Doctor of Ministry

Oblate School of Theology offers the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) Degree in practical theology with different concentrations, including Spirituality and Ministry, Spiritual Formation in the Local Community, U.S. Hispanic/Latino Ministry, African American Pastoral Leadership, and Pastoral Leadership. The DMin degree, building on a Master’s degree in ministry or a closely-related field and specific ministerial competencies, expands the mission of the school by offering accredited theological and ministerial preparation and training through this terminal professional degree. In each concentration, the DMin curriculum advances the professional competency of experienced ministers in today’s Church who seek to serve the ecclesial community while remaining attentive to the signs of the times.

DMin Concentration in Spirituality and Ministry

The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) Concentration in Spirituality and Ministry is a degree in practical theology with a concentration in spirituality and ministry. The doctoral-level courses focus on enhancing the understanding and practice of ministry through exploration of traditional and contemporary movements in Christian spirituality. This program can be taken in two forms: 1) On a semester + intensive basis for residential or commuter students; 2) On an intensive basis, for distance education students.

Program Goals

Enhance the understanding and practice of ministry through doctoral level pastoral theological education.

Academic Requirements
1. The candidate must successfully complete thirty doctoral hours of coursework (36 for Spirituality and Ministry Concentration). A maximum of six applicable doctoral hours, earned within the last ten years, may be transferred into the DMin Program at the discretion of the Program Director.
2. A student must pass each course. Incomplete or insufficient work for a course or other curricular component may be grounds for probation or dismissal.
3. Professional ethical conduct required by a student’s denomination is presumed throughout the DMin Program. Violation of these principles may be grounds for probation or dismissal.
4. The minimum time for degree completion is three years; the normal maximum time for completion is six years after matriculation. The expected time of completion is 5 years.
5. Upon acceptance of the student’s Doctoral Project by the Doctoral Project Committee and with the assistance of the DMin Administration, a student makes arrangements for an oral presentation to the OST faculty, students, and invited guests. The oral presentation normally requires a student’s presence on campus. Satisfactory completion of this presentation is one of the final requirements before conferral of the degree.

Application for Candidacy
Acceptance into the Doctor of Ministry Program does not imply acceptance to Candidacy for the degree. Upon admission, the administrators of the DMin program guide a student through the program requirements. Normally, once a student completes all course work (except Doctoral Project I and II), the DMin Administration assists the student with the creation of his/her Doctoral Project Committee (DPC) and the student writes his/her doctoral proposal under the DPC’s guidance. Candidacy status is conferred upon the student whose doctoral project proposal has been accepted by his/her DPC. A student must petition in writing for doctoral candidacy in conjunction with the DPC’s approval of the proposal. (Additional information and policies regarding doctoral candidacy and the Doctoral Project Committee will be made available in the DMin Handbook, which is presented at orientation.)

Curriculum

30 Credit Hours Required/36 for Spirituality and Ministry Concentration
(The second digit of the course number designates the number of credit hours.)

Core Curriculum for all DMin Students

PTC 8301 Use of Social Sciences in Practical Theology
PTC 8302 Practical Theology as Critical Reflection on Particular Contexts
PTC 8303 Hermeneutics of Scripture in Ministry
PTC 8304 Theological Integration for Ministry Seminar
PSC 9601 Doctoral Project I
PSC 9602 Doctoral Project II
PSC 9001 Proposal Writing

Areas of Concentration

Spiritual Formation in the Local Community

PTF 8305 Faith Development
PTF 8306 Spirituality and Culture

U.S. Hispanic/Latino Ministry

PTH 8305 Contemporary Issues in Hispanic/Latino Ministry
PTH 8306 Contemporary Hispanic/Latino Spiritualities

African American Pastoral Leadership

PTA 8305 Contemporary Issues in African American Ministry
PTA 8306 Contemporary African American Spiritualities

Spirituality and Ministry

PTS 8305/DSC 7301 History of Christian Spirituality
PTS 8306/DSC 7303 Contemporary Spirituality
PTS 8307/DSC 7302 Hermeneutics of Religious Experience
[Elective]

Pastoral Leadership

In this concentration, the student completes the core curriculum and any two concentration-specific courses as listed above.

DMin Handbook

Please click here to view and download the current Doctor of Ministry Handbook.

Testimonials

Is it possible to blossom at age 80? In our culture, meaningful connection with other elders is a challenge and yet we sense we are not alone. The Forest Dwelling program invites you to proceed at your own pace and choose a life-changing, life-giving path to greater wisdom and faith. In a noise-filled world, we learn to listen to our souls.

— Pat Timpanaro

I am so inspired, encouraged, lifted up and amazingly proud to be among such good company as my fellow Forest Dwellers from Cohort #1 and the others who have followed. I cannot fully express how my experience in the very first cohort changed my life, both spiritually, intellectually and physically. And the bounty keeps on giving.

— Sam Gilliam

I am constantly amazed at the dedication of the Program instructors to the personal spiritual and human development of each participant. We are a very diverse group, but the leaders seem to know each of us individually and feed each of us exactly where we are, as the Spirit provides the sustenance we need through them.

— Paul S.

This is my fifth year in the Forest and maybe I am a slow learner because I keep learning more and more. I think that the mere fact that we do this in community, with people who are also questioning, and soaking in what we can receive from the Forest, really makes a difference. Being part of a community like this helps the natural process of evolving, deepening, and letting go.

— Maggie Meigs

God continues to bless us with beauty all around us as we are called to take a deep dive into diminishment, so we both take turns caring for each other, grateful to have each other and looking forward to the next 10 years, God willing. I certainly feel like I am better equipped for the last leg of our journey home because of the Forest Dwellers program.

— Gloria Hofer

I am noticing that, since being in the Forest Dweller Program, I really have gotten more motivation to make peace with my diminishments. That has been a very difficult thing for me to do. It is a major part of what I did as a Forest Dweller and what I continue to do now. I can see that I’m moving towards surrender. There is much more peace in my life and I think as I go through this process I notice that coming out of the Forest Dwelling Program – I am getting more [spiritual] directees. The reason for that is that I have been so engaged with making peace with my own diminishments.

— Nancy Shinn