The people who lecture me about academics are amusing. They might get away with teaching at their parochial schools, because a parochial education prepares someone to carry on the worship of Holy Mother Synod. These professors of parochialism are unequipped and unqualified to teach in higher education.
Doctrine means teaching. Originally, a doctorate stood for teacher - not physician. The physicians decided they needed more status, so they began calling themselves M.D. - doctor of medicine. That is not considered a doctorate. Many of the same medical schools offer a PhD as well.
Our son's godfather, a dear friend until he died, earned an M.D. and a PhD from Yale Medical School, where Mrs. Ichabod and I both worked. I was a lowly Xerox guy at the medical library. She was a researcher for a famous author. Since we were both at the medical school at various times, I often brought LI in a baby carrier, so he also wandered the narrow but impressive stacks of the library, amusing the medical students.
The three professional degrees are law, medicine, and theology. They are practical degrees. Lawyers and physicians decided to give themselves doctorates, so lawyers are J.D. (Juris Doctor, doctor of law) instead of being a bachelor of law. Ministers upgraded their degree to MDiv. Some even paid for new diplomas to be printed.
The seminaries learned they could make big money by selling a DMin to lazy pastors - a quickie degree with no academic standards. The Church Growth frauds in WELS have their DMins from various absurd schools, from Fuller on down. But the fraudsters call this a "doctorate" rather than a scam.
Larry Olson will not answer a question in class unless he is addressed as Dr. Olson! The students should say "Dee-Min Olson..." and laugh.
The original, genuine doctorate was the Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, which meant someone was qualified to teach philosophy and theology at the university level. Luther earned one at a Catholic school - imagine that. Chemnitz was required to earn one in order to serve as a bishop.
Today, all LCMS District Popes have themselves anointed with an honorary doctorate, so everyone has to call them "Dr" Poobah, bowing in awe before them.
All pastors should be teachers. That is a requirement - apt to teach. A scholar is not someone with a degree, but someone who is studious. Scholar comes from the Greek word "leisure," meaning that a scholar does research when others are watching the Packers on their TVs.
But most ministers are too lazy to study, and congregations make them social directors of the Love Boat rather than scholars.
I hate to disappoint the Appleton bullies, but I do not teach for any denomination, any parochial school. When someone earns an MA in religion, it is the study of one aspect of religion. Uncle John Brug did not have to join the United Church of Christ to attend a seminar in Old Testament studies at Yale. Nor did he have to agree with any prevalent notions there.
The Mequon faculty members have been acquiring real degrees, thanks to the low enrollment there. One waits with eager longing for Glende to denounce the faculty at the Sausage Factory for their ecumenical graduate work.
Dave Peters, one of the WELS enforcers, studied at a Jesuit school, Marquette. He wanted to know about teaching in higher education. I pointed out that his STM from Mequon was worthless. So sad.
WELS has a habit of roaring against anyone who steps on their tender toes. And people have a habit of laughing at WELS. They laugh when they know about the felony arrests, plea bargains, embezzlements, and other more shameful acts. WELS has one lecture subject always in mind - Holy Mother WELS: submit or be damned.
My task is simply to teach Luther's doctrine - to point people to Luther and the Book of Concord, because they are faithful witnesses to God's Word. That always inflames from wolves in sheep's clothing. They want to murder and strangle the flock at a leisurely pace, unmolested while they molest.
I am a teacher of God's Word. Those who want to hear God's Word are happy to be pointed to good sources, to be warned against false teachers.
