Category Archives: Religious Doctorate Degrees

Become a Spiritual Counselor with a PhD in Pastoral or Spiritual Counseling

Spiritual Counseling Healing DegreeDuring the Holiday season spiritual counselors are in high demand

This time of year spiritual counselors are constantly called upon to lift the spirits of the lonely and disenfranchised. So many people suffer from Holiday depression. Become a counselor and reach out.  A Ph.D. in Spiritual Counseling, Spiritual Healing or Pastoral Counseling may be your calling. With a doctorate degree from the Seminary you can start bettering lives by offering online, in person or telephone counseling services.

Is Spiritual Counseling your Calling?

Each degree from us comes with free clergy ordination. You become a spiritual counselor with Dr. in front of your name and also receive the minister, rabbi, pastor, reverend, etc. title of your choice. The ordination gives you client-clergy privilege and the ability to legally accept tax-free donations for your services. The doctorate degree gives you the credentials you need to lend reassurance to those who come to you for counseling, wisdom and spiritual guidance, life coaching, spiritual healing, etc.

Become part of our global Clergy Network

Once you become ordained you are part of our network and can join our member’s only forums. Here is a tidbit we posted the other day for our clergy members: Oprah’s website has a video of spiritual teachers and clergy giving their opinion of the most comforting 3-word phrases you can say. Some examples are “Treat yourself gently,” and “I hear ya.”

One of the clergy they interviewed says three words are not enough, five is better: “You don’t have to pretend”.  These are good little tips for the ordained clergy to keep in mind during the holiday season when ironically we are called upon more than ever for spiritual and pastoral counseling.

DEGREE INFORMATION

For information on getting your Ph.D. in Metaphysics, Ph.D. in Spiritual Counseling, Pastoral Counseling, Spiritual Healing, or other customized Ph.D. title go here.

For more information on a Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Theology or Doctor of Ministry degree click here.

Become Ordained, Get Your Doctor of Ministry D.Min. Degree

The Seminary has received several requests for the Doctor of Ministry degree this month, as well as a Doctor of Sacred Music. Both degrees are geared for people already working with a congregation either in music ministry or “regular” ministry. Some are just beginning to build a congregation, and one guy is an online pastoral counselor but instead of our Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling, he wants the Doctor of Ministry aka D.Min.  All of these degrees, even the Doctor of Sacred Music allow you to attach Rev. Dr. to the front of your name or D.Min. or Ph.D. to the end of your name. Religious degrees were the first doctorate degrees in the world and in some countries such as the U.K. they still outrank the academic degrees that copied their names. In the United Kingdom the most respected degree is the Doctor of Divinity, abbreviated D.D. or D.Div.  It is a religious doctorate degree also very useful to today’s alternative clergy.

It might be time for you to go for the Doctor of Divinity degree to enhance your work in the field of spirituality. We can help you with your career path and ordain you as a minister or Rabbi, pastor or Chaplain — whatever realm you work in. We are truly an Interfaith Seminary helping to get alternative clergy out there and working in their communities. People who understand multiple faiths and can work to bring interfaith understanding are needed now more than ever, considering the “holy wars” raging all over the world. Just today a news story says Islamic State sickos killed a Hindu priest in Bangladesh at his temple.

Alternative clergy can make a difference and are working right now today in every county of the USA, province in Canada and many countries around the world.  Come and join us!

Interfaith Clergy Pastor Minister Ordained Online Seminary

Love is a Universal Religion – for Master of Arts in Metaphysical Studies Degree

Wedding Ring God is LoveMy sermon today had us discussing empathy vs. sympathy afterward and how empathy is very important for spiritual healers and clergy to possess. We ordain a lot of clergy of all different  faiths and religions, and have noticed empathy is the one trait an ordained minister or rabbi, priest or imam should have, and also something all successful clergy have in common (along with a high emotional intelligence known as EQ).

