Doctor of Divinity

{{Short description|Holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=February 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Redirect|D.D.|other uses|DD (disambiguation)}}
[[Image:Aquatint of a Doctor in divinity at the University of Oxford, shown wearing convocation dress.jpg|thumb|An [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] Doctor of Divinity, in [[Convocation#University use|Convocation]] habit, not full ceremonial dress]]
A '''Doctor of Divinity''' ('''DD''' or '''DDiv'''; {{lang-la|Doctor Divinitatis}}) is the holder of an advanced [[academic degree]] in [[divinity (academic discipline)|divinity]].

In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the [[University of Oxford]], doctors of divinity are ranked first in "academic precedence and standing",<ref name="University of Oxford">{{cite web| url=https://governance.admin.ox.ac.uk/legislation/council-regulations-22-of-2002#collapse1426571| title=Regulations for Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates| publisher=University of Oxford |date= 26 Jun 2002}}</ref>  while at the [[University of Cambridge]] they rank ahead of all other doctors in the "order of seniority of graduates".<ref name="Order of Seniority of Graduates">{{cite web| url=https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/2013/chapter02-section11.html| title=Order of Seniority of Graduates| publisher=University of Cambridge |date= 2013}}</ref>

In some countries, such as in the United States, the degree of doctor of divinity is usually an honorary degree and not a research or academic degree.

== Doctor of Divinity by country or church ==

=== British Isles ===
In the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Ireland]], the degree is a [[higher doctorate]] conferred by universities upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction, usually for accomplishments beyond the Ph.D. level. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ranked first in "academic precedence and standing".<ref name="University of Oxford"/>  At the University of Cambridge, they rank ahead of all other doctors in the "order of seniority of graduates".<ref name="Order of Seniority of Graduates"/>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.facultyoffice.org.uk/lambeth-degrees/recently-awarded-degrees/|title=recently awarded degrees - Faculty Office|first=Supported by Eastern Studio |last=www.eastdesign.net}}</ref> 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.

=== {{anchor}}United States ===

In the [[United States]], most doctors of divinity hold a degree conferred ''[[honoris causa]]'' by a church-related college, seminary, or university to recognize the recipient's achievements as a minister of religion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://degreedirectory.org/articles/Doctor_of_Divinity_Program_FAQs.html|title=Doctor of Divinity| work= degreedirectory.org}}</ref> For example, [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] graduated as a Ph.D. in [[systematic theology]] from [[Boston University]] in 1955 and subsequently received honorary doctor of divinity degrees from the [[Chicago Theological Seminary]] (1957), Boston University (1959), [[Wesleyan College]] (1964), and [[Springfield College]] (1964).<ref>{{cite web| url= http://norcalmlkfoundation.org/images/MLK2015-KingBioServicelearningFullerton.pdf| title= Biographical Sketch: Martin Luther King, Jr.| website= norcalmlkfoundation.org| publisher= The Northern California Martin Luther King Jr. Community Foundation| access-date= July 25, 2018| archive-date= 26 August 2018| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180826195220/http://norcalmlkfoundation.org/images/MLK2015-KingBioServicelearningFullerton.pdf| url-status= dead}}</ref> [[Billy Graham]], who received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from [[The King's College (New York)|The King's College]] and the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]], was regularly addressed as "Dr. Graham", though his highest earned degree was a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in anthropology from [[Wheaton College (Illinois)|Wheaton College]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Gibbs|first1= Nancy| title= God's Billy Pulpit| url= http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979573-1,00.html|access-date=26 February 2014| magazine= [[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=15 November 1993| first2= Richard N. |last2= Ostling|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071207023217/http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979573-1,00.html|archive-date=7 December 2007}}</ref><ref name= "www2_BGEA">{{Cite web
| title = Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Chronology
| work = [[Wheaton College (Illinois)|Wheaton College]]
| date = 17 June 2014
| access-date = 20 May 2015
| url = http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bgeachro/bgeachron02.htm
| language = en-us
| archive-date = 26 June 2015
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150626102644/http://www2.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/bgeachro/bgeachron02.htm
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>

Under [[federal 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 plaintiff [[Universal Life Church]], so long as their issuance is limited to a course of instruction in the principles of the church or religious denomination".<ref name="leag_UNIV">{{cite court
|litigants= Universal Life Church, Inc. v. United States
|vol=372
|reporter= F.Supp. 
|opinion= 770 
|pinpoint=
|court= E.D. Cal.
|date= 1 March 1974
|url= http://www.leagle.com/decision/19741142372FSupp770_11017
|access-date= 20 May 2015
|quote=
|via= leagle.com
}}</ref> 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
{{blockquote|any degree or diploma granted under this subdivision shall contain on its face&nbsp;... a reference to the theological or religious aspect of the degree's subject area&nbsp;... 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."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://codes.findlaw.com/ca/education-code/edc-sect-94874.html|title= EDC § 94874 | website= FindLaw.com |publisher= California Code, Education Code}}</ref>}}

