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In January I moved with my family (wife and 1-yr old) from the Southwest to the Boston area for my Masters program. I still have two years left, but am starting to research potential PhD programs and POIs. All of our family is on the West Coast, and we are considering heading back that way after I finish up the Masters. My interest broadly speaking lie mainly with systematics/constructive theology. While I tend to come at it from a reformed-leaning perspective, I'm not married to that tradition. My undergrad is in philosophy, so I also take an interest in theology that is more formally philosophical. I've begun to look into GTU, UD/Illif, and Fuller. Thoughts on those programs in light of my interests? Other programs on the West coast?

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It's slim pickings on the West coast for theology or religion more generally. I was in the same position and decided to move out to the East coast for my doctoral program, but I hope to move back afterwards. I'd add Claremont and maybe UCSB to your list depending on specific interests. UCSB is rather limited, but it does have a philosophy of religion emphasis. Claremont has more resources for theology, but it's funding isn't very good.

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Between your post and the second one, I think every reputable program in theology has been covered. I think GTU and Claremont can be seen as the elite, but Fuller can also be an amazing place depending on your advisor there. Claremont's overall emphasis is process theology (kind of like what Duke and Yale are to post liberalism), so you might want to look into that line of reasoning and see if it appeals to you.

 

There are a few more evangelical seminaries in Southern California (Azusa Pacific and Talbot), but I do not think they offer a PhD program.

 

But then there are departments of religion. I don't know much about these, but I would say that UC-Boulder might be another option if you really like Colorado (I sure do, that is where I'm from). Beyond that, I'm sorry to say I am unaware of others but I am sure they are out there. Perhaps Stanford?

 

Anyways, I understand the desire to aim for a specific geographic region, just know it is somewhat challenging because there aren't many institutions to begin with, and hence there are only a select few I would say are worthy of your time and money. When it comes to PhD applications, you should definitely keep your family's desires primary. At the same time, if they are willing to go with you to the Northeast, South, or Midwest, you would have a lot more viable options to choose from, as I'm sure you know. But family first, always always.

Edited by Windfish
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Stanford doesn't do theology, and in fact, the department seems pretty hostile to theology. One could probably do a historically oriented project like, say, something on Schleiermacher's thought with Brent Sockness. But the Modern Western Religious Thought subfield doesn't seem to have the resources to study much outside of Continental European Christianity from the early modern period to about the early 19th century, with a smattering of Continental philosophy up to Heidegger.

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I love Fuller and the faculty there are great, but no one should go over 100k in debt for a degree in religion. They basically offer zero funding, and Pasadena is one of the most expensive LA suburbs to live in. Unless you are rich, I would cross that off the list. Claremont and GTU both offer some funding, but I've heard it isn't very good. I know a guy at Claremont in systematics who got 50% tuition. That's it. With how scarce jobs are, going even 50k in debt for a PhD is a bad idea. Just think of it this way: It's a hell of a lot cheaper to fly home a bunch from a funded program not on the West Coast than to pay for your own PhD. 

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Kuriakos is right that Fuller is quite expensive, but I do know someone there doing his Ph.D who was able to secure some funding from them and enough external scholarships to have at least the first couple years paid for. There is funding out there, but you really have to work hard to figure it out (I did my MA in theology there.)

 

The other thing to consider is how a Ph.D in theology from a seminary might limit your job prospects (obviously barring a place like PTS.) In fact, it was Nancey Murphy at Fuller who convinced me to take seminaries off of my list of places to apply. If you do a Ph.D in theology focused on systematics/constructive theology, it will be pretty tough to land a job in a secular department, limiting your prospects to religiously affiliated schools. If that isn't a problem for you, then obviously ignore this. =)

 

But if you'd be interested in doing something more related to historical theology/intellectual history and/or philosophy, then you could essentially write the same dissertation in a secular institution that you would have at Fuller, GTU, or Claremont-Lincoln. I could be wrong, but my sense is that historical doctoral work in theology is more marketable for jobs than constructive work, overall. And that doesn't mean you have to then become a historian who never does any constructive work. Lots of active constructive theologians did their doctoral work on something historical.

 

Sockness at Stanford does do theology--it's just from the perspective of intellectual history/historical theology. There are two recent Stanford grads in my department (one faculty one post-doc) who did more "traditional" RS tracks and neither are hostile toward theology. Obviously that doesn't necessarily reflect the faculty there, but they both seem to have some comfort and familiarity with historical theology, intellectual history of theology, etc. being a part of a religion department.

 

I agree with Windfish that your family should come first, but if there's any flexibility there, I would consider programs all over the country in order to both find a program that is going to be a good fit and one that is fully funded.

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The information I have about Stanford came directly from a faculty member in the Modern Western Religious Thought subfield who does work in what some might consider historical theology or intellectual history. This person advised me that there were members of the faculty that were hostile to theology and that I was probably better off not applying there -- and mind you I wanted work in the area of religious ethics, religion and politics, religion in public life, etc, and not constructive/systematic theology. I think this also bore itself out when they refused to hire someone like Robin Lovin for their open position in religious ethics. He was apparently to theologically oriented for them.

With that said, it's always best to ask your POI if your proposed project is feasible given the department and university resources. I asked and was told that I'd be swimming against the tide, so I decided not to apply. Perhaps, as jdharrison has suggested, you can reframe your project as a work of intellectual history and get to more constructive/systematic stuff later in your career.

I'd also add that jdharrison is right about the job prospects coming out of a seminary. Even a place like PTS has trouble placing theology graduates -- the lone exception being Hector at Chicago. Religion and society at PTS has had a better track recorded lately, placing people at Harvard and Drew. But those successes are too few and far between to justify going to PTS, unless you want to limit yourself to religiously affiliated institutions.

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In January I moved with my family (wife and 1-yr old) from the Southwest to the Boston area for my Masters program. I still have two years left, but am starting to research potential PhD programs and POIs. All of our family is on the West Coast, and we are considering heading back that way after I finish up the Masters. My interest broadly speaking lie mainly with systematics/constructive theology. While I tend to come at it from a reformed-leaning perspective, I'm not married to that tradition. My undergrad is in philosophy, so I also take an interest in theology that is more formally philosophical. I've begun to look into GTU, UD/Illif, and Fuller. Thoughts on those programs in light of my interests? Other programs on the West coast?

 

I was just admitted into the DU/Iliff Joint Ph.D. program in Biblical Interpretation. I felt very strongly, from the moment I was accepted there, that the department was advocating strongly for me, in terms of funding and other issues. I am really happy with my decision. Of course, I have yet to start coursework, but I remain incredibly excited about the program. If you are still considering DU/Iliff in a few months, perhaps you can PM me and we can chat about it.

My experiences will perhaps be of somewhat limited value, I'm sure, since you are looking to do theology and I am a biblical studies concentration. Still, whatever help I can be. :)

Edited by Body Politics
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