Will Liberty University Continue to Expand
School of Divinity expands degree offerings to meet unique ministry needs
August 24, 2022 : By Jacob Couch - Office of Communications & Public Engagement
This fall, Liberty University's John W. Rawlings School of Divinity will be offering eight new and upgraded degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels, displaying the school's mission to be strategically innovative with its methods of sharing the unchanging message of the Gospel.
The school currently offers over 90 areas of study across all degree levels.
"The School of Divinity is committed to creating degree programs that strike an intentional balance between scholarship and ministry engagement," said School of Divinity Dean Dr. Troy Temple. "We must be laser focused on loving and helping the church fulfill the Great Commission. These newest degree offerings have been designed to support the unique demands of ministry and public theology at every level of academic interest."
The new programs include three bachelor's degrees (offered residentially): B.S. in Christian Studies, B.A. in Religious Studies: Bible and Theology, and B.S. in Religious Studies: Bible and Theology.
The school has launched three new master's degrees: M.A. in Educational Ministries (online), M.A. in Church Planting (online and residential), and M.A. in Applied Ministry (online). Each of these new programs are 36 credit hours in length, and allow students to focus on specific areas of ministry unique to the student's ministry context.
The new doctoral degrees are the Ph.D. in Biblical Studies and Ph.D. in Christian Leadership, with cognates in Digital Discipleship, Church Revitalization, Ministry Leadership, Next Generation Ministry, Spiritual Formation and Strategic Christian Ministry. (In addition to the new programs, Liberty offers a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Christian Leadership and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) as well as Ph.D.s in Bible Exposition and Theology and Apologetics.)
"We continue to lead the way in the number of program offerings that we have across our school. There are very few schools that offer our breadth of curriculum that we do," said School of Divinity Online Dean Dr. Gabriel Etzel. "We are intentional to root our curriculum in a biblical foundation with application pieces built into the programs , which allows our students to leave Liberty prepared to walk right into ministry positions. They are able to contribute right away to various ministry settings because of their preparation."
The new programs are a continuation of the school's efforts to direct students to become more involved with their local body of believers. Although some students will not be entering ministry full time, Etzel said the hope is for every student to develop a passion for the local church while studying with the School of Divinity.
"Our mission in the School of Divinity is to come alongside the local church in its quest to fulfill the Great Commission," he said. "We see ourselves as really in service to the local church. The faculty who teach for us must have both the academic credentials and a heart for ministry."
This is a passion that stems from Liberty's founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, who desired for Christians to use technology nuances for Kingdom advancement, including church planting.
"We try to leverage whatever platforms we can for the sake of the Gospel," Etzel said. "I remember Dr. Falwell talking about saturation evangelism. He'd say, 'Use every available means to reach every available person at every available time with the Gospel.'"
School of Divinity Online Associate Dean Dr. Mary Lowe said that while technology can be a blessing, the school's leadership seeks to ensure that it interfaces and supports the local church. Concentrations such as the new Digital Discipleship cognate for the Ph.D. in Christian Leadership, are designed to train graduates on how to leverage digital technology to broaden ministry engagement for those in the local church. "We're finding that people are doing ministry in the digital age with an analog model of ministry."
"We want to be careful about how we come at this," she said. "It's important to develop a biblical and theological rationale of digital ministry so it's not just the latest and greatest trend; but I think we are beginning to see that there is certainly not only a need for digital engagement in ministry but a way in which it impacts more people in more places."
Lowe said the process of creating the new degree programs included feedback from students on what they would like to see offered in future semesters.
"We are trying to find ways that we can offer students different ways of coming at church planting or church engagement or approaches that they can think about these topics," she said. "We are trying to be wise, sensitive, and deliberative in our approach, but we are also trying to respond to the needs that students have identified for further training."
To assist with these efforts, the School of Divinity has launched the Center for Church Advancement with a focus on church planting, church revitalization, and church resourcing. (Read more in the Spring 2022 Liberty Journal.)
"This school was started by a church planter," said Dr. Chris Dowd ('97), the center's director. "Dr. Falwell had a burden, a passion, and a vision to equip students to go out and plant churches."
New School of Divinity Degrees
Online
Master of Arts in Educational Ministries
Master of Arts in Church Planting
Master of Arts in Applied Ministry
Ph.D. in Christian Leadership with cognates in:
- Digital Discipleship
- Church Revitalization
- Ministry Leadership
- Next Generation Ministry
- Spiritual Formation
- Strategic Christian Ministry
Residential:
Bachelor of Science in Christian Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies: Bible and Theology
Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies: Bible and Theology
Master of Arts in Church Planting
Ph.D. in Biblical Studies
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Source: https://www.liberty.edu/news/2022/08/24/school-of-divinity-expands-degree-offerings-to-meet-unique-ministry-needs/
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