TNARS has updated their Programs

[Timmay]

Looks like TNARS has updated their programs. At least to me, they appear more rigorous. I was interested in them, but their Reformed Thought degree plan is down, so I wonder how that will be changed.

www.tnars.net


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[reaganmarsh]

Their website "refresh" is a significant improvement -- much more user-friendly and appealing to the eye. Good for them!

And their updated doctoral program in Puritan Studies looks great: http://nebula.wsimg.com/4c3857832c1...4D26198CA806B5913&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

May God use their efforts to strengthen his Church.

 

[Timmay]

Ya I was a bit weary of their Puritan studies, but I may now go for it as it fits well with my finances/current work situation.


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[reaganmarsh]

Ya I was a bit weary of their Puritan studies

Were you enrolled in their previous D.D. program? Just being nosy.

 

[Timmay]

No but their previous one didn't include lectures.


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[reaganmarsh]

Yes, I noticed the lecture component as a much-needed element to transform the program from being basically a series of brutal book reports to possessing an actual instructional component. The lectures they've assembled look to be a very nice collection, I must say. You couple that with the PRTS lectures uploaded to Youtube on Puritan preaching, Puritan theology, and the various "theology of ___" courses (ie, Owen or a' Brakel, etc.), and you've got a major amount of Puritan studies available. Wow.

 

[TheInquirer]

A few thoughts

Positives:

1) The Doctor of Theology is now much closer to U.S. level doctoral coursework standards. The old D.D. was extremely light. Now it is about 25,000 pages of reading (1600-3800 pages per class) compared to I think under 2,000 for the old program If I recall correctly.

Negatives:

1) Does anyone else think this Bachelor's level coursework is slightly insane? - http://nebula.wsimg.com/4e13a1c5ea3...4D26198CA806B5913&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 - someone coming in with just an A.A. degree is going to drown in my opinion. Not in line with current Bachelor's level standards. For example, the Systematic I class has 54.5 hours of lectures, almost 2000 pages of reading, and a 30 page paper. For comparison, at RTS for my Master's program, typical reading is around 1000 pages, a 12-15 page paper, and around 30-35 hours of lecture.

2) The requirements for a mentor are pretty strict. In my neck of the woods, finding someone with a PhD who fits the subscription standards and willing to do all the grading etc. for the entirety of the Th.D program is going to be near impossible.

Hard to legitimately complain about a free seminary though. I appreciate what they are trying to do but the above popped out at me.

Jim
Ruling Elder
Non Denominational
WA

 

[TheInquirer]

For what it's worth, here is a list of books for the Doctor of Theology Program. I didn't list what looked like articles or very short works as I created this to evaluate the bulk of time spent in the program. Looks like some excellent selections from my brief research so far.

