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blessedinnyc -> RE: degree ? (8/23/2008 11:48:21 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: rgod
What kind of theology degree are you looking for? Are you trying to fulfill a denominational requirement? If so, maybe there are scholarships there? If not, would a certificate work for you?
I agree that it is highly unlikely that you will be able to go for free unless you try for a scholarship or financial aid. But if God is truly calling you to go to school, he will supply the funds for you. Instead, perhaps you might want to think about praying about where to go, then apply and see if you'll get aid. If you live near a seminary or bible college - and you are flexible and really want to go - have you considered working there? You can continue to watch the job openings ... perhaps something will pop up that would allow you to - as an employee - take classes for free.
There are lots of distance learning options at the undergraduate level and at the graduate level, there modular study plans (you study online for most of the year and go in for a week or so at a specified time during the year) at many schools. Many MDiv programs are organized this way.
To see a list of accredited theological schools along with degree programs - check out the following site: www.ats.edu
If you go to the ats site, you might be able to find a school that will work for you. Someone told me about Asbury a while back ... I don't know much about it, but it was supposed to be cost-effective and have a good distance learning component. You might want to check it out.
Some schools offer more financial aid than others. It seemed to me that the more liberal seminaries (Emory, Princeton, Harvard, the group of seminaries in the Berkley area of California, etc.) seemed to have more money than the conservative ones, but I wouldn't say that it is a hard-and-fast rule.
You also might also want to consider a bible college instead of a seminary - depending on your goals. You might be able to get a theological degree at some of them. It seems to me that many bible colleges are a bit less expensive as well. For example, the last time I checked, Capital Bible College and Seminary in Maryland is less expensive than say Wesley, which is about 30 minutes away in D.C. And don't overlook other sources of education. For example, the Baltimore School of the Bible offers lots of courses and a diploma for a very modest fee. You have to go to class (no distance learning) but ... three classes are held in a single evening - so you are only out one night a week. There might be something similar in your area. Sometimes churches might also offer accredited courses as well for a small fee. So don't overlook churches in your area, particularly large ones. I know that Moody has some distance learning personal enrichment courses that are about $40 a pop - but they aren't for credit.
When I lived in Chicago, I believe that Moody was free for full-time on-campus students. MBI's divinity students are treated sort of like marines- they're expected to give up drinking, smoking, movies, television, and even dancing during their time at seminary, but it's an excellent program and it might still be free if you can come up with the cost of living in Chicago for a few years.
In any case, I am trying to save up for a financial engineering degree. The University of Chicago charges $45K, and the degree can only be earned on campus in a one-year program. Cornell and Columbia charge $60K for a two year program. If I had any chance of getting into MIT, I'd be shelling out $75K for two years (of 100 hours/week of work). If you can get a normally three or four year M.Div for less than $30K, count yourself as blessed. [:)]
I think rgod has some excellent advice on the languages. When I spent a short time considering the possibility of switching into work in the church (that this evangelical-leaning mainline protestant would feel comfortable at), I noticed that Calvin required "a liberal arts education" and knowledge of Biblical Greek and Hebrew for entry into their program. I'm sure there are a lot of other schools like this.
Finally, I would just recommend that you prayerfully consider whether going into some sort of work in the church is something that God is encouraging you to do. A quick personal story is that, as noted above, I considered going into ministry in my senior year of college. I realized that, at least relative to the Methodist Church, I had a gift for sharing the gospel and considered seminary. I talked with a few M.Divs, and a few students who had signed up for ministry, and realized that God had basically said to all of them, "You are going into ministry whether you like it or not." I prayerfully considered it and realized that he wasn't saying that to me- at least at that time.
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