Doctor of Ministry

The Doctor of Ministry is a thirty-hour advanced professional degree designed to enhance the practice of ministry and leadership in the church and other public settings. It is available to persons who hold the M.Div. degree or a comparable degree, who have worked in a ministerial context for at least three years after earning the first graduate theological degree, and who continue in the tasks and responsibilities of ministry during the course of their doctoral study. The D.Min. offers opportunities for professional, spiritual, intellectual, and personal growth through the rigorous academic study of theology, careful contextual analysis, and deepened engagement with the Spirit in the world. In a community of co-learners, the D.Min. helps practitioners engage the complex issues they face every day by developing capacities for theological reflection, creative leadership, and critical awareness of the important issues that demand prophetic witness. The degree is suitable for pastors, chaplains, leaders of faith-based and non-profit agencies, religious educators, spiritual directors, and others who are called to transformational, spiritually-informed leadership in the world.

Curriculum

Students may choose one of three tracks in which to concentrate for the Doctor of Ministry:

The Transforming Spirituality concentration is designed for persons who seek advanced study in contemporary spirituality and who wish to enhance their capacities for transformational spiritual leadership with persons and communities.

The Chaplaincy Reimagined concentration is designed for persons discerning a vocational interest in chaplaincy and who wish to equip themselves to pursue career opportunities in chaplaincy and for experienced chaplains who seek to further enhance their practice of ministry in diverse chaplaincy settings

The Leadership for Justice concentration is designed for spiritual leaders in diverse contexts who seek to enhance their capacities for effective leadership toward institutional and social change in diverse contexts.

There are four required courses (total of 9 credit hours) common to all D.Min. students and each concentration includes two additional required courses (total of 6 credit hours) specific to the concentration. The remainder of coursework (9 credit hours) is filled through electives. Each student is required to complete either a final project or a thesis (6 credit hours).

Delivery

Brite’s D.Min. program is offered in a hybrid format. Students are required to take two seminars in person, on the Brite/TCU campus in Fort Worth, during the first year of enrollment (offered as one-week intensives in October and in May). The courses “Introduction to Research Methods” and “Developing a D.Min. Project or Thesis” are offered online. Beyond that, students may choose from a variety of online and in-person course offerings as they are available to complete the degree (see chart above for examples of courses offered).

Tuition and Fees

The total tuition cost for the three-year program is $13,200, which is split into six equal payments of $2,200. After the first three years, there is a modest continuing fee ($375 per semester) until completion of the degree.

Department Staff Profile:

Timothy H. Robinson

Alberta H. and Harold L. Lunger Associate Professor of Spiritual Resources and Disciplines, and Harold Glen Brown Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program

Email: tim.robinson@tcu.edu

Phone: 817-257-7598

Biography

Timothy Robinson joined the Brite faculty in 2006. His research and teaching interests include the history of Christian spirituality, mysticism, ecotheology, the intersections of spirituality and social engagement—especially ecological and environmental justice—, and spiritual direction. As a theological educator he draws on the contemplative and liturgical traditions and practices of Christianity, contemporary theology, and environmental philosophy to explore with students questions of human becoming, the nature of religious experience, the Sacred in everyday life, and planetary justice. Prior to his service at Brite, he served as pastor or associate pastor to congregations in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Louisville, KY, San Lorenzo, CA, Olathe, KS, and Lynchburg, VA.

Degrees:

• Ph.D., Graduate Theological Union, 2006

• M.Div., Emmanuel School of Religion, 1993

• Certificate in Urban Ministry, Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education, Chicago, 1990

• Milligan College, B.A., Milligan College, 1987

Courses Taught:

• Spiritual Life and Leadership

• Ecojustice and Spirituality

• Transforming Practices: Spirituality, Leadership, and Justice

• Howard Thurman: Spirituality and the Quest for Justice

• The Song of Songs in the History of Christian Spirituality

• The Practice of Spiritual Direction

• Christian Worship

• Thinking Theologically About Climate Justice

• Martyrs, Monks, and Mystics: The History of Christian Spirituality

Professional Affiliations:

• American Academy of Religion

• Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality

• Green Seminary Initiative (member of the steering committee, 2007-present)

• Association of Disciples for Theological Discussion

• Spiritual Directors International

Select Publications:

• A Companion to the Song of Songs in Christian Spirituality, editor. Leiden: Brill Publishing, 2021

• The Reverend Edward Taylor’s Sacramental Meditations on the Song of Songs: The Erotic Devotion of an American Puritan. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2012.

• Spirit and Nature: The Study of Christian Spirituality in a Time of Ecological Urgency. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2011.