Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) has announced a partnership with Southern Baptists’ Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) to equip doctoral studies students in becoming the next generation of Christian ethicists.
Beginning in May, certain modular-format seminars for Ph.D. and doctor of ministry degrees – both with an emphasis in Christian ethics – will be offered to MBTS students either in Nashville or Washington, D.C. In addition to MBTS’s ethics faculty, several courses will be taught by ERLC President Russell Moore.
“Few issues are being engaged so extensively in today’s popular culture like ones that are ethical in nature,” Midwestern President Jason Allen said. “In existing for the church, Midwestern Seminary offers, through these doctoral degree programs, an opportunity for students to study at the highest level in preparation to address head-on the ethical challenges facing Christians.
“It brings me great joy to have Midwestern Seminary partner with Dr. Moore and the ERLC staff in expanding our doctoral offerings to include these ethics emphases’ seminars. As the Southern Baptist Convention’s entity that deals in these issues day in and day out, their expertise and wisdom will provide crucial insight into the field of Christian ethics and into the issues needing to be addressed within the church and broader evangelical community.”
The 52-credit-hour modular Ph.D. biblical studies degree with an ethics emphasis includes courses such as Biblical Ethics, Worldview and Ethical Theory, Contemporary Issues in Ethics, Marriage and Sexuality and Bioethics.
For the doctor of ministry degree with an ethics emphasis, the core curriculum is rounded out by seminars such as Marriage & Sexuality, Bioethics and Worldview & Ethical Theory.
Commending the partnership with MBTS, Moore said, “The future of Christian ethics is the future of the church. The next generation of the church needs the next generation of ethicists to be equipped to fight the good fight of the faith in the public square. That’s why the ERLC is excited to partner with Midwestern Seminary on these exciting doctoral degrees.”
Phillip Betancourt, ERLC executive vice president, added, “The ERLC is excited to expand our SBC seminary academic partnerships with these new Midwestern Seminary degree programs. What is unique about the new Ph.D. degree offering is that it is our first partnership on a program specifically in the classic discipline of Christian ethics.”
MBTS students will have the first opportunity to take the “Contemporary Issues in Ethics” Ph.D. seminar (also available to D.Min. students) in Washington, D.C., May 23-24. The deadline to enroll is April 7.
“Partnerships like this represent the best of the cooperating nature of Southern Baptists,” said Jason Duesing, MBTS’s provost. “I am grateful our students will have the opportunity to join others from our sister institutions as well as receive instruction from Dr. Moore and the great work he is doing at the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.”
For more information about becoming a doctoral student, or for questions about enrolling in the upcoming ethics seminar, contact the MBTS office of doctoral studies at [email protected].