Rationally, a degree in theology is of no honest use. Of course, there’s a dishonest use for such an “achievement,” but I can think of zero utility that obtaining a theological degree would have for anyone.
Theology is the study of religion and religious practice and experience. But not in any useful sense since it’s specifically the study of God from an assumption that this God actually exists. In theory, one could have a theology for any god that man has invented through time. There are Islamic and Hindu theologies. Many universities offer “degrees” in theology, particularly those universities that were founded with religion at the forefront. Notre Dame has a Department of Theology. You can earn a “doctorate” in theology, tack a clever Ph.D. after your name and forever more demand that friends and acquaintances refer to you as “Dr. This” or “Dr. That.”
As a doctoral student at Notre Dame, you will be mentored by world-class scholars, access vast research and learning opportunities, and experience depth and diversity in curricula and communities. The Doctoral Program places a very high percentage of its graduates in academic positions, the vast majority of those in tenure-track positions.
“Vast research” and “tenure-track positions.”
What can you do with a Ph.D. in theology?
Apparently teach more people about “theology.” Or preach. Or write books about “theology.”
But you’re still less qualified to flip burgers at McDonald’s than a high school drop out. You can’t create anything of utility (architecture, printed circuit designs, new polymer plastics, new computer operating systems, etc.). You can’t discover anything real about the world -about the actual history of humanity and life on the planet with any meaningful (to reality) sense.
You’re stuck being a minister, pastor, “theologian,” professor of “theology,” writer, or some other low-skilled position. I can hear the objections: “but writers have skillz!”
Definitely. But if all you’re writing about is what you know…
So what happens to theologians who grow up, realize they wasted hundreds of hours of their youth, thousands of dollars, and have little to show for it? You resort to cognitive dissonance, compartmentalize and rationalize your “theological” worldview -tell yourself over and over your beliefs are real, valid, and worth the above expenses, and shout down anyone that says otherwise.
It’s a tough world out there. Suddenly you come to your senses, you have a “theological degree” and you’ve got a decent-paying gig as a minister, a wife and 2.5 kids, dog, mortgage, two car payments, credit card bills…. You can be honest and say, “you know what? I’ve been lying to myself and the congregation all this time! I can’t believe this superstitious mumbo-jumbo about resurrections, virgin births, transubstatiation, and zombie messiahs anymore. Guys… I’m an atheist.”
You’d also be unemployed and discovering that your burger-flipping skills need work.
“Dr.” West at Zingliusredivivus had this to say about a recent “atheist minister” story run by ABCNews yesterday:
There’s only one reason an atheist would be a minister or an unbelieving minister would remain in his pastoral office- money. M-O-N-E-Y. Fearful of the job search, the ‘pastor’ who doesn’t believe is the most profound of all hypocrites. [...] Cowards … and liars too and unworthy of any sort of respect.
I agree with the beginning of his quotes above. Money is a powerful and valid motivator. And it is hypocritical to pretend belief. But no more dishonest than those that pretend to study “theology” and claim they have some sort of genuine academic standing. Liars? Sure. But so is the holder of the Ph.D. in “theology.” The difference between them and the atheist ministers mentioned in the story is that the latter are at least honest with themselves.
“Theology” is no more significant or important than “fairyology.” Or, as Thomas Paine put it, “[t]he study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on no principles; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing; and it admits of no conclusion. Not anything can be studied as a science, without our being in possession of the principles upon which it is founded; and as this is the case with Christian theology, it is therefore the study of nothing.”
The study of “theology” reminds me of those guys that sit around studying Klingon language and customs, or people who play Dungeons and Dragons. But only to a point since, generally speaking, these good folk don’t truly believe they are Klingons or Wizard Elves.
Every once in a while, Jimbo seems to get rubbed the wrong way by an atheist or atheism -perhaps it threatens his own worldview (that cognitive dissonance again)- and he has to write something scathing to ridicule or belittle those who hold a more rational perspective than he. In fact, that’s how I discovered his little blog. He declared the war.
Related articles
- Relevance of Theology (findingforrest.com)
- Journal of Religious & Theological Information (www-rohan.sdsu.edu)
- The sleepwalking faithful (mojoey.blogspot.com)
Sorry, I don’t agree. There are plenty of theolgians who never have and never will have any religious belief whatsoever. They are called experts, belief is not a pre-requisite. As a committed atheist I have used the balanced commentary of a number of theolgians in coming to my current position on faith, or lack there of.
And by the way, “you are” is abbreviated as “you’re” not “your”, which means belonging to.
First, thanks for the correction. I humbly edited the word, adding the requisite apostrophe and additional vowel.