Opening up yourself to actually experience the feelings of another person, is empathy. The saying “God is Love” is such a cliché these days that no one is quite sure what it means the first time they hear it, especially young people. God is Love can be better understood if you translate it in your mind to “God is Empathy”.  Just then a thesis paper came in from one of the Seminary’s Master of Arts degree candidates positing that Love is the Universal Religion.  She is earning her Masters in Metaphysical Studies. We all read her paper and I thought … hmmm… Love / Empathy is the Universal Religion.  HERE’s her paper.

LOVE IS A UNIVERSAL RELIGION, by Rev. Jena R. Harris, D.Div.

Why I choose LOVE as my Religion and Love is a Universal Religion

Why do I choose love as my Religion? To be able to say this took me many years of self-growth, self-love, and spiritual maturing. You will find in the following chapters some of my research regarding Eastern and Western Religion, and Spirituality. In this Thesis you will see things that each Religion has in common and things that they are so very different. I hope this thesis will get you to dig deep and also question your own belief system and how we all have been shaped and formed based on our childhood experiences and how the Religious or lack of Religious background that we had.

The word “religion” derives from the Latin religare, “to bind”. All Religions, at the source, emerge to serve this function. Religions last when they continue to connect their followers. There many beings these faiths have supported, many lives enriched with courage, and hearts replenished. Yet, as a world, we still have wars over Religion. We fight amongst ourselves and other countries to prove through our own man-made egos that our choice of Religion is the only way to get to God.

The Eastern faiths share some fundamental principles which are less apparent in Western faiths, for example, the high value placed on duty, the sense of connection with ancestors, and behavior guidelines based on a goal of societal harmony. Western Religions are much more structured and have expectations on the followers under certain guidelines, and many times in certain sanctuaries, can be controlling through fear-based thinking.

The New Age Movement is in a class by itself. Unlike most formal religions, it has no holy text, central organization, formal membership, ordained clergy, geographic center, dogma, or creed. They often use mutually exclusive definitions for some of their terms. Spirituality and New age is in fact a free-flowing, decentralized, spiritual movement. It is a network of believers and practitioners who share somewhat similar beliefs and practices, which many add on to whichever formal religion that they follow. Seminars, conventions, books and informal group settings replace sermons and religious services. Spirituality, unlike the Eastern and Western Religions promote self-growth, self-love, self-realization, awareness, and group consciousness with God/Universe. Yet, even in some situations and around some “new agers” if you mention “God” or “Jesus” they think you are a devoted Christian, and rebel.

The one thing that I can say, in my experience with the Religions I have been exposed to, is that I resonate most with New Age/Metaphysics/ Spirituality. My reasoning will become apparent by the time you reach the end of this Thesis, and my one main focus has always been LOVE. This is one thing as a child I kept hearing from my team of Angels, and something that I have always carried with me, is that through anything in life, you should always go through the vibration of love.

The world today has been torn apart through judgment, racism, war, greed, and ultimately through hate. Many people have had bad experiences with Religion in their childhood where they felt Religion as being forced onto them, when their innate spirit didn’t resonate with the teachings. This has kept them paralyzed in fear, or in so much anger that they resist anything that remotely sounds like religion, God, or Jesus. I grew up in a family that had many different Religious choices. I have aunts, uncles, and cousins who are Mormon, Christian, Seventh Day Adventist, and even a few who are against Religion of any kind. In our household my mom let us choose, she never forced it. We did go to Sunday School, and it was mostly Christian based. I do remember a few times at our family events and reunions, usually Christmas, there would be at least one argument or fight break out about things regarding Religion. Probably because of all of the diversity, but even as a child I didn’t understand this. As a young child, as I attended the different Churches I could feel truth, but still did not fully resonate with all of the teachings. This left an undeniable feeling of incompleteness inside of my heart. I know that I am not alone with these feelings, as I have heard this same sort of mutual feeling from others.

As I grew in my own self love and spiritual maturity, I realized that I resonated with many parts of the Religions but also the “New Age”. I began to ask myself, how would this work? How can I say I am Christian, believe in Jesus, yet completely resonate with Aura’s, energy, energy healing, and the Universal Laws? I knew there was no “Religion” that would totally accept me if I could be completely honest and openly share my heart. I made myself fit into the box of whatever Church I was at, but at some points that I didn’t feel truth, I felt uncomfortable.

