Name that Honorary Doctor!

You mean Paul. cp 1 Tim 5:17.
We just went over this recently in our Adult SS Class, and the basic thought was that "double honor" means respect and fair salary.

 

D. James Kennedy lists an honorary doctorate from Christian Bible College, a less than wonderful school. It was mailed to him and he apparently accepted it.
I'm sure that staff people listed it on his vitae. Perhaps someone ought to e-mail his organization and suggest that they remove it.

You may verify this from the following web sites.
http://www.knoxseminary.org/Prospective/Faculty/fulltime.asp#djkennedy and click on show information
http://www.christianbiblecollege.org/

 

As a point of information, Dr. Kennedy also is a summa cum laude graduate of the Chicago Graduate School of Thelolgy with a M.Th. and an earned Ph.D. from NYU, which is hardly a Diploma Mill. Nor are Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Southwest Baptist University, or Campbell University, all of which have seen fit to confer what I assume are honorary Doctorates on the Gentleman.

I personally prefer the approach of the late Dr. M. R. DeHaan, who turned down the offer of at least one honorary doctorate, saying he preferred to just go by his earned degree of M.D.

In the alternative, I like the approach of Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, who has ten- count 'em ten, earned degrees, including three earned doctorates, Univ of Chicago, Cardiff U. (Wales) and University of Strasbourg and including one degree he earned that he reportedly said cost him less than $100, for he earned that one while teaching and on the faculty at the institution, AND doing the classwork in addition. Which degree that was, or where it was from, I don't know.

My own late grandfather has an earned D.D. from back around the turn of the century, before they became mostly honorary. Today, that would be akin (I think) to a Th.D. or an S.T.D. or maybe a D,R.E. - for it was some sort of a seminary degree. He died in 1957 when I was nine, so I was not aware of such then.

I guess my overall point is that in degrees as in bananas, caveat emptor.
Ed

 

Oh, FTR, I have a B.A. from the Bible College I graduated from, and an N.D. from S.B.P.
Ed

 

Don
"It goes both ways."
"
Strangely enough, that was what I was saying.

 

We shouldn't simply presume that multiple honorary degrees are empty. As EdSutton noted, D James Kennedy has several honorary doctorates from very reputable organizations, and Kennedy ain't no slouch!!!!

If someone saw fit to honor me with the gift of a doctorate, I'd accept it with the greatest humility.

 

Amen to both statements.

 

What I have found is that these colleges / seminaries give the honorary degrees hoping that the recipient will either support the school directly through their finances or indirectly by sending all of their ministry's children to the school. It's a selfish reason - it's all about money. The honorary degree is supposed to bring about more loyalty to the institution.

 

Amen to both statements. </font>[/QUOTE]And I wonder if almost all of those criticizing honorary degrees wouldn't take one if their alma mater offered it?

 

Lester Roloff was one of the most outspoken and forward men I have ever known yet everyone loved him.

One day he showed up at chapel at the Bible College I attended and spoke concerning Scripture memorization.

He stopped and held up a $100 bill and said how many of you will memorize 100 verses for this $100 bill? A few hands went up (those who didn't know him). Then he said oh, you'll do it for money but not for Jesus?


HankD

 

" Then he said oh, you'll do it for money but not for Jesus?"
Isn't THAT the very definition of 'hireling'?
Ed

Oh, Yeah! Ed Sutton, N.D., awarded by S.B.P.

 

John of Japan
"I wonder if almost all of those criticizing honorary degrees wouldn't take one if their alma mater offered it?"
"
Considering that mine changed focus in the early 90's and nowadays specializes almost exclusively in bussiness related degrees, that would be a very peculiar offer.

 

My own alma mater, although now defunct, used to endow from one to three, most years, but one year I was there, did not award any, if my memory serves correctly. IMO, some were 'good guys', but did not deserve the distinction on that alone. I think my own is more fitting, personally, given my own appendage to my B.A. degree. (B.A., hcl)
Ed

Ed Sutton, N.D. from S.B.P.

 

You and I move within the same IFB circles and share a much common background. I am loyal and a staunch defender of IFB but I am not blind to foibles. By pointing and condemning excesses in our own movement, we make the movement better and the testimony for Jesus Christ stronger. By policing and disciplining ourselves, we gain credibility and respect in the eyes of the world resulting in openness to the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, allowing unconscionable actions to continue without confrontation will produce a poor testimony and a loss of credibility for the Gospel. Even unbelievers have respect for believers when the believers match their talk with their walk.

