Name that Honorary Doctor!

MP: I understand where you are coming from; but wouldn't a life-long, God fearing, preaching-the-Word, counseling, discipling, dedicated Pastor fulfill all the above requirements?

 

Just curious, is there some academic document, academic statement that suggests the following is true, or is it your environmental background/tradition? If there is something in print about the do's and don'ts of these degrees I'd be interested in reading it. "For people who have been given "honorary" doctorates to use the title Dr. is dishonest."

 

The title Dr. is earned through academic study, not from receiving recognition. For someone who has been graciously given such recognition to use the title without earning it cheapens the labor and study of those who have gone through the discipline.

Also IAB16, I would say that since legitimate doctorate programs have strict guidelines (at least at accredited institutions), even a life of study and preaching doesn't qualify. There is accountability, review, and much more involved in earning a legitimate post-graduate, advanced degree. I am not saying that some may not have equivalent experience, but it has not been validated. If they want the title, earn the degree.

 

That's almost like saying that someone inherited money and bought a new car - just like the one you worked years to buy. They don't deserve it because they didn't earn it???

Are they dishonest for driving it? Would they be more honest by leaving it in the garage?

Why are you so upset about people having honorary degrees vs 'earned' degrees?

 

In my old fellowship they award two to three honorary doctorates every year. Of course all of the founders of the fellowship had honorary doctorates. I'm also pretty sure that every president and vice president of the school had honorary doctorates. Many of the older professors had honorary doctorates. Many pastors that have been with the fellowship for a long time have honorary doctorates. It seems that every year that have a few spots to fill and then see who's left to give them to. Sure enough my very own pastor from my childhood was chosen to receive his honorary doctorate. However, he did not tell his church about it (although the news slipped while he was out of town receiving it) and refuses to be called "Dr." IMO that's the way to go if a school decides that you should have one.

As to if I'm upset if someone has an honorary degree since I'm trying to earn one by going to school? No, it's the school's prerogative and their own reputation that is mitigated through handing a few out every year instead of saving them for a few distinguished people who have stood out from the crowd rather than the average tenured pastor in the movement.

I do chuckle, though, when a person has an honorary doctorate and then all of the sudden changes all of his stationary, the church sign, Christmas cards, etc. to "Dr. so and so." Just can't wait to have the title now can we?

BJ

 

Maybe a little something of substance rather than all the opinion would assist us.

From: http://www.answers.com/topic/honorary-degree-2

(Use of this site does not indicate complete agreement

Practical use

Recipients of an honorary doctorate who do not also hold a bona fide doctorate often choose not to use the title of "doctor", though it may be appropriate to use the title provided it was conferred based on some tangible and relevant achievement. However, in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, it is not customary for an honorary doctorate to receive the formal title of "doctor", regardless of the background circumstances for the award.

The recipient of an honorary degree may add the degree title postnominally, but they should always make clear that the degree is honorary by adding "honorary" or "honoris causa" or "h.c." in parenthesis after the degree title. For instance, if Joe Bloggs receives an honorary doctorate, his appropriate title might be (for instance) Mr. Joe Bloggs, PhD (honorary).

In recent years, some universities have adopted entirely separate postnominal titles for honorary degrees. This is in part due to the confusion that honorary degrees have caused. It is now common to use certain degrees, such as LLD or HonD, as purely honorary. For instance, an honorary doctor of the Auckland University of Technology takes the special title HonD instead of the ususal PhD.

The whole article isn't too long and you might find it of value.

 

from: http://www.qut.edu.au/admin/mopp/C/C_11_03.html

Recipients of the QUT award of Doctor of the University may use the title " Dr " .

In googling it seems many secular schools have their own policy on who, what, and how.

The question is now, when do I get my honorary Doctorate for doing all this Google research for yall?

I think a Go.D. after my name would be awesome.

 

Hear ya go!

excentric GMA (Master of Google)

 

Thank ya, thank ya, thank yall that helped me gain this high honor ....

 

Congratulations, Dr. E!

 

I don't recall the occasion, but I was at the BJU library years ago and read most of that dissertation, and I'm sure that paidagogos is correct in calling the story apocryphal.

I've heard Ruckman speak disparagingly of Brokenshire. Apparently they butted heads in class. It's for sure that Brokenshire didn't learn anything new about Ruckman by reading his dissertation.

 

Interesting that I came across this thread after watching Jack Van Impe on GLD (God's Learning Channel) last night (Nothing on and needed a good laugh). Jack stated that he and his wife have a combined total of 17 doctorates. He and his wife recently received a honorary degree each at a college in Ill. I rarely believe anything he says, but then he showed a picture of him and his wife at the graduation. They looked like they had won the Super Bowl. So much for humility.

dale

 

I realize, of course, that Jack Van "Imp" is not Fundamentalist.

dale

 

I sure wish I knew my Bible as well as Jack Van Impe knows HIS!

 

On June 9th I was at Harvard's commencement ceremonies (one of my nephews graduated: he's off to Yale in the fall for law school). Harvard awarded eight honorary doctorates this year:

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2005/06.09/03-honorands.html


Notice that, among the field of eight, several hold earned doctorates. One has a Nobel Prize; two are National Medal of Science (the U.S. government's highest award in the field) recipients. John Lithgow might seem a surprising inclusion among this field; a closer exam will show that he is actually Harvard class of 1967, so at least he has a connection to the school. Overall, they appear to be highly accomplished in their respective fields.

I contrast this group with some of the arguably less-than-steller recipients of honorary doctorates from certain IFB schools, such as Gail Riplinger, or John R. Rice's horse!

 

Blessed16 said: I sure wish I knew my Bible as well as Jack Van Impe knows HIS!

I agree with Paul that he very often misapplies it. David Koresh had most of the NT memorized and he really misapplied it.

I was wrong, Van "Imp" WAS a fundamenatlist now he seems to be a "neo"-fundamentalist. He sounded Word of Faith to me.

 

Paul33
It seems to me that if you had a rifle range all the targets at 100 yds would be IFB Folk and or their "ism's". I am not IFB, but have many friends among them with the SBC and other groups as well. I have not been posting for a long time just monitoring and it seems you may have have your "sights set". Forgive me if I am wrong but we could do a search and quantify if necessary.
Thanks -------Bart

 

My boss decided after a decade of ministry that he needed a better education (he already had a diploma from a baptist semenary in Germany), so he enrolled in the most prestigous university in the Netherlands (Leiden) and got a theology degree.
He always claims that the theology department there (now defunct thanks to a round of budget cuts) was much more liberal than anything any Godfearing Fundie ought to have to endure, but that it was very much worth it in the end.