Many questions began to surface, where do I fit in, I would often ask myself, trying to fit in that box. Certainly, it was apparent that I still cared a great deal about what other people thought of me, because I still couldn’t share how I truly felt with many people in my life. The fact that I didn’t fully resonate with all aspects of any specific Religion. Yet still had this overwhelming feeling of love inside that tugged at my heart, this insatiable thirst that wasn’t being quenched. Wanting to make a difference in the world, and help people find God through love. I made my first step into my healing path and attained my certificate in Holistic Life Coaching. After I achieved this certificate I continued to grow and decided to step into the healing world of Reiki. This soon led me to becoming a Reiki Master and soon following became an Ordained Minister. Shortly after that I was led into the self-healing modality of Laughter Therapy.

As I continued my practice, I embraced all of what I was learning to help people gain a deeper connection within themselves. Ultimately, what follows after self-love, is a natural flow of a deeper closeness with God. We each are connected to God through love, and when we practice self-love it is a natural bridge that begins to form. One day as I was coaching a woman who didn’t have God in her life at all. She was raised in a very strict Religious family, and learned to fear God. She felt as though she was born a sinner and was destined to hell. Even the simple mentioning of “God” made her energy tightly restrain. As I worked with her, I replaced the word “God” with LOVE, a word that she did resonate with, and something magical began to take place, she began to heal. She began to heal in such a way that after time she was able to have God back in her life. Creating a new relationship, only this time it was built on love, not fear. As time went on and I grew spiritually, this sort of ministering and healing became common for me. I soon realized the way we are going to heal the world is through love.

At this current time in society, we have families breaking apart, Churches falling apart, riots and fights regarding race, religion, and sexual orientation. We have war and hate, and the children coming into this world are being exposed to some horrific problems. What we have been doing has not been working, we need to come together not pull apart. We need to lock arm to arm, neighbor to neighbor, and stop giving hate and choose love. Come together with a purpose of solutions, solutions for real world change. This is my mission and what I see that we are missing in all of these things is lack of love. The world is suffocating right now with hate and violence. We need to allow our children to laugh and play, and we as adults need to remember how to laugh and play. Joy and love is so desperately needed in our world.

I want to end this with a simple thought, and it really is a simple answer. There is no right or wrong way in the course of God when you chose the path of love. Love is the final answer, to the path of healing couples, families, society, and our world. Love will lighten even the darkest hatred, love will heal the deepest pain, love will comfort the loneliest soul. Love is the strength that feeds and nurtures our deep innate desire of wanting to be accepted. At the source of most world fighting, we really are seeking a deeper connection to ourselves and God. We can attain this through the expansion of love. Through this deep expansion, bridges the gap between mankind, and mother earth. This powerful energy that is fed directly to the one source that unites us all together, GOD. It doesn’t matter what your choice for the path (Religion) to get to God, as long as the path is walking through love. God commands us to love one another. Love is God, God is love, therefore LOVE IS THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION. This is why I believe that LOVE is, at the source, the foundation, of a Universal Religion.

EASTERN RELIGIONS

Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism

Common Features:

  • Philosophy of Karma
  • Continuity of Life (Reincarnation)
  • Mystical (Human Experience)
  • Self Realization (Direct contact with God/Self)
  • Individual
  • Freedom to choose God(s)/no God
  • Human Suffering – Soul’s Ignorance
  • No Judgment Day No Eternal Hell/Heaven Liberation (Moksha)- Eternal Scripture Has Limited/No Authority Worshipping – All Day Universe Exists in Endless Cycle Religious Symbols (OM, Swastika, Lotus) Cremation

Systems of Philosophy Developed

  • Brahmana System (Hinduism)
  • Samana System (Jainism, Buddhism)

