What study path?

[Darryl Le Roux]

Hi all.

I have come past a great opportunity to study at the GPTS extended campus here in South Africa, and am wondering which course of action would be best suited for a particular need.

The vast majority of study paths in South Africa is the follows:

Bachelor of Theology
Bachelor of Theology Honours
Master of Theology

However, I am not 100% familiar with the Art side of degree's. The GPTS is the MATS, which I will be able to enter once I have obtained my Bachelors (3 year). To my knowledge, this is under the Master of Theology, correct?

I see many seem to stop at the MATS for a pastoral role, and continue should they feel led. However, our churches in South Africa do not hold to as strict a principle in placing a pastor in a pulpit as it seems to be in the US, and the UK. This is where my issue comes in.

I am praying that the Lord leads me overseas for my ministry, as it has been a great desire of mine for a few years now. However, I do not want to be held back in terms of my credentials outside of the pulpit. I would like the process of leaving SA to be relatively painless (As can be of course).

I also see that there is a Masters in Puritan Studies offered at the same satellite campus for the GPTS degree http://puritanstudies.wycliffe.edu/2015/05/interested-in-studying/. So I am wondering which would benefit me more here.

Countries that we are interested in is Canada, and Scotland. So from those on the ground there, both in the Presbyterian circle, and the Baptist, please shed some light in this regard for me if you may.

 

[reaganmarsh]

Hi Darryl,

I'm an SBC pastor who confesses Reformed theology. Typically, our churches which have sufficient ability to call a full-time pastor look for an accredited Master of Divinity (often from an SBC seminary) for a preaching pastor, or nearly any appropriate seminary degree for a staff minister. I hold a MATS (major in systematic & historical theology) and MDiv equivalency, and also took several years of biblical counseling training. This has been sufficient educational credentialing for the churches I've served as pastor.

Of course, there are SBC churches which range in their requirements anywhere from an earned doctorate to "a God-called man" (i.e., irrespective of any particular formal education).

In US Reformed Baptist circles, your mileage may vary.

To your other question, is the MATS the Master of Theology? Internationally, sometimes that nomenclature is used; but in the US, the Master of Theology is a bird of a different feather. An MATS in the US is often an entry-level general theological masters (in some cases, only ~30 hours, and not even requiring the biblical languages!!!). Alternately, it can be an intensive PhD-prep research degree (often requiring a thesis). This second option would probably be closer in nature to the South African MTh you're considering.

A Master of Theology in the US (ThM) is typically considered a doctoral-level research degree (although not always), and generally requires prior completion of a theological masters program such as the Master of Divinity. Many folks will use a ThM as either a terminal masters or as 'testing grounds' for a PhD, to try their hand at an advanced level before pursuing doctoral work.

Does that help to answer some of your questions?

 

[Edward]

I don't know if you would find these helpful:

http://www.pcahistory.org/pca/2-557.html
http://www.pcahistory.org/pca/2-561.html

 

[Darryl Le Roux]

Hi Darryl,

I'm an SBC pastor who confesses Reformed theology. Typically, our churches which have sufficient ability to call a full-time pastor look for an accredited Master of Divinity (often from an SBC seminary) for a preaching pastor, or nearly any appropriate seminary degree for a staff minister. I hold a MATS (major in systematic & historical theology) and MDiv equivalency, and also took several years of biblical counseling training. This has been sufficient educational credentialing for the churches I've served as pastor.

Of course, there are SBC churches which range in their requirements anywhere from an earned doctorate to "a God-called man" (i.e., irrespective of any particular formal education).

In US Reformed Baptist circles, your mileage may vary.

To your other question, is the MATS the Master of Theology? Internationally, sometimes that nomenclature is used; but in the US, the Master of Theology is a bird of a different feather. An MATS in the US is often an entry-level general theological masters (in some cases, only ~30 hours, and not even requiring the biblical languages!!!). Alternately, it can be an intensive PhD-prep research degree (often requiring a thesis). This second option would probably be closer in nature to the South African MTh you're considering.

A Master of Theology in the US (ThM) is typically considered a doctoral-level research degree (although not always), and generally requires prior completion of a theological masters program such as the Master of Divinity. Many folks will use a ThM as either a terminal masters or as 'testing grounds' for a PhD, to try their hand at an advanced level before pursuing doctoral work.

Does that help to answer some of your questions?

Hi Reagan.

I must say, this is of tremendous help to me! I was totally unaware that there were multiple levels of MATS available and after some research, the one offered is the Master of Theology.

The curriculum can be found here: http://www.wycliffe.edu/MATSCurr.html.

 

[reaganmarsh]

Darryl,

I'm glad my post was helpful. It was a confusing matter for me at one point as well! The program looks like it'll serve as a nice foundation for pastoral ministry or doctoral studies. You'll get the languages and the essential core classes; in that regard, depending on how many hours you end up having under your belt, it may even be comparable to an MDiv.

Enjoy your work!