top five mdiv programs in the US/ top five theological seminaries in US

[misteroakland]

In your opinion, what are the top five mdiv programs in the US. Also, what are the top five theological seminaries in the US over all. And how are you rating these schools? Thanx!

[braun_braun]

Harvard, Yale, Duke, Chicago, Drew

[Thanks4Downvoting]

For MDiv programs I think it depends on what one wants in a program. I largely agree with the above poster, however, I would add that Union Theological Seminary continues to offer a strong program, and I would drop Duke off my list. But that's just because I'm a dirty liberal.

[braun_braun]

Well said, Libtheologian!!!! Yes, let's drop Duke off the list. I was just trying to be "objective" :-)

[getmeout]

These kinds of lists are always problematic. The ranking always depends upon your priorities (academic reputation; desire for or aversion to a confessional identity; training for ministry, academics, or both?). If you are asking about academic reputation, my impression is that Harvard Div. has dropped off of late...and I would wonder about putting Drew and perhaps Vanderbilt on the same plane with the others.

Also, R.R. Reno might be stretching things to put Notre Dame first, but it seems hard to leave them out of the top five. And a couple of the evangelical places probably deserve mention, although your theological persuasion probably has a lot to do with determining a conclusion there...

I would say something more like:

Yale

Chicago

Duke

ND

Emory

(Gordon-Conwell, Vanderbilt, Princeton)

[Thanks4Downvoting]

The ranking always depends upon your priorities (academic reputation; desire for or aversion to a confessional identity; training for ministry, academics, or both?).

It definitely does. Which is why Union makes my list and not many others' rankings. My name probably tells you I'm into James Hal Cone. In that same vein I'm interested in looking at Niebuhrian Christian realism and what impact it has had on Third World theological development. So, Union was an obvious "top 5" pick for me. I would agree that Drew definitely deserves a look as well. Ah, the MDiv, so much is subjective.

Edited January 27, 2011 by Lib(eration) Theologian

[ddsdevil]

IMO,

1. Duke-A very exciting place to be at the moment. We are in a transition with Dean Jones leaving, and it will be interesting to see who takes his place after Dean Hayes' two year stint. Hauerwas will also be retiring in a couple of years. Willimon will be returning in 2012. Very orthodox place, but enough liberals on faculty to satisfy the progressives.

2. Yale-only because I'm a post-liberal. (although Duke probably holds the mantle as the home of narrative/post-liberal theology now)

3. Princeton Theological Seminary-Barth is popular there still, right?

After those I'm really not sure. I'd mix together Drew, Fuller, SMU, Candler, ColumbiaTS,...

But Duke by a mile.

[ddsdevil]

I'll also add a list based on theological preference:

Mainline Protestant:

1.Duke

2. Yale

3. Princeton

4. Drew

5. Nashotah House (I'm a big fan of this place!)

Evangelical:

1. Gordon-Conwell/Reformed

2. Asbury/Wesleyan

3. Fuller

4. Regent College

5. TETS

Liberal Protestant

1. Harvard

2. Union Theological Seminary

3. Vanderbilt

4. Candler

5. ANTS

[Thanks4Downvoting]

Liberal Protestant

1. Harvard

2. Union Theological Seminary

3. Vanderbilt

4. Candler

5. ANTS

See: Places I applied in signature.

[Trin]

The list is also different for multi-religious programs. I'd put Harvard and Chicago at the top of the list, then Union, and Graduate Theological out here in California. Yale wants to be on the list, but they're not there yet.

[Thanks4Downvoting]

The list is also different for multi-religious programs. I'd put Harvard and Chicago at the top of the list, then Union, and Graduate Theological out here in California. Yale wants to be on the list, but they're not there yet.

Agreed. Yale is too much in the mold of a Christian seminary to make the list.

[Phenomenologist]

Mainline Protestant:

1.Duke

2. Yale

3. Princeton

4. Drew

5. Nashotah House (I'm a big fan of this place!)

Evangelical:

1. Gordon-Conwell/Reformed

2. Asbury/Wesleyan

3. Fuller

4. Regent College

5. TETS

Sheesh. I come from the evangelical tribe, but I always knew I had drifted... (See signature of schools applied to =).

I might add another category:

Young, Restless & Reformed:

1. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

2. Westminster Theological Seminary / Westminster Seminary, California

3. Gordon-Conwell

4. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

5. Reformed Theological Seminary