Brahmana System-HINDUISM

  • God – Creator, Preserver, Destroyer
  • God is universe/universe is God
  • At death, soul merges with God (soul becomes infinity)
  • Scriptures have certain authority
    • Vedas, Upanishads, Geeta, Brahma Sutra
    • Scriptures are in Sanskrit
  • Highly Ritualistic
  • Animal sacrifice in the past
  • Duties of Individuals (Caste Systems)
  • Time is Cyclic

Philosophy of Brahmana System

Yoga

  • Bhakti Yoga
    • Enjoyment of Supreme Love and Bliss
    • God realization/oneness with everything
  • PaJnan Yoga
    • Realization of unique and supreme self
  • Karma Yoga
    • Discipline of selfless actions as a way to perfection
  • Raj Yoga
    • Training the mind, connecting with the life force and withdrawing into the highest states of spiritual life
  • Samkhya
    • Atheistic and strongly dualist theoretical exposition of consciousness
  • Nyaya
    • Explores sources of knowledge
  • Vaisesika
    • Empiricist school of atomism
  • Earlier Mimasa
    • Anti-ascetic and anti-mysticist school of orthopraxy
  • Later Mimasa (Vedanta)
    • The last segment of knowledge in the Vedas, or the ‘Jnan’ (knowledge) ‘Kanda’ (section)

Caste Systems (Duties of Individuals)

  • Priests-intellectuals
    • Brahmins
      • Establish and preserve the national ideas and philosophy
    • Rulers and warriors
      • Kshatriyas
        • Protect the state from external aggression and establish internal order
      • Merchants and artisans
        • Vaishyas
          • For the production of national wealth
        • Sudras
          • To do the menial work

Shramana System-BUDDHISM and JAINISM

  • God – Not a Creator Humans are capable to achieve the highest spiritual state
  • Human experience or self realization is the ultimate authority
  • Scriptures have no authority
  • Primary Source:
    • Path of Knowledge (Jnan Yoga)
    • Realization of unique and supreme self through knowledge
  • Self control, nonviolence, penance, and meditation
  • Revolt against Hindu caste distinction, fancy rituals, and animal sacrifice

Buddhism:

The Supreme is completely transcendent and can be described as

  • Sunya (zero), a void, an emptiness, state of non-being at nirvana
  • Being turns into a state of non-being, emptiness void, or Sunya
  • Being looses its identity and becomes nothing
  • No focus on the future or the past, one lives at the present moment

In Samsar (world) a being is a combination of physical and mental forces/energies.  Desire “thirst” to be and to become is the root cause of suffering and rebirth. Life’s aim is to end suffering through Nirvana, which is:

  • Passion-less peace, perfect insight, enlightenment, perfect knowledge, immortality
  • Man’s true nature is divine and eternal
  • Preaching the greatness of self giving love and compassion towards all creatures
  • Middle path consist of living moderately and avoiding extreme

Scriptures –

  • Tripitika for Theravad sect, Sutras for Mahayan
  • Written in Pali language

Jainism:

  • God is a pure consciousness or perfected soul
  • without any karma attached to it
  • The primary goal is to become a perfected (liberated) soul, known as Siddha or God
  • At liberation the soul remains finite, lives on Moksha forever, and never loses its identity
  • Every living being is eternal, individual, and capable of becoming perfect
  • The path of liberation is as follows: Right perception, right knowledge, and right conduct
  • One must conquer one’s desire by one’s own effort to attain liberation
  • Intentions behind actions of body, mind, and speech bind karma particles to us in this world
  • Nonviolence followed in action, thought, and speech is the highest religion
  • Self purification, penance, austerity, and meditation are essential for liberation

Scriptures –

  • Agam Sutras
  • Written in Ardha-magdhi language (vernacular)
  • Scriptures guide moral and spiritual life to ultimately attain liberation

Western Religions
Catholicism, Mormonism, and Christianity

Common Features:

  • One Life and Eternal Judgment
  • Judgment Day
  • One God
  • God’s Message Revealed Through Prophet
  • Non-mystical (God chooses Prophet)
  • Congregational (Society is Essential)
  • Scripture has Ultimate Authority
  • Human Suffering – Disobedience of God’s Will
  • Worshipping – Sabbath Day
  • Universe was Created By God

Catholicism

The faith, practice, and church order of the Roman Catholic Church with adherence to the forms of Christian doctrine.