Doctor of Theology – Puritan Studies
1. A Brief Vindication of the Trinity – John Owen (book summary)
2. The Existence and Attributes of God – Stephen Charnock (chapter summaries)
3. Communion with God – John Owen (chapter summaries)
4. The Mystery of Providence – John Flavel (chapter summaries)
5. The Marrow of Theology – William Ames (read – paper)
6. A Body of Divinity – James Ussher (read – paper)
7. A Body of Divinity – Thomas Boston (read – paper)
8. A Body of Practical Divinity – Thomas Watson (read paper)
9. A Body of Divinity – Samuel Willard (read paper)
10. Human Nature in its Fourfold State – Thomas Boston (chapter summaries)
11. The Death of Death in the Death of Christ – John Owen (chapter summaries)
12. The Doctrine of Repentance – Thomas Watson (chapter summaries)
13. Gospel Mystery of Sanctification – Walter Marshall (chapter summaries)
14. The Four Last Things – Robert Bolton (chapter summaries)
15. Doctrine of the Two Sacraments – Ezekiel Hopkins (chapter summaries)
16. Divine Right of Church Government – Samuel Rutherford (chapter summaries)
17. Biblical Elders and Deacons – Nehemiah Coxe (chapter summaries)
18. A Treatise of the Covenant of Redemption… - Patrick Gillespie (chapter summaries)
19. A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace – Ball (chapter summaries)
20. Doctrine of the Two Covenants – Ezekiel Hopkins (chapter summaries)
21. The Covenant of Life Opened – Samuel Rutherford (chapter summaries)
22. The Reformed Pastor – Richard Baxter (chapter summaries)
23. The Art of Prophesying – William Perkins (chapter summaries)
24. Gospel Worship – Jeremiah Burroughs (chapter summaries)
25. A Body of Practical Divinity – Richard Baxter (chapter summaries)
26. Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan (book summary)
27. The Christian’s Great Interest – Guthrie (book summary)
28. The Bruised Reed – Richard Sibbes (book summary)
29. On Keeping the Heart – John Flavel (book summary)
30. Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices – Thomas Brooks (book summary)
31. Heaven on Earth – Thomas Brooks (book summary)
32. The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment – Jeremiah Burroughs (book summary)
33. The Crook in the Lot – Thomas Boston (book summary)
34. Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers – John Owen (book summary)
35. The Return of Prayers – Thomas Goodwin (book summary)
36. Pneumatologia – John Owen (book summary)
37. The Christian in Complete Armor – William Gurnall (book summary)
38. Marrow of Modern Divinity – Edward Fisher (book summary)
39. The Almost Christian Discovered – Matthew Meade (book summary)
40. The Religious Tradesman – Richard Steele (book summary)
41. Heaven Taken By Storm – Thomas Watson (book summary)
42. A Treatise on Divine Meditation – Nathaniel Ranew (book summary)
43. The True Bounds of Christian Freedom – Samuel Bolton (book summary)
44. History of the Puritans – Daniel Neal (chapter summaries)
45. The English Puritans – John Brown (chapter summaries)
46. Lives of the Puritans – Benjamin Brook (chapter summaries)
47. The Westminster Assembly and Its Work – B.B. Warfield (chapter summaries)
48. History of the Westminster Assembly of Divines – Hetherington (chapter summaries)
49. Truth and Victory Over Error – Dickson (chapter summaries)
50. Minutes of the Sessions of the Westminster Assembly – Alexander Mitchell (chapter summaries)
51. The Westminster Assembly: It’s History and Standards – Alexander Mitchell (chapter summaries)

Total lecture hours - 204
Total pages read - 24,814

Jim
Ruling Elder
Non Denominational
WA

 

[Timmay]

Ya I don't know if I could ever find a mentor now


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[TheInquirer]

Ya I don't know if I could ever find a mentor now

Hopefully they'll rethink this and find a solution that meets their goals and fits with the resources available to students. As is, the Internet opens the door to a large pool of prospective students but the mentor requirements closes it right back up again for students like you and me.

Jim
Ruling Elder
Non Denominational
WA

 

[Timmay]

I'm almost tempted to do the program without doing the papers/dissertation. But I know that the papers etc will force me to think more clearly and consistently. Every topic I did a paper on in my MA, I still remember so clearly. Every topic I did no paper for, my memory recall is not as sharp.


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[reaganmarsh]

This course of study would certainly be profitable in that one would be very well-versed in Puritan theology. I imagine it would be a help to pastors.

 

[Jake]

Ya I was a bit weary of their Puritan studies, but I may now go for it as it fits well with my finances/current work situation.


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I think maybe you meant leery. When you say weary, it sounds like you were already enrolled and had become tired of it.

 

[Timmay]

Yes leery, not weary.


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[VictorBravo]

51. The Westminster Assembly: It’s History and Standards – Alexander Mitchell (chapter summaries)

Can someone ask them to remove that embarrassing apostrophe from the possessive "its"? It looks bad for a school putting out such bloopers.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

51. The Westminster Assembly: It’s History and Standards – Alexander Mitchell (chapter summaries)

Can someone ask them to remove that embarrassing apostrophe from the possessive "its"? It looks bad for a school putting out such bloopers.

I sent them an email.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Looks like TNARS has updated their programs. At least to me, they appear more rigorous. I was interested in them, but their Reformed Thought degree plan is down, so I wonder how that will be changed.

The Reformed Thought concentration looks to be available (see page 7):

http://nebula.wsimg.com/238158cec5e...4D26198CA806B5913&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Ya I don't know if I could ever find a mentor now

Hopefully they'll rethink this and find a solution that meets their goals and fits with the resources available to students. As is, the Internet opens the door to a large pool of prospective students but the mentor requirements closes it right back up again for students like you and me.

A mentor need not be local to the student as long as email and phone contact is available. Send them an email: [email protected] and ask if they have someone willing to take you on.

 

[Timmay]

I thought on their front page it is listed that they don't offer mentors anymore.


