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HNV721

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Posts posted by HNV721

    Tallahassee, FL

    in City Guide

    Posted

    I am not sure if anyone here even checks this, but I figured I would give it a shot. My wife and I are moving to Tally for school this fall. our budget per month, for context, is around $700. can anyone suggest an area/apartment complex that wouldn't be a death trap? Having a tough time finding decent, affordable housing there.

    LSU decisions and funding

    in History

    Posted

    HNV721:

     

    There doesn't seem to be too many of us on here!  I actually graduated with my M.A. in history from UTK in Spring of 2013. After being mentally exhausted from my work on the M.A. thesis, I decided to take a retail job to flex my social skills (which was really nice for a while). Then, I realized that I was truly missing academia and decided to apply for PhD programs this cycle. How is the process going for you??

    NMD:

    Thank you for your insights and your response! Your information confirms what I was already suspecting. I was born and raised in New Orleans (and most of my family still lives there), so I was aware of the state budget cuts that have taken place. It's very unfortunate that Louisiana doesn't have any legal protection for higher education and that its flagship university has taken so many cuts in past years. I was just in touch with the DGS yesterday, and she said that they have sent out their first round of funding offers and that it might be several weeks before I find anything else out since they are waiting on responses from those candidates. I'm trying to stay positive and believe that there is still hope (and, at least in my mind, I think there is). But I have also been thinking of backup plans just in case. By the way, Nashville is pretty awesome. I'm kind of jealous that you live there considering Knoxville isn't that special haha

     

    Nice, well I hope you enjoyed your time in K-Town. I will always love home. 

     

    As for me, the process has basically ended, but I could not be happier. Got into my top choice. What else could I ask for? I hope application season treats you well. Good luck.

    Divinity School rankings?

    in Religion

    Posted

    I think this discussion has largely run its course after reading/skimming through most responses.

    However, to better communicate my "liberal" comment, I feel I should say a couple things because it seems to have been misunderstood.

    First, I do not like even using "liberal" or "conservative" as ways to characterize people or beliefs. They are too saturated but unfortunately, seemingly, the simplest way to describe certain ... oppositions.

    Now, most secular state programs in the Humanities or prominent divinity schools are "liberal" in the sense that they commonly challenge (or contradict) a lot of people's idea of "traditional" Protestant Christianity. Some of that is good -- such as being more socially inclusive -- and some of that is bad, in my opinion. In some ways I am both. However, I would say (and this feels odd to type) I am "conservative" in the sense that I believe Jesus was/is God and that the Holy Bible is largely a reliable, spiritually authoritative text. From what I have seen here and elsewhere, I do not think most divinity school goers would agree or even be particularly kind to those ideas. Thus, with those being two indelible tenets for me, I envision divinity school possibly being fruitless theological/spiritual battles only designed to discourage.

    I am not afraid of this -- and concede to possibly seeing this all wrong -- but see it as a pointless fight at a "divinity" school where the topic of God is just more ... central than at a RS program where I know I will probably be in the minority as well.

    Divinity School rankings?

    in Religion

    Posted

    Asking about divinity school rankings isn't a very helpful question. In deciding on where to go, it depends on what you want to do once you finish divinity school. It also depends where you are at theologically. It's kind of like being asked to rank the restaurants in your city. Sure, some are better than others, but it's not like restaurants can be ranked linearly. What do you want to eat? Who are you eating with? Are you a vegetarian? Is farm-to-table important to you? Do you like bar-food? Are you trying to impress a date, or are your parents visiting?

     

    Of course it matters (for me at least). If I attended a divinity school, it would be for preparation to apply for PhD programs in American Religious History. So, the reputation would be quite important in terms of how attractive (or unattractive) it would make me to good PhD programs. Now I do absolutely agree that, again for me personally, theological stances matter greatly. In fact, I have kind of come to believe my belief system would not vibe well with the modern-liberal divinity school environment. 

    To MTS or not to MTS that is the question.

    in Religion

    Posted

    I need some help/advice.  I am 34 years of age, married, two small children and currently I Pastor a small church.  I graduated from undergrad with a Biblical Studies degree, and then went back and got my Masters in Counseling (completed in 2007).  I always felt like I'd go back (some day) and get a second (Theological) Masters to make myself eligible for a Ph.D.  I would really like to teach at some point, not to mention that I believe that I really would really like the academic rigor of the Ph.D pursuit.

     

    My dream would be to teach during the week and preach on the weekends.

     

    Here is my problem.  The demands of being a small church Pastor are immense.  I cannot imagine doing another master's degree with my current schedule/responsiblities, let alone a Ph.D.  There is a decent MTS program in my current city, but it would probably take me 4-5 years to complete, and I would not be able to produce my best work.  I don't believe in that situation I would get accepted into any of the Ph.D programs I would want to.  

     

    So, just to see what would happen, I applied to a top tier MTS program (out of state) this winter, and I got in.  Today I found out that they are going to fund me 60% (now this is feeling real).

     

    I know that no one can answer this question for me, but would I be crazy to quit my job at the church to pursue this?  My wife has a professional job where she could work almost anywhere.  We have family in the area we'd be moving to, so that would be nice bonus as we have lived apart from family for the last 10 years.

     

    I am a bit worried about leaving the church (known quantity) and moving into being a full time student again at 34 (unknown quantity).

     

    Any advice, experience or prayers would be much appreciated.

     

    If you do not mind me asking, where did you apply?

    VDS Funding?

    in Religion

    Posted

    I have reached out to a couple current VDS students recently to vet the (general) funding situation at Vanderbilt Divinity (for MTS students), but I am now extending this inquiry to the whole board. What have you all heard about funding packages there for the MTS?

    Vanderbilt MTS decisions?

    in Religion

    Posted

    All I can really say without potentially getting someone in trouble is that I know someone involved with the process, which isn't too surprising since I'm a student at VDS

     

    Gotcha. Well, again, thanks for the info. Would you mind if I PM'd you some time to ask about VDS?

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