Philosophy

  • To gain the happiness of heaven one must know, love, and serve God in this world. Man must know, love and serve God in a supernatural manner in order to gain happiness of heaven. Man is raised to the supernatural order only by grace, a free gift of God.
  • Disciples learn to know, love, and serve God from Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who teaches us through the Catholic Church.
  • In order to be saved, all persons who have attained the use of reason must believe explicitly that God exist and that he rewards the good and punishes the wicked; in practice they must also believe in the mysteries of the Blessed Trinity and the Incarnation.
    • Blessed Trinity:
      • One and the same God in three divine persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
    • By the Incarnation is meant that the Son of God, retaining His divine nature, took to Himself a human nature, that is, a body and soul like ours.
    • The Church is the congregation of all baptized persons united in the same true faith, the same sacrifice, and the same sacraments, under the authority of the Sovereign Pontiff and the bishops in communion with him.
    • Belief that chief truths are taught by Jesus Christ through the Catholic Church in the Apostles’ Creed.
      • Apostles’ Creed:
        • I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.

Hierarchy

  • Pope
    • Bishop of Rome and successor of Peter, is the visible and perpetual foundation of unity among the bishops and among Christ’s faithful. The Bishop of Rome has, by virtue of his role as the Vicar of Christ and as Pastor of the entire Church, a full, supreme and universal authority.
  • Cardinal
    • Cardinals are bishops or archbishops that have been given special designation to be eligible as the next pope. They are appointed by the pope.
  • Bishop
    • The principal teacher in his diocese and has a responsibility to preach the Word of God to his people. He must ensure that those delegated to teach in his name, namely priests, teachers, catechists and others, teach the truth.
  • Priest
    • A Priest is essentially assistants to the (arch)diocesan bishop. They help the (arch)bishop by celebrating the rituals with all the people in the different parishes. Since many (arch)dioceses are too large for the (arch)bishop to conduct mass and other rituals for all the people he grants priests the authority to do so in his place.

Mormonism

Religious beliefs and practices of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormonism describes the doctrines of the Church that were restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Philosophy

  • Belief in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost
  • Man will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression
  • Through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel
  • First principles and ordinances of the gospel are:
    • Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
    • Repentance
    • Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins
    • Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
  • A man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority, to preach the gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof
  • Belief in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues
  • Bible to be the word of God, as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
  • God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
  • Gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes
    • Zion will be built upon this [the American] continent
    • Christ will reign personally upon the earth
    • The earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
  • Worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
  • Belief in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers and magistrates, in obeying, honoring and sustaining the law.
  • Mindful intentions; honesty, truth, chaste, benevolence, and virtue.  Follow the teachings of Joseph Smith in the Book of Mormon

Hierarchy

  • Bishop
    • Highest priesthood office of the Aaronic priesthood in the Latter Day Saint movement; is the leader of the Aaronic priesthood in a given ward or congregation.
  • Priest
    • Under the Bishop in the priesthood office in the Aaronic Priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement.
  • Teacher
    • Prepare the sacrament, home teaching, all rights of a Deacon
  • Deacon
    • Keys of the ministering of angels; pass the sacrament to the congregation; collect fast offerings; other duties as assigned by Bishop

Spirituality/New Age/Metaphysics

Common Features:

Holistic view
“Age of Aquarius”
Channeling
Mystical
Angels
Tarot
Metaphysics
Energy
God as being source
Universe as God source
Self as God
Consciousness/collective consciousness
Mindfulness

Philosophy:

The term New Age refers to the coming astrological “Age of Aquarius”. The New Age movement includes elements of older spiritual and religious traditions ranging from pantheism, polytheism, ecology, astrology, combining science and Gaia philosophy. Often Spirituality uses practices of physics, metaphysics, and psychology. New Age practices and philosophies sometimes draw inspiration from major world religions as well such as: Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, and Hinduism. Many New Age Teachers, Leaders, and healers have strong influences from Esotericism, Gnosticism, Idealism, Neopaganism, and new thought.

