doctoral program were trained in German universities. Though the PhD was the doctorate of arts faculties in German universities (called the philosophy faculty in Germany, hence the Ph), Princeton Theological Seminary has since switched to using Doctor of Philosophy as its main designation. A similar shift happened at Harvard Divinity School in 2015. Due to the secular push in doctoral studies, some ThD programs have moved to other known accreditation, like the

Association for Biblical Higher Education The Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), formerly The Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC) is an evangelical Christian organization of bible colleges in the United States and Canada. It is a member of the International Co ...

(ABHE),

Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools The Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) is a U.S. based institutional accreditation organization that focuses on Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries seeking collegiate accreditation in the United Sta ...

(TRACS), The Council of Private Colleges of America (CPCA) or choose to be affiliates of accrediting agencies that upholds membership which provides academic and administrative comparability to United States Department of Education (USDE) recognized Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) accrediting agencies for Faith Based institutions. Membership affiliation is more affordable to the student and keeps students from accumulating heavy Federal student loan debt. At this time, the only Association of Theological Schools accredited schools currently accepting students to ThD programs are Duke Divinity School and Evangelical Seminary.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the Doctor of Theology is a relatively new academic doctoral programme. Certain universities have begun offering it as a form of research based professional doctorate, not unlike the Doctor of Education. To distinguish the more practical nature of the degree, some British universities have adopted the term

Doctor of Practical Theology The Doctor of Practical Theology (DPT, DPTh) is a professional doctorate developed for those seeking to apply theological principles to their professional practice. It should not be confused with a Doctor of Philosophy in Practical Theology s ...

References

Religious degrees

Theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

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