agfun83

JDD, Thanks for the insight. PTS is at the top of the list for me at the moment. When I visited my impression was they prefer students to do the MDiv over the two year masters? I was more open and leaning toward the MDiv after I visited awhile ago. From researching divinity schools like Harvard and Chicago - it seems like it would fit me well academically to a point but maybe not potentially for church work as other schools? Where it would almost be like a religious studies program rather than Christian theological formation naturally integrated in each class. I go back and forth on whether a religious studies or interfaith divinity program would be ideal or not. Thanks for all the responses so far!

ChristoWitch87, I haven't looked into Colgate Rochester Cozer Divinity. Do people typically go there for ordination or are the vocation interest and tracks varied?

sacklunch, Thanks for the suggestion. I have looked into some MSW hybrids with MDivs. I think I might be more drawn to the research angle of social work.

Looking for input and advice on the following... Background: I did a ton of grad work at a conservative evangelical seminary MDiv program. Due to bad experiences as a female student, as well as realizing my limits as a female in that culture, alongside my theology changing and evolving, I left the program a couple years ago. Now I'm researching on returning to school. I have a lot of theology, church history, and some formal philosophy training from my MDiv. I don't mind retaking some foundational courses again as my credits are getting too old to qualify as a transfer anyways, and I don't mind refreshing and coming at the subjects from a new angle, as well. My research interests, I'll be general and can be more specific if this sounds vague, but they are in belief formation and the relationship between doctrine and social psychology and virtue and ethics. So I'm looking for more foundational training in theology, but also moral and social philosophy and a school where I can be introductory trained in some of the social sciences. (My undergrad was not in any of these things was business related.) I deal and work a lot with religious abuse and trauma, and I want to explore social psychology and philosophical effects on ecclesiology and what happens to the person and community when deconstruction occurs. I also have been opening my eyes to colonization and its effects on theology formation and control, and have been looking at belief formation and sustaining of belief from the Womanist perspective. I am more likely looking for MTS or MA programs, but I am open to MDiv programs as I have an interest in working in and with the church on these subjects. I enjoy academia and would love to do a PhD, but I just want to focus on a masters due to the dismal job market. So perhaps programs that would prepare me for a PhD if I chose to do one later, but also one that is sufficient on its own if I stop at a masters. I want to ask about suggestions here as I am wondering if there are some programs I might be missing, particularly in universities that I might not be aware of or haven't thought to look into. The top two that stick out to me so far: I have visited and looked into PTS (Princeton Theological Seminary) and liked what I saw and experienced, and have looked a lot at Yale Divinity (haven't visited). I noticed in their course selections in recent semesters that they are trending toward a lot of the topics I have an interest in. Thanks for any program suggestions you may have! To be clear, I'm still in a place of receiving foundational training in a lot of these areas. If I need to be more clear and specific, let me know. For a masters program I'm looking for more generalities and room to explore, still.