  • The New Age subculture already existed in the 1970s, and arguably continued themes from the 1960s counterculture. Earlier generations would have recognized some, but not all, of the New Age’s constituent elements under the practices of Spiritualism, Theosophy, or some forms of New Thought / the Metaphysical movement, all of which date back to the nineteenth century, as does alternative health. These movements in turn have roots in Transcendentalism, Mesmerism, and various earlier Western
  • esoteric or occult traditions, such as the Hermetic arts of astrology, magic, alchemy, and Kabbalah.

Metaphysics:

Metaphysics is a philosophy that is responsible for the study of existence, a the foundation of a worldview. It really encompasses everything in our world that exists, as well as the nature of existence itself. The word metaphysics comes from Ancient Greece, where it was a combination of two words. Meta, meaning over and beyond and physics, combined with a meaning of over and beyond physics. Metaphysics helps an individual with differences between reality and illusion, a fundamental view of the world around us. The degree to which our metaphysical worldview is correct is the degree to which we are able to comprehend the world, and respond accordingly.

New Age:

New age is a term that is commonly used for a wide range of spiritual and social movements. These movements developed in the 1960’s and 1970’s, with a specific focus on spirituality, and matters regarding individual spiritual evolvement, with an emphasis on individuality. Many New Age believers typically take a pick and mix approach to spirituality, adapting beliefs and practices from a wide variety of sources such as Buddhism, Mysticism, Zen and Tibetan practices.

Spirituality:

In modern times, spirituality is the emphasis is on subjective experience. Many believers follow paths to enlightenment, as they are on a self-seeking journey to embrace religion and self-transformation. The traditional meaning of spirituality is a process of “re-formation” which goals are to recover the original shape of man within the image of God. Spirituality is really a broad concept with a lot of room for a multitude of perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than our own selves, and it typically involves a search for meaning in life. It is a universal human experience, something that touches and affects us all.

 

PhD in Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Religious Studies, PhD in Spiritual Counseling

PhD in Spiritual Counseling degreeCustom PhD degree title for your degree diploma

One of our recently ordained ministers also needed a religious PhD degree via distance learning with credit for his life work, and he needed it for a specific spiritual niche in which he works. We do allow PhD candidates to “design” their degree title to match what they are doing in the field of spirituality. Sometimes it is very interesting the religious degrees they need, such as PhD in Vedic Studies, or Jewish Theology, or the unique degree diploma we conferred this week — PhD in Celtic & Anglo-Saxon Religious Studies.

Traditional PhD in Religious Studies or Religion

Many people just need the traditional PhD in Religious Studies or PhD in Religion, while some are doing spiritual or pastoral counseling and need a counseling degree.

PhD in Pastoral Counseling is similar to PhD in Spiritual Counseling

Many ordained clergy are doing a lot of spiritual and religious counseling, traditionally called “Pastoral Counseling”.  So the seminary often gets requests for a PhD in Pastoral Counseling in some countries called the DPC or Doctor of Pastoral Counseling. We also get requests for its more modern version, the PhD in Spiritual Counseling and sometimes a PhD in Christian Counseling. All of these seminary doctorate degrees entitle the recipient to be called a doctor and put Dr. in front of their name, just as the D.Div (Doctor of Divinity) and Th.D. (Doctor of Theology) allow.

Become a Rev. Dr.

And since we always ordain our degree graduates (unless they are already ordained as a minister, rabbi, or other clergy) the religious doctorate degree graduate may also be called a Rev. Dr., such as Rev. Dr. Jean Goddard.  Read all about that in our Seminary Doctorate Degree center.

