Just recently I’ve been reading a new blog, The Cutting Truth. I’m not sure if it’s a current/previous student of Princeton Seminary, but the author makes some references to PTS, so there may be a connection. The author writes some really biting critiques of seminary, the church and other issues. Check it out – and read the most recent entry about the Doctor of Ministry degree.
I thought it was pretty hilarious. The D.Min tends to be the brunt of some jokes every now and then. I know that during my first year at Princeton, as some of us were beginning to feel the intensity of the academic pressure and others were fearing they’d never get into a Ph.D program – there were those of who’d smile and say, “D.Min baby – go for the D.Min.” The author of the post writes about how the D.Min helps financially-struggling seminaries pull in more cash, and how it enables pastors to finally be able to get that raise they’ve wanted, because they’re “Dr. Pastor” now. Here is a quote from the article:
“After three quick, easy, study-lite years, the pastor has attained his Doctor of Ministry degree. His doctorate degree. That degree gives the pastor a tremendous amount of respect now. He is Dr. Pastor now, a real somebody. More importantly, there is tremendous upside attached to his new title, and the ceiling on his earning potential has just been lifted. Dr. Pastor has clout now, or Dr. Rev. Pastor, if you will. Suffice it to say, he has respect, money, and position.”
I’ve often thought it would be a nice way, a quick and easy way, to get the “Dr.” prefix to my name. The Rev. Dr. Adam Walker Cleaveland. It just sounds so good. Any readers have D.Min degrees? What was your experience? Any out there planning on getting the illustrious Doctor of Ministry degree?