Doctor of Theology
Institutional Values
The MAML reflects the following institutional values:
- A high view of the authority of Scripture
- An evangelical theological perspective, committed to the Gospel’s centrality and the Holy Spirit’s transforming power
- A commitment to the Christian mission and the Great Commission
- The resolve to provide excellent and affordable theological education to the Global Church, particularly in those areas threatened by political violence and economic oppression.
This Doctor of Theology, which is designed for the theological reflective practitioner, is a research degree that will enable you to engage in rich theological reflection on practice, with the goal of enhancing and creating biblically faithful, theologically coherent, and contextually relevant ministry practices for the Church at large. The program blends aspects of both European and American models of doctoral education. It can be completed in context but includes occasional participation in synchronous online sessions.
Some of the specialized theological fields of inquiry researched by students include biblical theology, historical theology, contextual theology, missional theology, apologetics, semiotics, personhood, leadership theology, and trauma and transformation. Non-theological fields are reserved for the Doctor of Philosophy program.
Program Description
The 42-credit-hour Doctor of Theology is divided into four phases.
Students typically begin the program on the first day of any month. Please plan to spend your first month working through the Starting Well learning experience. In some cases, if additional pre-work is needed to begin the program, you will work with the enrollment team to coordinate an appropriate start date.
Program Entry Phase
Starting Well (3)
Core Learning Phase
Imagining Well: Macro Context
Imagining Well: Micro Context
Specialized Inquiry Phase
Specialized Inquiry:
- Specialized Inquiry: Literature (3)
- Specialized Inquiry: History (3)
Specialized Inquiry:
- Specialized Inquiry: Concepts (3)
- Specialized Inquiry: Models (3)
Specialized Inquiry:
- Specialized Inquiry: Practices (3)
- Specialized Inquiry: Methods (3)
Generative Learning Phase
Generative Learning
Program Completion Phase
- Continuing Well (3)
The Mentor Team
Mentors commit themselves to the student’s full educational process.
Beyond evaluators and supporters, mentors are co-learners with students. They invest considerable time and energy to steward your journey of discipleship and to help you flourish in your vocation.
Faculty Mentor
Faculty mentors are approved members of RECTS faculty. Obviously, all faculty mentors are acquainted with academic standards and scholarly research. More importantly, they are skilled integrationists who have a desire to help students deepen their faith and flourish in their chosen vocations. RECTS assigns a faculty mentor with disciplinary expertise to serve on each team.
Vocational Mentor
Vocational mentors are aware of and often active in the student’s current context and/or role. In most cases, vocational mentors are supervisors, leaders, experienced colleagues, or those familiar with the context and its requirements. Students are empowered to identify and invite the vocational mentor who will serve on their team. Vocational mentors need not be doctorally qualified but should bring some high-level expertise to the team.
Personal Mentor
Personal mentors are confidants or individuals from whom students wish to learn. They must have, or be willing to develop, a close relationship with the student. Personal mentors provide spiritual companionship because they are rooted in faith. Students are empowered to identify and invite the personal mentor who will serve on their team. Personal mentors need not be doctorally qualified but should bring some high-level expertise to the team.
Program Overview
Program Outcomes
With a focus on rich theological reflection on ministry practice, the Doctor of Theology will help you develop and deepen your knowledge of theological content, be more fully formed in Christian character, and generate new understandings of the craft of ministry. Through the program, you will develop and demonstrate proficiency in its eight outcomes: Starting Well, Specialized Inquiry: Literature and History, Specialized Inquiry: Concepts and Models, Specialized Inquiry: Practices and Methods, Integration: Macro Context, Integration: Micro Context, Generative Learning, and Continuing Well.
Dissertation
As part of the Doctor of Theology program, you will be invited to generate for dissemination high-level scholarly research within a specialized theological field of inquiry toward the improvement of ministry praxis. You will work alongside a mentor team that’s crafted around your specialized field of inquiry, and your entire learning experience may be individualized and contextualized as much as possible toward the exploration of your research focus. Some of the specialized theological fields of inquiry researched by students include biblical theology, historical theology, contextual theology, missional theology, apologetics, semiotics, personhood, leadership theology, trauma, and transformation.
Customized Learning Experiences
Synchronous Online Sessions
Learning is not done in isolation. In addition to journeying alongside a mentor team, you will come together each fall and spring to participate in synchronous online sessions. These sessions coincide with the core learning and specialized inquiry phases of the program and create opportunities for community and connection. Synchronous online sessions are helpful for personal encouragement and for the chance to learn from the experiences, perceptions, and wisdom of others who are asking many of the same questions.