Bible College Offers Doctorate for Donation of $85

As bizarre as this is, they do make it known that it is an honorary doctorate, not an academic doctorate. If fundy colleges can hand them out to horses that urinate on the platform, then why can’t they make a few bucks to recoup their costs?

To the best of my knowledge, the occasion you cite only occurred once. It is at best an outlier, if not an aberration. Can you cite another occurrence? From your statement, you seem to me to believe such howlers are common place among Fundamentalist colleges.

[James K]

As bizarre as this is, they do make it known that it is an honorary doctorate, not an academic doctorate. If fundy colleges can hand them out to horses that urinate on the platform, then why can’t they make a few bucks to recoup their costs?

http://www.formsofaddress.info/Degree_Honorary.html

To address someone with an honorary doctorate as doctor is deemed as inappropriate and demeans those who have earned the degree. That being said, it seems to be only in fundamentalism where there are more honorary doctorates than earned doctorates. And there are some who demand the title.

In the last fifteen or so years, the honorary/earned ration seems to me to be changing. Fifteen plus years ago, there were few schools a Fundamentalist could go to for a non-academic track earned doctorate (PhD\ThD). Now, more schools are offering the DMin.

A cultural sidenote, I think one reason honorary doctorates (D.D.) are called “Doctor” in Fundamental Baptist Circles comes from a sense of discomfort for addressing a man as “Pastor” outside his own church.

[Ron Bean]

http://www.formsofaddress.info/Degree_Honorary.html

To address someone with an honorary doctorate as doctor is deemed as inappropriate and demeans those who have earned the degree. That being said, it seems to be only in fundamentalism where there are more honorary doctorates than earned doctorates. And there are some who demand the title.

This does seem to be the case. The big exception I can think of is “Dr. MacArthur”. Although I don’t hear him called that much these days.

One does have to give them credit, though, for finding a way to demean the honorary doctorate.

:D

click on the link in the CP article? I did and found the school is African American Holiness with an archbishop as its chancellor. It’s hardly in the Fundamentalist sector.

[Rob Fall]

click on the link in the CP article? I did and found the school is African American Holiness with an archbishop as its chancellor. It’s hardly in the Fundamentalist sector.

There is at least on place where I can award myself an honorary doctorate and print up my own diploma. : )

Bummer, I just wasted a whole lot of time and money pursuing a doctorate…

JamesK sought to tie this school to the late Mr. Hyles’ actions at HAC thence to Fundamentalist schools.

[Ron Bean]

Rob Fall wrote:

click on the link in the CP article? I did and found the school is African American Holiness with an archbishop as its chancellor. It’s hardly in the Fundamentalist sector.

There is at least on place where I can award myself an honorary doctorate and print up my own diploma. : )

Rob, the honorary doctorate is a waste of time and space no matter who is doing it. I believe Chafer only received an honorary doctorate from a school presided over by his friend. It isn’t limited to IFDdom, but it is silly nonetheless.

There’s a song in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Gondoliers”: “When Every One is Somebody Then No One’s Anybody”. That’s pretty much what most people think of honorary doctorates.

The honorary doctorate had merit originally. It recognized life achievements that were worthy of note, and suggested a person was somewhat distinguished in their field. Over time it has become a cheap commodity that really no longer has any usefulness whatsoever.