Second, I had thought of these “theologians.” There are those who are non-believers in Christian doctrine who have educations in theology. But I’m convinced that, for the most part, two things are going on: 1) a certain number of these people started out with an intent to obtain a degree in theology as a believer, changing their minds during the course of their educations. What do you do at that point? Surely use what you’ve gained to an advantage with a new purpose. Bart Ehrman (author of Lost Christianities: the battle for scripture and the faiths we never knew) and Jeremy Beahan of the Reasonable Doubts podcast are two examples. 2) some of these people wanted to obtain educations in religious history and literature. As it happens, departments of theology are the best equipped. But, were it not for the multitudes of believers wanting to add to their public piety and desires to find positions of status within their believing peers, these educations would be had in Anthropology, Literature, and Humanities departments in general.
I my self have a Ph.d in theology . Albeit an honorary title granted me by the church. Even though they new I was an Atheist. I still hold ,and use the title Reverend( Father) as well as Dr.of Divinity , and serve as the Theological adviser to several local churches who all are aware I am an Atheist . A lifetime of study, and the accumulation of knowledge I extend to all. Now ask why ? For the most part I have no clue. Most churches reject my interpretations in favor of the mainstream . I think they tend to use my input like Devils Advocate .which is no longer a title of office in the Catholic Faith. Still Faith is a real field of study ,contrary to the above stated position. And is way cooler than being an English Major now that’s a useless Degree !
I too am an atheist, I am seventeen and reject all belief systems and religions as ridiculous stories, legends and scriptures created because of the universal fear of the unknown question, what happens after we die? Obviously we just rot in the ground and are eaten by worms, I am fine with this fact but I understand that it is scary to think of our time as finite and worthless. I plan on doing a degree on religious and theological studies, whereafter I plan to use my accumulated knowledge on faith to become a lecturer on the subject, writing books that I hope will powerfully dissuade the belief in God, religion, faith, belief or whatever crap humanity creates to answer unanswerable (at this moment) questions. Such as why are we here? How was the universe created? etc. I am an atheist because I saw no evidence for God and wanted to investigate these beliefs. Basically, this reply is explaining that not all those who do a degree in theology are religious, however I understand that a majority are and I definately cannot wait to get to University to debate the hell out of them (no pun intended)!
I was going to write about how laughably idiotic this is point by point, but it reads like a passive aggressive note written by an uneducated 17 year old who hasn’t even taken philosophy 101. Abuse quotations enough and you’ll get your point across!
If you’re referring to the post itself, do your worst. Go point for point. I dare you. Show us how “idiotic this is.” If you can. Your lack of response will be taken as acquiescence.
Hello! Christine Stoddard here. I’m the editor of QuailBellMagazine.com, an online publication and print ‘zine dedicated to the imaginary, the nostalgic, and the otherworldly.
With our focus on folklore and history, I thought our readers would find your op-ed interesting. Could I have your permission to re-post the piece on our website? Just email me ‘yay’ or ‘nay.’
Thanks!
Yeah of course we don’t need theology, lets just get rid of it and let fundamentalism rise. I mean most atheists are doing a great job of getting rid of fundamentalism, what with actually rising substantially over the last ten years. Let’s just get rid of the voice of reason in religion all together, because it does not fulfill your narrow criteria of usefullness….unbelievable..
“Let’s just get rid of the voice of reason in religion all together, because it does not fulfill your narrow criteria of usefullness…unbelievable..”
So educate me. My post starts out with a question: of what use is a degree in theology. No doubt you’re pursuing one, so perhaps you’d be in a position to defend this.
Your short, sarcastic comment above doesn’t begin to do so. Why, for instance, should I consider “theology” as the voice of reason in religion? From my perspective, it’s much like Star Trek fans arguing which are more powerful: the Klingons or the Romulans? Enough has been written about these two groups to formulate arguments, but regardless of how much Star Trek mythology gets published, neither are any more real and the subject is only moot (in the truest sense of the word).
I agree that there are some interesting arguments and discussions that are generated under the auspices of “theology” and by self-proclaimed “theologists” (I say self-proclaimed because they are given their honoraries by others who also consider themselves “theologists.”
I’m willing to revise my position on “theology” but I’m going to require a better argument that a claim that its the voice of reason in religion. It’s like saying Captain Picard fans are the voice of reason in Star Trek.
This article just goes to show you that every degree is pretty worthless then. Because I have a degree in Theology and am way more successful that an entire butt-load of “real” degree holders…and I’m not just referring to those who have graduated, flooded the job market and are still sitting on mommy and daddy’s couch waiting for their big break…
Just because you make money using what you claim is knowledge doesn’t mean you have a degree. A “degree” in theology is hardly an actual degree. But I concede that there is plenty of opportunity to make money from it. Believers like throwing their cash at that shit. If I were unscrupulous, I’d probably do it myself. Congratulations. You’re a successful conman.
You can’t say that it isn’t knowledge. If someone has studied the big bang , they may know everything about it. But they can’t be sure it exists. Yet people do not go around saying they don’t know anything.