School of Divinity

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Jonathan L. Master, Ph.D., Dean

Professor

Donald A. Cheyney, Ed.D.
Matthew M. McAlack, Ph.D.
Gary E. Schnittjer, Ph.D. 
Brian G. Toews, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

G. Thompson Allen, Th.M.
Brian P. Luther, Ph.D.
Keith W. Plummer, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Jared R. Bryant, Th.M.

Part-time Faculty

James E. Dolezal, Ph.D.
William L. Krewson, Ph.D.

Adjunct Faculty

Robert Kramer, D.Min.
 

The School

The School of Divinity faculty is committed to strengthening students’ understanding of God’s Word while cultivating in them an increasing love for God and trust in Him. A serious study of the Bible and theology, together with liberal arts and professional studies, develops biblical wisdom and a perspective that enables students to think deeply about difficult issues of life and work in this world. The School offers the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Religion, and Master of Theology programs on the graduate level.

Objectives

The School has three broad objectives. The student will:

1. Gain professional competency in his or her understanding of the content of the whole Bible, biblical theology, systematic theology, church history, and the University’s place within the current evangelical and theological world.
2. Begin to integrate the truths of God’s Word and His revelation into his or her life resulting in a life of spiritual growth leading to spiritual maturity.
3. Develop professional ministry skills to communicate and demonstrate God’s Word in a multiplicity of avenues and contexts.
    

The Programs

Master of Arts in Religion

Designed for students with varying goals, Cairn’s M.A.R. allows students to choose elective courses in the fields they feel will best prepare them for their professional and ministry goals. No matter which track of study they choose, students receive a broad foundational education in the inerrant Word of God and the doctrines and theology of the Church. M.A.R. graduates are prepared for vocational service in many areas of Christian ministry, for further theological study, or for lay ministry.

The M.A.R. program is designed for students to:

• Develop skills to examine the biblical text and theology in relationship with the realities of everyday life and ministry.
• Take advantage of the hybrid and online components of the program to study full-time without overloading their schedules, still completing the program in two years.
• Gain the tools to study Scripture for themselves as lifelong learners.
• Study under faculty who are experienced scholars, educators, and ministers that invest in the lives of their students both inside and outside of the classroom.

Master of Divinity

The Master of Divinity degree is often the preferred degree for entry into vocational ministry. Cairn M.Div. graduates are prepared for service in the church across a broad spectrum of denominations and models of ministry through a Christ- and Bible-centered curriculum. Graduates are taught to care for the people of God as teachers and shepherds who are themselves spiritually fit followers of Jesus Christ.

The M.Div. program is designed for students to:

• Learn the essentials of pastoral ministry that will prepare them for a variety of church ministry models.
• Prepare to preach and teach in the church with in-depth training in the exegesis of biblical texts and a thorough study of biblical Greek and Hebrew, hermeneutics, and homiletics.
• Connect theology, exposition, and service in a program that integrates academic study with ministry experience.
• Study coursework that emphasizes both biblical and systematic models of theology.
• Learn under the teaching and guidance of ministry-oriented faculty and ministry mentors.

Master of Theology

The Master of Theology is an advanced degree designed to provide qualified students with a deeper preparation for teaching and preaching ministries or further post-graduate study. The Th.M. program requires an additional 24 credit hours beyond the M.Div. and can be completed in one full-time year of study. Students already holding an M.Div. or its appropriate equivalent from an accredited institution may be considered for admission into the final year of Cairn’s Th.M. program.

The Th.M. program is designed for students to:

• Study in small seminar settings, benefitting from interaction with faculty and peers.
• Work closely with School of Divinity faculty in one-on-one and small group settings.
• Complete a thesis capstone project, consisting of original research in a field approved by the faculty and overseen by an appropriate advisor from the faculty.

Advance standing for any School of Divinity program may be granted for Bible/Theology credits eaned at an accredited Bible college, Christian liberal arts college or university, or seminary. Credits will be granted on a course-by-course basis.

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