Get Ordained for Wedding Season, Earn your Seminary Degree during 2015 Graduation Season

Wedding Season 2015 is here! Busy time for Ordained Clergy

officiate marriage same-sex weddingWedding Season started early this year — in April instead of late May. We have done several ordinations this month for people who have been asked to perform a marriage. Two became an ordained minister, one we ordained as a rabbi, and another needed to become a chaplain. We do all the paperwork, and the new clergy member is legal to perform marriages / weddings in all 50 states. One newly ordained minister will likely officiate a same-sex wedding / marriage, next month, he says, which is now legal in his state so we don’t have a problem with it.  If you need speedy and legal ordination so that you can start your ministry or wedding service, we can help you immediately. Just follow the steps on the Ordination Page and get ordained today. Rabbis have a separate ordination page, at the Seminary Rabbi Center. Credentials are shipped out within 24 hours if you have a wedding, we can even scan and email a copy to you immediately. We also help you on the day of the wedding to complete the clergy section of the marriage license brought to you by the bride and groom.

The Season to Graduate with a Religious Seminary Degree

PhD in Pastoral Spiritual Counseling, Doctor of Divinity Degree onlineThis is also the time of year for graduation ceremonies. The Seminary is bestowing several degrees in April, May and June, perfect graduation dates! We are conferring a Ph.D. in Spiritual Counseling, a Doctor of Divinity, a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling and a Doctor of Theology.

And oh yes, a Ph.D. in Metaphysics,

one of our more popular degrees — many people feel called to become metaphysicians and serve their community with a spiritual healing / counseling practice.

Mustn’t Forget the Seminary Masters and Bachelors degree candidates

who will get their degrees this week, including one whose family is hosting a graduation ceremony for him at home with cap and gown and the works. His wife will present the diploma from us during the ceremony.

Get Your Religious, Spiritual Seminary Degree Immediately

If you want to graduate this month there is still plenty of time! Just follow the steps on the Ph.D. page or the Doctorate Degree page. Masters and Bachelors degrees.

A Religious Degree for Spiritual Leaders – Seminary Degrees via Online Distance Learning

religious online degree PhD in Pastoral CounselingYou’re a person already working to improve the lives of others. Make the next step by earning a degree, such as Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling, Ph.D. in Religion, Ph.D. in Metaphysics, Doctor of Divinity or Theology degree (see list of degree titles below). If you are not already ordained clergy, you also become an ordained minister at no extra cost with any degree from our interfaith seminary.

The Seminary is unique in the world because it confers religious degrees designed for all faiths, interfaith and multi-faith. This program empowers you as a spiritual teacher, leader, ordained minister, rabbi, priest, or other clergy by using the skills you already have. You receive the doctorate degree credentials you need to enhance your standing in your community and assure their confidence in you. Get started today on a new career making use of your spiritual ability.

A religious degree will enable you to enter the spiritual / religious workforce OR advance your current career as a spiritual teacher, leader or clergy. The Seminary offers degrees for all faiths in all spiritual fields, such as:

Theology Degrees

Bachelor of Theology, B.Th.
Master of Theology, M.Th.
Doctor of Theology, Th.D.

Divinity

Bachelor of Divinity, B.Div.
Master of Divinity, M.Div.
Doctor of Divinity, D.Div. (Most respected and highest ranking degree in the U.K. and most of Europe)

Metaphysics

Ph.D. in Metaphysics  (you become a religious doctor but also a metaphysician)

PhD in Religious Studies PhD in Spiritual Psychology Counseling Degree onlineDoctor of Pastoral Counseling, D.P.C.

Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling
Ph.D. in Spiritual Counseling
Ph.D. in Christian Counseling
Ph.D. in Spiritual Psychology

Religious and Spiritual Education Degrees

Ph.D. in Religious Education
Ph.D. in Spiritual Education
Ph.D. in Christian Education

Other Seminary degrees:

Ph.D. in Religious Studies, PhD. in Religion
Bachelors and Masters Degrees of other disciplines

MATCH YOUR DEGREE TITLE TO YOUR SPECIFIC FIELD

You may choose your own religious degree title. Just this afternoon we received a request from an artist for a PhD in Aesthetic Theology.  In over 25 years of granting religious degrees of all kinds, this degree title is new to us – but it is certainly approved. He is also approved to submit some of his art for his thesis.

