The PhD Program at Calvin Seminary: Academic Excellence Rooted in Reformed Convictions

Seeing the Program from Its Inception

I arrived at Calvin Theological Seminary to pursue a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) in the fall of 1992 from Indonesia, when the seminary launched its PhD program. A pair of new professors, Richard Muller and Ronald Feenstra, were hired specifically for the program. Professor Feenstra also assumed the role of the director of the program.

During my first two years of studying at the seminary, even though I was still in the Master's program, I had many conversations with the students who were in the earliest cohorts of the PhD program. I was very impressed by the depth and the breadth that the program offered. From the very start, it was clear that the curriculum was designed to prepare graduates who can weave together rigorous scholarly research, robust higher-learning instruction, and theologically solid ecclesiastical ministry. I was determined to be part of that learning community and I was admitted to the program in 1995, making me a member of the fourth cohort. Having seen the program from its inception, I am delighted to testify that it has kept its original blueprint throughout its existence.

A Continuing Need for Scholar-Leaders

The demand for PhD programs in seminary contexts that balance high standards of academic excellence and strong theological foundations remains high today, both in North America and globally. The PhD program at CTS has demonstrated that it has the ability to respond well to that ongoing need. Moving forward, the program will continue to uphold its original vision to graduate scholars-leaders who can expand theological and biblical thinking worldwide.

Even as technology and artificial intelligence are changing the way people think about many aspects of our lives, including education and research, the church and the world of higher education are still in need of scholars, ministers, and teachers who reflect deeply on the Bible and theology, explain them well, and guide people to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. CTS's academically rigorous PhD program prepares its graduates to do just that. The required residency and seminar-style courses, foreign language requirements, comprehensive examinations, as well as dissertation projects, equip students to be thinkers who can produce and disseminate theological and biblical scholarship that is needed by churches and institutions of higher learning all over the world.

What My Doctoral Studies Made Possible

I have benefitted from CTS's PhD program in my teaching and academic life. After graduating from the program, I was blessed to be offered a teaching position in the theology department of a small American Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Reformed tradition. Teaching in such a setting required faculty members to have a breadth of knowledge and expertise beyond their dissertation research. While I graduated with a PhD in History of Christianity from CTS, I taught courses that ranged from systematic theology and philosophical theology to biblical studies and church history. I was able to meet the needs of that small college's needs precisely because of the studies and preparation that I received during my doctoral studies. Returning to CTS to teach, including in the PhD program, confirms the benefits I gained from the program to an even greater extent.

Growing Concentrations and Global Reach

I anticipate that the program will maintain its academic excellence and groundedness in solid Reformed foundations. Initially the program featured four areas of concentration – systematic theology, philosophical theology, moral theology, and historical theology (History of Christianity). A few years ago, the program added a concentration in New Testament studies and it is now adding a concentration in Old Testament studies. These concentrations are still needed by the church and colleges and seminaries worldwide. Within the specific concentrations, the program also includes research that deeply explores Christianity in the Global South, ensuring that our PhD graduates can respond to the challenging questions that arise all around the world.