Doctor of Theology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Doctor of Theology (in Latin Theologiae Doctor) is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree and is considered to be equivalent to a Doctor of Philosophy. Traditionally, the Th.D. is designed for Christian theological scholarship, whereas Ph.D. is for the study of Christianity in a secular context. Clear distinction between Th.D. and Ph.D. are indicated in the prerequisites of both programs at Harvard Divinity School and Boston University School of Theology (that is, both require a professional degree in divinity such as the MDiv). However, in recent decades there has been a trend in some institutions (e.g., Princeton Theological Seminary and Dallas Theological Seminary) to replace Th.D with Ph.D programs in the same fields.
In North America, those who hold a Doctor of Theology are considered academically qualified to serve as professors of theology or its cognate fields (e.g., biblical studies, church history); however, many are employed in ministerial and non-academic fields. The Th.D. should be distinguished from the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min), which focuses on practical issues of ministry. Although the ThD is equivalent to the PhD, the familiarity of the "PhD" name can be a challenge for ThDs looking for academic employment.
In many parts of Europe the abbreviation Dr. Theol. is employed, and has long been considered the equivalent of the Ph.D. in all academic respects. Recent changes in universities seek to replace Dr. Theol. with Ph.D. in the field of theology or cognate studies.
Though many Catholic schools offer the Ph.D. in Theology as well as the Th.D., the more usual academic equivalent found among Catholic clergy is the S.T.D., Doctor of Sacred Theology, granted by Catholic universities and faculties with a pontifical charter.
In Roman Catholicism, there is a title sometimes used of historical figures, Doctor of the Church. This is an eminent theologian (e.g. Thomas Aquinas) from whose teachings the whole Christian Church is held to have derived great advantage. This is not an academic title but reflects the most ancient sense of the word as "teacher."
Different abbreviations are used in different countries:
- Th.D. in the USA
- ThDr. in the Czech Republic and Slovakia
- dr.theol. in Denmark and Norway
- Dr. theol. in Germany
- Teologie doktor, abbreviated teol. dr or TD in Sweden
- Teologian tohtori in Finland
- D.Th. in the South Asia Theological Research Institute established by the Senate of Serampore College (India).