In a 1976 interview with [[Morley Safer]] of the TV newsmagazine ''[[60 Minutes]]'', Universal Life Church founder [[Kirby 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."{{sfn|Jackman|2007}} 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" on ''curricula vitae''.<ref name= "ulc._ULCD">{{Cite web
 |title       = ULC Degrees Accredited?
 |work        = ulc.net | publisher= Universal Life Church Online
 |date        = 2 June 2006
 |access-date  = 20 May 2015
 |url         = http://www.ulc.net/support/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/15/0/ulc-degrees-accredited-i-understand-that-the-ulc-degrees-are-accredited--by-whom-are-they-accredited-and-what-can-i-do-with-one
 |language    = en-us
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150518171046/http://www.ulc.net/support/index.php?%2FKnowledgebase%2FArticle%2FView%2F15%2F0%2Fulc-degrees-accredited-i-understand-that-the-ulc-degrees-are-accredited--by-whom-are-they-accredited-and-what-can-i-do-with-one
 |archive-date = 18 May 2015
}}</ref>

As of 2009, 20 U.S. states and [[Puerto Rico]] had some form of exemption provision under which religious institutions can grant religious degrees without accreditation or government oversight.{{efn|The places in the U.S. that have some form of exemption provision under which religious institutions can grant religious degrees without accreditation or government oversight are Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.<ref name= exempt/>}}<ref name= exempt>{{cite web| url= http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/religious_exempt.aspx |title= Religious Exempt Schools| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110221105944/http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/religious_exempt.aspx |archive-date= 2011-02-21 | publisher= [[Oregon Office of Degree Authorization|Oregon Student Assistance Commission Office of Degree Authorization]] | website= osac.state.or.us| access-date= March 21, 2011}}</ref>

=== Roman Catholic Church ===
In the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]], a doctor of divinity is usually the holder of an honorary degree, often conferred upon a [[Bishop (Catholic Church)|bishop]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://diohuron.org/bishop-saulo-awarded-doctor-of-divinity-degree-by-huron-college/|title=Bishop Saulo awarded Doctor of Divinity degree by Huron College &#124; Diocese of Huron|website=diohuron.org|access-date=14 December 2020|archive-date=15 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115143430/https://diohuron.org/bishop-saulo-awarded-doctor-of-divinity-degree-by-huron-college/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forums.catholic.com/t/doctoral-requirement-for-bishops/494961|title=Doctoral Requirement for Bishops|date=27 June 2018|website=Catholic Answers Forums}}</ref>  In the [[pontifical university]] system, a holder of the highest earned degree in [[Catholic theology]] is styled "[[Doctor of Sacred Theology]]" (in Latin, ''Sacrae Theologiae Doctor'', abbreviated STD).

== Contrast with other religious degrees ==

A doctor of divinity should not be confused with a [[Doctor of Theology]] (Th.D.), the holder of a [[research doctorate]] in theology awarded by universities and [[divinity school]]s. However, many universities award a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] rather than a Th.D. to graduates of higher-level religious studies programs. A [[Doctor of Sacred Theology]] (STD) holds another research doctorate, in particular awarded by Catholic [[pontifical university|pontifical universities]] and faculties. A [[Doctor of Ministry]] (D.Min.) holds another doctorate-level religious degree, which is a [[professional doctorate]] rather than a research doctorate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fuller.edu/dmin/|title=Doctor of Ministry - Fuller Seminary|website=Fuller Seminary}}</ref>

== ''The Doctor and Student'' ==

[[Christopher St. Germain]]'s book ''[[The 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.{{sfn|St. Germain|Muchall|1886}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [[Bachelor of Divinity]]
* [[Doctor of the Church]]
* [[Master of Divinity]]
* [[Lambeth degree]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist|22em}}

== Bibliography ==
{{refbegin|35em|indent=yes}}
* {{cite book|editor-first=Ian|editor-last=Jackman|title=Con Men: Fascinating Profiles of Swindlers and Rogues from the Files of the Most Successful Broadcast in Television History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W6ea63xC2AQC&pg=PA17|year=2007|location=New York|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=978-1-4165-9319-5}}
* {{cite book|last1=St. Germain|first1=Christopher|author-link1=Christopher St. Germain|last2=Muchall|first2=William |title=The Doctor and Student, Or, Dialogues Between a Doctor of Divinity and a Student in the Laws of England: Containing the Grounds of Those Laws Together with Questions and Cases Concerning the Equity Thereof|url=https://archive.org/details/doctorstudentord00sain|year=1886|publisher=R. Clarke|location=Cincinnati}}
{{refend}}

== External links==
* [http://lonang.com/library/reference/stgermain-doctor-and-student/ The Doctor and Student pdf files]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Divinity, Doctor of}}
[[Category:Doctors of Divinity| ]]
[[Category:Doctoral degrees]]
[[Category:Higher doctorates]]
[[Category:Religious degrees]]
[[Category:Degrees offered by unaccredited institutions of higher education]]