Doctor of Ministry - Overview

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Continuing education is necessary for all professionals. The ministry calls for constant self-giving in preaching, teaching, organizing and administration. Such giving must be balanced by personal refreshment and growth. However, the SFTS Doctor of Ministry program does more than update professional skills and encourage individual growth; it seeks to tap into the very wellspring of creative ministry. Tom Erickson, a D.Min. graduate from Arizona, captured the spirit of the program in these words: "For me, the SFTS D.Min. program has meant sitting with outstanding professors from around the globe; dealing with deep and sometimes forgotten memories that shape my personhood; and translating biblical and theological themes into paradigms for practical ministry."

The SFTS Doctor of Ministry is an advanced professional degree for persons in ministry. Carefully designed to complement day-to-day work, this program enables candidates to engage in a high level of academic professional development without giving up current employment. A peer group, a summer term, independent study, and action/reflection inquiry allow focused academic work in the midst of ongoing responsibilities. The Doctor of Ministry program is administered by the Office of Advanced Pastoral Studies.

History
The D.Min. program was established at SFTS in 1970 under the auspices of the Advanced Pastoral Studies office, which had previously administered the Doctor of the Science of Theology program, a pioneering first-of-its-kind professional degree for clergy (discontinued in 1986), the goal of which was to produce scholar/pastors for the church. In the mid 1970s, before most theological schools began offering the D.Min., half of all D.Min. students in ATS-accredited seminaries were enrolled at SFTS. The hallmark of the program throughout its history has been the ecumenical and international character of the student body.

Objectives
The purpose of the SFTS D.Min. program is to improve the practice of ministry. The major objective is the development of professional competencies, including critical reflection on ministry, interpersonal skills, the capacity for theological interpretation, and special skills for service in particular contexts.

Educational Philosophy
At the heart of our philosophy lies a commitment to participatory education in which students share decision-making with teachers and assume responsibility for their own learning. Because the D.Min. is designed to develop ministers' professional and personal competence as well as scholarly abilities, there are no traditional grades. A "Pass" or "Incomplete" is given for each learning experience, along with extensive written evaluations. A student's participation in the program may be terminated if in the judgment of the APS committee her or his work is not of graduate, professional caliber, but this is rarely necessary. Advancement to candidacy for the D.Min. degree is contingent upon action by the Advanced Pastoral Studies committee following recommendation by a candidacy interview team and approval of a dissertation/project topic.

International and Ecumenical Character
Convinced that competence in ministry requires experience of our interdependent world, SFTS is committed to having the richest possible mixture of human beings in its programs. The Seminary recruits students and adjunct faculty among groups that have not been prominent in mainline Protestant educational and ecclesiastical leadership: women, racial/ethnic minorities and internationals. While approximately 35% of the D.Min. student body is Presbyterian, over 50 denominations are represented. SFTS has provided strong leadership in the development of a theological network which seeks to link the Seminary with other institutions in Africa, Australia, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, and Taiwan.