I applied to PhD programs in early Christian studies/patristics at a wide range of schools (Catholic, secular, and evangelical).
The results are almost all in, and it looks like I'm only going to be accepted to the evangelical seminaries (Southern and Southwestern), despite what I felt was a strong application. I believe that having both an MDiv and a ThM from Southern negatively affected my chances of being accepted at non-evangelical institutions (though I would love to be persuaded otherwise).
Anyway, at this point, my two questions are:
What, if any, are your perceptions/impressions of the doctoral programs of these two schools (especially in church history/historical theology)?
Do you anticipate that completing a degree from an evangelical seminary will be a hindrance to broader academic pursuits down the line (job hunting, publishing, etc.)?
Thanks for any insights. Just trying to get a sense of the way these programs may be viewed by people not affiliated with them, now that my more preferred options are mostly off the table.