Ok, so I said that this post was a prelude to something else I wanted to write. Here it is, well, in a round-about way.
One of the core assignments in just about every Fuller course, for sure in MAGL courses, is book reviews. Students are asked to dive into pertinent subject matter through the writing of others - such is the nature of a word-centered educational experience. When we ask students to do book reviews, one of the questions we ask them is to try and discern the author’s perspective, that is, where is the author coming from?, what cultural or contextual vantage point are they writing from and to?, what experiences or circumstances have shaped or are shaping the author’s writing? These are great questions, they give the reader the freedom to think through what’s behind the words in front of them.
But here’s the rub. How much can you really know about an author from the dust cover or what you scrounge up online? No matter how much you read, it’s always information from a distance and therefore lacks a vital relational dimension. I suppose all I am saying is that while books are great, there really is no adequate substitute for learning in and through relationships and having ideas and theories modeled in lives lived in the world. It’s that whole “follow me as I follow Christ” thing that I am after.
Here’s the real connection…
I have had a number of people tell me that sooner or later I need to pursue a PhD. These have been people who weren’t just being nice, they were actually being intentional about speaking into my life based on their observations and inclinations. I have told everyone that I have 3 criteria for doing a PhD.
1) It needs to not put me any more in debt.
2) It needs to have a practical foundation and aim.
3) It needs to be offered in such a way that I am meant to be more like Christ for having done it.
A friend who has done a PhD laughed when I told him my criteria - commenting that I’d be hard pressed to find a PhD that met any, let alone all three of those criteria.
Nevertheless, I remain committed to these criteria if I am to pursue a doctoral degree. I have these criteria because I have serious reservations concerning the dominant form of theological education. Mainly my problem is that it ultimately has nothing to do with character, giftedness, or calling - three of the things which seem to dominate Scripture’s understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus or godly leader.
So, I am at something of a loss. I love school and I have a high value for education, but I am seeking something that just doesn’t seem to be out there. The trickiest part of it is that without a PhD, I probably won’t have the sorts of opportunities that I’d like to have. The best idea I have had to date is to research what sorts of doctoral degrees are offered in the realm of spiritual formation or the formation of Christian community. I am assuming out of hand that degrees in this vein would intrinsically feature at least the 2nd and 3rd of my criteria. As for the first - I am always accepting donations 
8 responses so far ↓
1 Jeff Conklin-Miller // Jun 6, 2007 at 1:48 pm
Thanks for the thoughts– I had thought seriously about PhD work right out of seminary, but struggled with some of the same issues. Now, 10 years plus later, I just finished the first year of the ThD at Duke Divinity– and despite the obvious bias, I might recommend it to you for some consideration. It’s a new degree at Duke, meant to bridge the gap between theory and practice, academy and church that the traditional PhD housed in the graduate school didn’t always seem to close. All of us in the program are folk with some background and experience as “practitioners” in forms of ministry, and all of us come with a focal “practice” to study, the hope being that the vital link to the life of the Christian community isn’t lost along the way. Anyway, I think your concerns are right on, and I’d be glad to share more about the prog. at Duke if that’s helpful. Peace…
2 JR Rozko // Jun 6, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Jeff,
Thanks so much for your thoughts and the recommendation. I have a good friend (Nathan Eubank) out at Duke and 2 more on the way - all of whom have great things to say about Duke Divinity. I will take a look at the ThD as it’s not a degree I am familiar with. All the best in your life and studies.
3 Leanne // Jun 7, 2007 at 12:19 am
It is up!
4 Nathan Eubank // Jun 20, 2007 at 4:45 am
What’s up J.R.R.jr? I googled myself and this is what I found. Sweet self-love! You know what I’m talking about.
5 JR Rozko // Jun 20, 2007 at 5:50 am
I noticed that someone out your way googled your name and landed here. I wondered if it was you. No joke, I was just mentioning your name to my roommate. We were chatting about seminary related stuff and Duke came up and this ThD deal. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it as a program. Congrats on getting into the PhD program. I have no idea what you’ll be writing your dissertation on, but I am already excited to read it. Do you have a primary mentor you’ll be working with? Is it Stan the man - I love that guy.
Hi to Jessie and Mary (hope I got that right). Joel and Sarah as well - one big happy family.
6 Nathan Eubank // Jun 20, 2007 at 1:17 pm
The Duke ThD would be a great fit for you, I think. It fits your criteria. And (in my unbiased opinion) Duke is the best place to study theology. The only problem is a lack of funds. A few people (I’m not sure how many, 5? 10?) get funding in the ThD program every year.
I’m really excited about the PhD program. I love Stan the Man too, but I’m a New Testament student so I’ll work with Hays et al. Continuing my unbridled narcissicism, here’s a link that shows what sort of work I’m interested in: http://jgrchj.net/volume4
You should come to Durham and spend some time with a few other Ohio exiles.
Later,
Nate
7 JR Rozko // Jun 20, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Superb article Nate. Some great scholarship with little bits of you thrown in there as well, loved it. I have to say, if we are to gauge the qualities of our education at different schools by the number of obscure words used in papers, you win buddy
Seriously, it’s a quality publication, congrats.
8 steve wiggers // Jun 25, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Yo, just thought I’d say chime in a say hello all. JR- I’ve enjoyed reading your blog as of late, good stuff and stimulating topics, enjoyed the videos of Ryan Bolger that you had up. Nate- you freakin sucka, I heard about you getting into the PhD program through Bmast at Dave Frey’s wedding, congratulations man! I really do have a lot of respect for Hays, that’s cool that you’ll be working with him (I’ve just recently been reading and rereading some parts from his book, The Moral Vision of the NT, great book). Anyway, I started an amateur blog recently, check it out sometime (JR already knows about it- he was the first to comment) at http://www.snjwiggers.wordpress.com
Peace out fellas,
wiggaz
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