What Is a Scholar?

[John of Japan]

As Sheldon Cooper would say “fun fact, Einstein never held a PHD”

When he turned his dissertation in, they ultimately gave it back to him with the words “fanciful and irrelevant written in large red letters”

Only about 7-8 people all over the world understood what he was saying at that time.

And as they say, “and now you know, the rest, of the story”

Nowadays maybe ten understand (being facetious).

 

[John of Japan]

Lol

Quick witted.

I’m reminded off a story in a Spurgeon biography I read. Late in life (he died in his early 50’s?) he fell head over heals down some steps, knocked out a couple of teeth and coins in his pocket ended up in his boot.

He commented, “ painless dentistry and change to boot”, or words to that effect.

I never been quick witted like that and sort of every those that have that talent.

Peace to you

Legend says a Presbyterian fell down the stairs, picked himself up, brushed himself off and said, "Glad that's over with!"

 

[JonC]

Built up your arm muscles rather than your mental muscles?

My son says there is very little practical difference nowadays. You can do a PhD with an emphasis on theology.

The muscles have been replaced with fat since I retired

That is unfortunate (that there is little difference). I liked the idea of a PhD in theology having a broader academic focus and the ThD having more of a practical application.

I don't know why. I guess I'm one of those category guys. I considered a PhD focusing in theology at one time (but it was mostly for my self interest and I decided to hold the money for my son's education). That was a more practical decision as I would not have used the degree.

 

[Jerome]

Used to be seminaries offered the ThD and universities the PhD, but nowadays both offer both.

Seminaries and university schools of divinity would offer ThD, university departments of religion would offer PhD.
Almost all seminaries and divinity schools have abandoned ThD and hopped on the PhD bandwagon now.

Association of Theological Schools, only 5 of nearly 300 members currently offer a ThD.

The SBC's Golden Gate and Southern seminaries in the mid-1900s offered a STD (Doctor of Sacred Theology), which a few Roman Catholic schools in the U.S. still do.

At SBTS, ThD and STD were replaced by PhD circa 1974.
[pp. 58-59 http://media2.sbhla.org.s3.amazonaws.com/annuals/SBC_Annual_1974.pdf ]

 

[canadyjd]

….

The SBC's Golden Gate and Southern seminaries in the mid-1900s offered a STD (Doctor of Sacred Theology), which a few Roman Catholic schools in the U.S. still do….

Maybe didn’t think the naming through.

Peace to you

 

[John of Japan]

Seminaries and university schools of divinity would offer ThD, university departments of religion would offer PhD.
Almost all seminaries and divinity schools have abandoned ThD and hopped on the PhD bandwagon now.

Association of Theological Schools, only 5 of nearly 300 members currently offer a ThD.

The SBC's Golden Gate and Southern seminaries in the mid-1900s offered a STD (Doctor of Sacred Theology), which a few Roman Catholic schools in the U.S. still do.

At SBTS, ThD and STD were replaced by PhD circa 1974.
[pp. 58-59 http://media2.sbhla.org.s3.amazonaws.com/annuals/SBC_Annual_1974.pdf ]

Some fundamental Baptist school offered a STD back in the day, and I briefly considered it. Might have been Northland--I don't rightly remember.

 

[John of Japan]

One thing for sure, the DD (Doctor of Divinity) degree does not indicate a scholar! It's a political degree, IMO. If you know the president of a Bible college well enough, you might get one. I remember hearing that a certain Bible college founder in IN, whose initials are JH, made a deal with BG down in FL that, if BG's school would give a DD to JH's son DH (in his mid-20s), a DD would be recompensed. No scholarship involved at all! If someone with a DD is a scholar, it is from accomplishments totally separate from the DD. (I know a scholar in Bible translation like that.)

Then there is the famous story that Hyles-Anderson College gave a DHS (Doctor of Horse Sense) tongue-in-cheek to John R. Rice's horse, Mac (General of the Armies Douglas MacArthur III, a registered Tennessee Walker). Mack promptly told what he thought of the proceedings by leaving a deposit on the church platform! The rest of the story, not usually told, is that JRR never allowed anyone to touch Mac, so the department head at the Sword responsible for transporting Mac without JRR's permission got into big trouble, though he was not hired. And this is the truth of the story; I worked at the Sword at the time, and was close to all the participants. I even rode once with JRR on a beautiful brown mare with him riding on Mac! (You read the whole story here! )

About the DD, I recently read the biography of Jonathan Goble, the first Baptist missionary to Japan. It related how he and his colleague Nathan Brown were in a movement strongly opposed the DD in the first half of the 19th century. Articles were written, etc. In those days there were only about 100 Baptist preachers in the US with the DD, according to the book, though now I suppose there are many thousands. Throw a rock in a room full of Baptist preachers and it will bounce off 3 DDs before hitting the floor!

 

[Jerome]

Some fundamental Baptist school offered a STD back in the day, and I briefly considered it. Might have been Northland--I don't rightly remember.

Yeah, Northland got fancy and was offering not DMin but 'Doctor of Sacred Ministry', DSMin:

https://web.archive.org/web/2008090....nbbc.edu/doctor_of_sacred_ministry/index.htm

 

[Marooncat79]

What is a scholar you say?

I say that it's anyone who disagrees w Van

Of course thats an oversimplification, yet still true. Its a good place to at least write a good thesis.