Introduction
Greetings all.
I just finished reading Peter Enns’ insightful post on whether evangelicals should pursue a PhD in Biblical Studies.
I have to say, it’s a cold, hard dose of reality for anyone with idealistic (or overly spiritualized) academic dreams.
Among other topics, Enns briefly focuses on:
- The pitiful job market for biblical studies scholars (and its attendant low salaries)
- The need for going to a top-tier school (not an evangelical one)
- A certain doctrinal alienation that occurs for doctoral students that separates them from 99% of the “educated Western Christian world.”
I’ve included a link to Enns’ post at the end of my article. If you want my reaction and commentary, please continue reading. Otherwise, jump down to read what Enns has to say.
About that job market
There are two fundamental forces working against biblical / religious studies scholars. These apply whether the U.S. is up or down economically (though admittedly, things will be tougher during a recession). 1) Relatively few teaching positions become available each year and 2) everybody and their uncle is applying for these scarce openings.
Thus, unless you came from a top-tier school your chances of landing that plumb job with a tenured track is pretty slim. As Enns suggest, you won’t even get a look if your degree comes from an evangelical seminary for fear that your doctrine will be too conservative.
Ironically enough, many evangelical seminaries will also look for candidates who received their doctorates from the best U.S. or British programs.
Some Alternative Job Openings
Of course, there are many second and third tier schools, colleges and programs which are much less competitive. If you are not trying to hit the top of the scholarship field, your chances of teaching as a vocation, continuing a career in research and perhaps writing and publishing are much greater.
Alternatively, I can personally tell you that seminaries around the world are begging for qualified evangelical professors. Leadership development and theological education represent two of the most pressing needs of the evangelical church, particularly in the developing world.
I currently live in Medellin, Colombia where I teach New Testament at the Biblical Seminary of Colombia. Ministering in Latin America is the adventure (and education) of a lifetime, both for myself and my family.
Thus, if you can picture yourself living overseas, in places like Costa Rica or Brazil, the Middle East or Spain, India, Thailand or China, the seminaries there would welcome you with open arms and with your doctorate, you would be making an invaluable contribution to the growth and quality of those institutions.
About post-doctoral doctrinal transformation
Finally, in his post, Enns mentions a certain doctrinal alienation that occurs in PhD students, which separates them from 99% of Christianity (indeed, Enns wrote a larger piece explaining his views further, which he references in the same article).
The unfortunate truth is that a research degree will put you in touch with theories and ideas about the Bible which run counter to many traditional evangelical claims. Some of these ideas may challenge your thinking, some may actually change your perspective on certain issues.
The result is a sort of cognitive dissonance. You want to pursue ideas and research wherever these may lead but you move in a world where the very mention of these ideas is threatening at the least, and in some cases, may get you fired or branded a liberal.
This is especially true in the evangelical church of the developing world, which lives under a very strict and literal hermeneutic and which provides very little room for doctrinal speculation or reflections on the nature of Scripture, inspiration, authorship and divine revelation.
In some circles, my even mentioning Enns or having read him is already grounds for suspicion. This even if I do not agree with everything Enns has published.
Well, that’s about all of my commentary for now. Til next time,
Happy researching!
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LINK TO ENNS’ BLOG POST ==> Some Unasked For Advice on Whether An Evangelical Should Get a PhD in Biblical Studies?
