bwcourtn

Hello, I'm currently finishing up my degree in Anthropology (I may change it to history or philosophy/religion, though........I will be a senior this coming fall) at the University of Mississippi. I've become so interested in counter-apologetics, that I'm seriously considering a degree in ancient/medeval christianity or judaism or biblical studies or church history or any other related degrees; I'd absolutely love to get a degree in ancient christianity at a place like UCLA, but I played around for about two semesters and made nearly straight F's (when I was majoring in mathematics), and also have a couple of sporadic bad grades, so attending such a place as North Carolina at Chapel Hill (I'd love to study under Bart Ehrman!) or UCLA is definitely out of the question........I will have managed to pull up my undergraduate GPA to a 3.0 by the time I graduate, though (I will have nearly a 4.0 in my chosen major classes). I've even considered attending an evangelical seminary and getting a masters in divinity at a place such as Trinity Evangelical, due to the fact that their standards are not as high, and I'd still be able to immerse myself in biblical languages and biblical content (though from a different perspective than I would wish to)!!! Do any of you people have any suggestions of colleges with programs that I may be interested in that wouldn't be too unrealistic for me to be accepted into a masters (or a combined masters/Phd program)? Is there such thing as a "secular seminary," or is that simply an oxymoron? Thanks in advance for any advice and/or suggestions that anyone may be able to offer...

Toto

I am pretty far removed from academia, but if I were in your situation, I would look into Drew Theological Seminary.

You might also direct your question to Robert Price (get his email address from his webpage.)

bwcourtn

hey, thanks for the info toto. I looked into drew, but i can't afford the 35,000.00/year cost of attendance, even with the limited financial aid i could possibly get. i will e-mail robert price...

thanks again!

Marxist

Please inform us about the advice Price gives you, as I have also been considering the samething as you.

Zeichman

I know Peter Kirby has reccomended this place to me (though I am Christian).

http://www.cst.edu/prospective_stude...e_programs.php

Toto

"Though" you are a Christian? Claremont does liberal theology, but they are not a bunch of atheists.

Dennis MacDonald (Mark and Homer) is at Claremont. A roster of the faculty is here

Zeichman

Sorry, I meant "Though, I am a Christian." My understanding is that Claremont is a United Methodist school, which are one of the most progressive of Mainline Protestantism.

Peter Kirby

Yes, I do recommend going to the Claremont School of Theology, especially as you have described your situation.

1. Their library in theology and history is the best on the west coast, bar none.
2. Their faculty, past and present, is phenomenal (the Institute of Antiquity and Christianity is there).
3. It is not that hard to get in, especially if your more recent grades are better than your older grades (grad schools place much more emphasis on the grade in the major and the last 60 or so units).
4. The tuition at the Claremont School of Theology is half price, even though you can take classes at the other colleges at Claremont.
5. As far as schools of divinity go, it is to the left. There's a running joke about those who go to Fuller Theological Seminary instead (conservative).
6. There's some very nice apartments right by the campus, within a couple minutes of the library. Lovely socal weather too!
7. My sister's friend is currently going there. If you want to know more, e-mail me and I will get you in touch.

Claremont is definitely the school I would attend if I were going to get a Masters of Arts in Religion. Don't be scared off by the sound of the degree "Masters of Arts of Religion": as a graduate student, you have many options. (Indeed, a professor once said that he went into Divinity because, as he put it, one could do anything in theology.) Like me, for example, I would take a course load that is heavy into New Testament studies and church history. There are also a lot of other classes at the CST and the associated schools, and, of course, and you get to choose what to devote your Master's Thesis to.

I would suggest to consider your bachelor's in terms of your career options. The main occupations for a religion-type degree are becoming a pastor (or other religious vocation), teaching at a seminary, teaching at a college, and possibly writing in conjunction with a teaching post. However, with the right bachelor's, you could spin your way into a variety of positions in the field of humanities, depending on whether you'd like to deal more with anthropology of religion, sociology of religion, history of religion, philosophy of religion, etc. With the first two, there may be a need for commentators and interpreters and scientists who understand religion. But you indicate that you are interested in counter-apologetics. (Maybe you could be "atheism's hired gun" as Lowder puts it? I am amazed that people can get degrees specifically in Christian apologetics. A few trained for the other side would be fair. But there are no atheist seminaries or universities! Some are quite secular, of course.) In that case, I think that either history or philosophy would be best. My suggestion (biased as a history major) is history. There are many philosophers who pontificate on historical Christian apologetics. Having a history degree would be that rhetorical icing on the cake in a debate over, say, the resurrection. "I, sir, am trained as a historian and am capable of making my own judgment on the evidence." A philosophy degree, although it quickens the mind and treats the foundations of thought, is also thought to be of little worth, to the average person.

Contact me by PM if you like, I love to talk schools.

best,
Peter Kirby

Vorkosigan

Gosh Peter, do they have an extra PHD scholarships they could give me?

Duncan Abercrombie

bwcourtn,

Have you considered a career in the fast food industry?