One of our foibles is self-aggrandizement by our leadership. This is most often expressed through the flaunting of degrees, whether earned or honorary. I have no problem with degrees honoring worthy people. For example, I think Dr. Lee Roberson, Dr. Bob Jones, Jr., Dr. John R. Rice, et. al. were deserving of the honorary title. These were truly humble servants of the Lord who wore their appellations well with distinction, honor, dignity, and humility. However, we live at a time when every Sonny, John Henry and Billy Bob has several, either honorary or purchased from a mill. (I’m thinking of printing my own when I get a new Xerox color laser.) IMHO, this is a garish display of pride and self which is not honoring and pleasing to our Savior.

I was always amazed that such men as Dr. Monroe Parker (earned Ph.D.) and Dr. Bob Jones, Jr. (several honorary doctorates) introduced themselves simply as Monroe Parker and Bob Jones respectively. On the other hand, I know lesser lights that persist in flaunting their full titles with details.

One friend, let’s call him Bubba, always introduced himself with his title when we were in company of the rich and famous. I took great glee in pricking his ego. He would offer his hand and say in well-modulated cultured tones, “Hello, my name is Dr. William R. Schultz, Jr.” I would immediately thrust myself forward with extended paw and blurt out, “Howdy, I’m Jimmy John, Bubba’s friend. Me and Bubba are great pals, ain’t we Bubba?” Afterwards, I would slap him on the back and bellow with laughter. I think it helped him keep perspective and humility.

One brother with a mail-order rag amused me by the way he signed his letters. The signatures would look something like the following:

In wonderful and glorious praise of rejoicing,

Dr. Rev. George Henry Smith, Jr., B.A., M.A., M.Div., Th.M.,Ph.D., D.D., Th.D., L.L.D., D.R.E., D.C.E. (signed)

Dr. Rev. George Henry Smith, Jr., B.A., M.A., M.Div., Th.M.,Ph.D., D.D., Th.D., L.L.D., D.R.E., D.C.E.

I found it exceedingly amusing that he signed the initials in longhand for his mail-order degrees along with his signature. So, his titles and degree initials were both typed and handwritten. This is definitely gauche.

BTW, this was a guy who slaughtered the Queen's English with his tongue as he unashamedly sprayed salvia on anyone within spitting distance. He urged another friend to get a doctorate because it gives distinction.

 

Well, I did not and I would not. I didn't take one from where James Kennedy did--I turned it down. I wish Dr. Kenney had done the same. His name adds crediblity of a school that is lacking credibility. This does not help the cause of our Christian schools and it did not add anything to Dr. Kennedy either.

No,John,I wouldn't take a honorary doctorate from any of the several schools that I attended. There is probably only one place from which I would accept an honorary doctorate only because I do not want to offend an old and valued friend.

 

paidagogos,

I find that I take your words to heart far easier than the criticisms which I see more often here. I can certainly see where you are coming from. My own experiences tend to be with other laypeople rather than those leaders of other churches who you know.

I guess I was just pointing out that there are times when honorariums are not a problem. If they are being used as some sort of ego-boosting thing, then yes, I agree we need to do better in this area.

 

How about a Doctor of Sacred Busy-ness?

 

Well, I did not and I would not. I didn't take one from where James Kennedy did--I turned it down. I wish Dr. Kenney had done the same. His name adds crediblity of a school that is lacking credibility. This does not help the cause of our Christian schools and it did not add anything to Dr. Kennedy either.

No,John,I wouldn't take a honorary doctorate from any of the several schools that I attended. There is probably only one place from which I would accept an honorary doctorate only because I do not want to offend an old and valued friend. </font>[/QUOTE]Good for you. That is the same reason my pastor accepted one. When someone you care for wants to honor you, it is offensive to reject that.

And your previous post was very well said. Christ said we shouldn't have people calling us "Master," and I think that applies to those who insist on being called "Doctor" (or whatever). But of course there are people with earned doctorates who do the same. Arrogance is arrogance, whatever the source. And I've known some very arrogant people with earned doctorates. (Even on the BB! Gasp! )

 

I couldn't help being amused thinking of the good Reverend Doctor (Dr., Dr., Dr., Dr.) Smith going to the pulpit with his mouth full of half chewed sage (genus salvia) and sputtering it out all over the folks sitting in the front row. No wonder he slaughtered the Queen's English!

PTL for typos.

 

I have felt the discomfort of these types of situations (not in relation to an honorary doctorate). You don't want to offend, but don't want to be honored either. I shy away from such when possible without offending -- not because I am so humble, but because I know something of the pride of my heart and don't want to feed it.

Amen. Nuff said and well said.