ADoctor of Divinity (DD orDDiv;Latin:Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advancedacademic degree indivinity (i.e.,Christian theology andministry or other theologies).[1] The term is more common in theEnglish-speaking world than elsewhere. In theUnited Kingdom andIreland, the DD is usually ahigher doctorate conferred upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction, usually for accomplishments beyond thePhD orThD level. In theUnited States, the DD is generally anhonorary degree. InCatholic universities, faculties oftheology usually grant the degree ofDoctor of Sacred Theology (STD), but the DD may be awarded as an honorary degree.
In theUnited Kingdom andIreland, the DD is ahigher doctorate conferred by universities upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction, usually for accomplishments beyond thePhD level. Typically, an academic candidate will submit a collection of work which has been previously published in a peer-reviewed context and pay an examination fee.[2] The university then assembles a committee of academics, both internal and external, who review the work submitted and decide on whether the candidate deserves the doctorate based on the submission. Most universities restrict candidacy to graduates or academic staff of several years' standing.
At theUniversity of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ranked first in "academic precedence and standing",[3] while at theUniversity of Cambridge they rank ahead of all other doctors in the "order of seniority of graduates".[4] Traditionally,bishops of theChurch of England and theChurch of Ireland were granted a DD from one of theAnglican universities (Oxford,Cambridge, orDublin), or as aLambeth degree conferred by authority of theArchbishop of Canterbury.
In theUnited States, most doctors of divinity hold a degree conferredhonoris causa by a church-related college, seminary, or university to recognize the recipient's achievements as a minister of religion.[5] For example,Martin Luther King Jr. graduated as a Ph.D. insystematic theology fromBoston University in 1955 and subsequently received honorary doctor of divinity degrees from theChicago Theological Seminary (1957), Boston University (1959),Wesleyan College (1964), andSpringfield College (1964).[6]Billy Graham, who received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees fromThe King's College and theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was regularly addressed as "Dr. Graham", though his highest earned degree was aBachelor of Arts degree in anthropology fromWheaton College.[7][8]
Underfederal law, a 1974 judgement accepted expert opinion that an "honorary doctor of divinity is a strictly religious title with no academic standing. Such titles may be issued by bona fide churches and religious denominations, such as plaintiffUniversal Life Church, so long as their issuance is limited to a course of instruction in the principles of the church or religious denomination".[9] However, under the California Education Code, "an institution owned, controlled, and operated and maintained by a religious organization lawfully operating as a nonprofit religious corporation pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 9110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code" that offers "instruction... limited to the principles of that religious organization, or to courses offered pursuant to Section 2789 of Business and Professions Code" may confer "degrees and diplomas only in the beliefs and practices of the church, religious denomination, or religious organization" so long as "the diploma or degree is limited to evidence of completion of that education"; institutions "shall not award degrees in any area of physical science", while
any degree or diploma granted under this subdivision shall contain on its face ... a reference to the theological or religious aspect of the degree's subject area ... a degree awarded under this subdivision shall reflect the nature of the degree title, such as "associate of religious studies," "bachelor of religious studies," "master of divinity," or "doctor of divinity".[10]
In a 1976 interview withMorley Safer of the TV newsmagazine60 Minutes, Universal Life Church founderKirby J. Hensley professed that the church's honorary doctor of divinity degree was "...just a little piece of paper. And it ain't worth anything, you know, under God's mighty green Earth—you know what I mean?—as far as value."[11] In 2006, Universal Life Church minister Kevin Andrews advised potential degree recipients not to misrepresent the title as an educational achievement to employers, recommending instead that it would be appropriate to list such credentials "under the heading of Titles, Awards, or Other Achievements" onresumés.[12]
As of 2009, 20 U.S. states andPuerto Rico had some form of exemption provision under which religious institutions can grant religious degrees without accreditation or government oversight.[a][13]
In theCatholic Church, allbishops are automatically "Doctors of Divinity" as they are regarded as holding the teaching authority of their particular church, a reference to the alternative meaning ofdoctor, teacher.[14] In thepontifical university system, a holder of the highest earned degree inCatholic theology is styled "Doctor of Sacred Theology" (in Latin,Sacrae Theologiae Doctor, abbreviated STD).
A doctor of divinity should not be confused with aDoctor of Theology (Th.D.), the holder of aresearch doctorate in theology is awarded by universities anddivinity. However, many universities award aPh.D. rather than a Th.D. to graduates of higher-level religious studies programs. ADoctor of Sacred Theology (STD) holds another research doctorate, in particular awarded by Catholicpontifical universities and faculties. ADoctor of Ministry (D.Min.) holds another doctorate-level religious degree, which is aprofessional doctorate rather than a research doctorate.[15]
Christopher St. Germain's bookThe Doctor and Student (1528) describes a dialogue between a Doctor of Divinity and a law student in England containing the grounds of those laws together with questions and cases concerning the equity thereof.[16]
