Master of Divinity

You feel called to Christian leadership, but the task seems daunting. Whether it is the public proclamation of the Word or a private meeting for counseling, you are not sure where to start.

The best pastors, missionaries, and teachers that you have known have had wisdom, patience, skill in the Word, and humility. They are marked by their love of God. You have a vision of what you want to be, but you lack understanding of how to get there. How are you supposed to acquire these traits?

Consider the Master of Divinity degree. This is the core of everything that we do at Central. It is in this program that we seek to train leaders for local churches. You will gain proficiency in Greek and Hebrew which will prepare you for the exegesis that is the foundation of everything. Historical and systematic theology classes will inform your work in the text and connect you to centuries of believers who have gone before. Counseling courses will train you to appropriately apply the meaning of the text to life’s problems. Pastoral theology will groom you to lead the way you ought.

Admissions

Applicants must hold a recognized four-year bachelors degree with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Applicants with a GPA greater than or equal to 2.0 but less than 2.5 will be accepted on probation. See Academic Discipline for more details.

Knowledge of the original biblical languages is essential and invaluable for educating students to preach and to teach confidently from the Scriptures. The student who is limited to the English text is somewhat deprived of a wealth of critical study aids. M.Div. students are expected to be able to perform exegetical work from the original languages; therefore, an emphasis is placed on those languages at Central Seminary. All students who have taken one or more years of Greek or one or more years of Hebrew must take a placement exam for that language. If a grade of B- or greater is received, the applicant will receive advanced standing credit. A maximum of 10 credits for Greek and 9 credits for Hebrew is allowed. Students are required to take at least one semester of Greek exegesis (NT 602) and one semester of Hebrew exegesis (OT 701) at Central Seminary.

Catalog

Curriculum

Scripture and Interpretation (36 hours)

BI 571 2 Hermeneutics
NT 511 3 New Testament Introduction
NT 521/522 6 Greek Grammar
NT 531/532 4 Greek Syntax & Reading
NT 601/602 4 Greek Exegesis
OT 511 3 Old Testament Introduction
OT 501/502 6 Hebrew Grammar
OT 601/702 6 Hebrew Syntax, Reading, & Exegesis
ST 511 2 Research and Writing

Theology and Tradition (34 hours)

HT 511/512 6 Church History 1 & 2
HT 601 2 Baptist History
NT 575/576 6 New Testament Biblical Theology I & II
OT 675/676 6 Old Testament Biblical Theology I & II
ST 501 3 Systematic Theology I
ST 502 3 Systematic Theology II
ST 601 3 Systematic Theology III
ST 602 3 Systematic Theology IV
ST 701 2 Dispensationalism

Worldview and Culture (8 hours)

ME 510 3 Intro to Personal and World Evangelism
ST 520 2 Christian Ethics
ST 630 3 Theology as Life

Ministries and Practices (12 hours)

PT 501 2 Foundations of Biblical Counseling
PT 610 3 Homiletics and Intro to Expository Preaching
PT 703 2 Pastoral Theology
PT 710 3 Advanced Expository Preaching
PT 750 0 Senior Seminar
PT 726/727 2 Pastoral Practicum

Electives (6 hours)

_____ 6 General