IF YOU NEED MULTIPLE DEGREES, there are packages. THE SECOND IS HALF-PRICE and Alumni Discount will help you if you want a complete series of degrees, Bachelor, Masters followed by Doctorate Degree. Religious degrees are unique in that you do not have to get a Bachelors or Masters first before receiving a Doctor of Divinity degree, for example or religious degree of Ph.D.

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Esoteric Interfaith Theological Seminary is exempt from accreditation and Authorized by Florida Commission of Independent Education Sec. 1005.06(1)(f) of Religious Institutions to award religious degrees

EIC, Inc. and Theological Seminary | 7257 NW 4th Blvd., Suite 78 | Gainesville, FL  32607

Congrats to our New Ordained Ministers, & Religious Degree Graduates

Lots of clergy ordinations this holiday season, congrats to all our recent Seminary graduates!

Several ordained as a minister

We had two people become ordained on Winter Solstice this year, and two on Christmas day.

Becoming Ordained as a Rabbi

Three wanted Rabbi ordination during Hanukkah.

Earned a Religious Degree

Congrats also to two who earned a Bachelor of Theology (Th.B.) degree, and two others upon whom we conferred a Ph.D. in Metaphysics, and a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling before the year ends. We have a Doctor of Divinity going out to an alumnus who wants to wait until New Year’s Day 2015 for his graduation date.

Religious Seminary Degrees with Online Study Jewish & Christian

Christian-based & Jewish-based Religious Degrees with Online Study

Seminary degree online religious degrees doctorate bachelor

Seminary Degree Graduate Pin

For over 25 years now, the Seminary has offered Interfaith and alternative religious degrees to people who do not fit in to mainstream seminaries due to their alternative religious beliefs. Our people study online. Most of our degrees stem from the Christian heritage of Western Civilization (Europe, USA, Commonwealth Countries) such as the Doctor of Divinity, Doctor of Theology (Th.D.), and Master of Divinity, Master of Theology (Th.M. or M.Th.), PhD in Pastoral Counseling, Ph.D. in Religion, etc. We also have spiritual degrees such as Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Metaphysics and many others. Lesser known are our undergraduate religious degrees, the Bachelors degrees, such as Bachelor of Divinity, Bachelor of Theology also called the Th.B. or B.Th., Bachelor of Religion, etc.

Yesterday, someone inquired about Jewish degrees:

What Bachelor degrees do you offer in Jewish / Judaic fields?

We answered:

The seminary allows you to choose your religious degree title. Jewish Bachelor degrees we have conferred in the past are Bachelor of Arts in Jewish Studies, Bachelor of Hebrew Studies, Bachelor of Hebrew Theology, Doctor of Jewish Theology, Bachelor of Theology in Judaism, Bachelor of Judaic Studies (we have conferred a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies). Those Bachelor degrees come immediately to mind, but you can customize your own degree title.

You may also receive ordination as a Rabbi at no extra cost. Becoming ordained, whether as a Rabbi or Ordained Minister, offers legal protection should you in future accept donations for any spiritual services or spiritual counseling / advising. Ordination means you become clergy enabling you to develop the clergy – client confidentiality relationship such as attorneys and doctors have. You’ve heard of attorney privilege, there is also clergy privilege.

Then we gave him a list of the requirements for the religious Bachelors Degree programs from the Seminary.

For more on the difference between a PhD in Metaphysics degree vs. a Doctor of Divinity degree, read this.

Find the requirements for ALL our degree programs online here.

Ordination and Doctorate Degree Ceremony

By distance learning, by “remote”, the Seminary can legally ordain you as a minister and confer upon you a religious Doctorate Degree, Ph.D., Doctor of Divinity, Theology, etc.   You submit the information and we process and ship your new clergy credentials.  And then YOU can take it to the next level as this recent graduate did (see photos below), organizing a lovely ordination ceremony and graduation ceremony complete with presentation of the diploma and laying on of hands ordination.

Get your PhD Doctor of Divinity Theology Metaphysics Religion Doctor of Divinity online Become ordainedOnline Ordination PhD Degree Diploma