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[Ask Mr. Religion]

I thought on their front page it is listed that they don't offer mentors anymore.

The student must identify a mentor. That said, in the past TNARS had a cadre of mentors (I used to be one), and they are known to TNARS, so asking them about someone that could be contacted on your behalf is not unreasonable.

 

[TheInquirer]

Thanks for posting that as an option AMR. Do you know if they have any more Th.D. concentrations in the works? I will finish an M.A.T.S. this year and only have lay ministry experience so looking for something in that realm.

Also, thanks for your past work with this seminary. I've read many of your posts on this board. I am very grateful for all those donating their time to put together something like this to advance Christ's Kingdom and providing options that plunge students into debt.

Jim
Ruling Elder
Non Denominational
WA

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Thanks for posting that as an option AMR. Do you know if they have any more Th.D. concentrations in the works? I will finish an M.A.T.S. this year and only have lay ministry experience so looking for something in that realm.

Also, thanks for your past work with this seminary. I've read many of your posts on this board. I am very grateful for all those donating their time to put together something like this to advance Christ's Kingdom and providing options that plunge students into debt.

Thank you for the kind words! TNARS is committed to working alongside the local churches who are responsible for the spiritual care of enrolled students and not imposing financial burdens. In fact, TNARS has in the past actually worked with churches in creating custom programs of study for elder training and other needs. At one point the seminary had a seminary in a box like program wherein all the degree materials were burned to DVDS for use in Africa, where there is an explosion of interest in Reformed theological training. What is impressive about TNARS is that all the materials for the courses are there for anyone to access, even if not enrolled. For the most part, when I last checked, few of the course materials require any special passwords for, say, lectures at other seminaries that are being used, so anyone interested in self-study can jump in and benefit.

It has been several months since I have been in the loop as a member of the seminary's management staff and mentor, but before that we were discussing it a length. The academic nature of the Th.D. would be a shift in the focus of TNARS a wee bit and there is a need for checking in with ARTS to see what changes in how things are done at TNARS would be needed, if any, to maintain the seminary's ARTS Affiliate standing.

That said, the page below is for students that were enrolled prior to 2016:

http://www.tnars.net/former-programs.html

That link appears at the main Academics page: http://www.tnars.net/degree-programs.html

Note that the page in question makes mention of a Th.D. program, so there just might be some plans for it coming soon. You might check in at TNARS by sending email to [email protected]. All the TNARS administrative staff receive emails addressed to this general mailbox.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

51. The Westminster Assembly: It’s History and Standards – Alexander Mitchell (chapter summaries)

Can someone ask them to remove that embarrassing apostrophe from the possessive "its"? It looks bad for a school putting out such bloopers.

I sent them an email.

The error has been fixed.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

1) Does anyone else think this Bachelor's level coursework is slightly insane? - http://nebula.wsimg.com/4e13a1c5ea3...4D26198CA806B5913&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 - someone coming in with just an A.A. degree is going to drown in my opinion. Not in line with current Bachelor's level standards. For example, the Systematic I class has 54.5 hours of lectures, almost 2000 pages of reading, and a 30 page paper. For comparison, at RTS for my Master's program, typical reading is around 1000 pages, a 12-15 page paper, and around 30-35 hours of lecture.

A note I was asked to pass along from TNARS:

The Bachelor of DIVINITY degree - this degree was and is traditionally reserved for men who want and need the MDiv education but due to age and/or other factors lack the academic credentials to formally enter the MDiv program. It is not to be confused with a Bachelor of Arts or other undergraduate degree......the BDiv program page clearly specifies this.

 

[Timmay]

Is there a doctoral defense for the Th.d?


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[KMK]

Thanks for posting that as an option AMR. Do you know if they have any more Th.D. concentrations in the works? I will finish an M.A.T.S. this year and only have lay ministry experience so looking for something in that realm.

Also, thanks for your past work with this seminary. I've read many of your posts on this board. I am very grateful for all those donating their time to put together something like this to advance Christ's Kingdom and providing options that plunge students into debt.

Welcome to PB! Please fix your signature as per the board rules. To find out how, just click on 'Signature Requirements' under my own signature.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Is there a doctoral defense for the Th.d?

I really do not know as there is no real information about this degree program posted. I can speculate that the academic nature of the degree will require some sort of defense and/or reading of the dissertation by other qualified persons.