Ivan,
I am not so keen on the idea of distance learning for a primary ministerial degree (UNLESS it was coupled with heavy apprenticeship). However, at your stage of life, another "degree" is not a ticket to an academic berth. Nor is it likely to be an ego trip. You will do long and substantive work and will receive recognition for that work. Some may be so self motivated that such structure would be of little value for them. I, for one, have concluded that adult learning can be of great value, having done graduate work in both brick and mortar and adult learning formats. For the record, my M.A.O.M. for working adults was much more rigorous than my M.Div. Both were accredited: the b&m was "prestige" although less work than the organizational managment program with a 576 pg. thesis, classes in statistics, economics, project managmenent, etc.
The quality of adult learning programs vary greatly, as greatly as they do in format. Some are cohort based with weekly face-to-face encounters (e.g., many MBA, MAOM programs). Others are mentor based. Some are online. One of the oldest formats is correspondence.
Ivan, it looks to me as if you will read a lot, write a lot, and actually do independent research for the thesis. For the life of me it is difficult to understand why anyone would bad rap a DMin. anyway. Most academics look down their noses at the degree as a necessary evil "cash cow" for keeping the seminary funded. It is supposed to be a degree for working clergy in order to help them become more effective, NOT a major contribution to the field of knowledge as we think for PhDs. So, so what if you make a "major breakthrough" in the meaning of meaning?
