My Continuing Education…Class #2

By on December 20, 2010 in Creation, Education

This last summer I started another degree. This time around I am working on a post-graduate degree, a doctor of ministry. A doctor of ministry has some similarities to a Ph.D. but is a little more practically oriented and doesn’t typically include learning foreign languages or taking comprehensive exams. Since I work for Northland I am able to do this degree for free through them…so I figured why not?

My first class this last summer was on biblical counseling. Coming up in January I will be doing the second course towards this degree; a class on biblical creationism. Creation studies are interesting to me because I teach a class on the Pentateuch, which of course includes the book of Genesis and the foundation for a literal six day creation.

For this course we have two professors and they are both creation scientists from Answers In Genesis, the ministry founded by Ken Ham. The first professor is Dr. Jason Lisle, an astrophysicists and the second professor is Dr. Terry Mortenson, an author and lecturer. With all of their qualifications I’m looking forward to learning from these two men.

In total I need to read seven books (about 2000 pages) for the reading portion of the class and then I need to write a 30-35 page paper. I have already read three books and have started on the fourth (books are listed at the bottom of this post). For the writing project I am going to read and write a formal critique of John Sailhammer’s book, Genesis Unbound. In this work Sailhammer chronicles a unique view that focuses on the Hebrew language. This is consequently the same view, or closest to the view, that John Piper holds to. With Piper being one my heros of the faith it makes this project very interesting and appealing to me.

These are books that I need to read for this class. Perhaps as time permits and ambitions allow I will post some reviews of these works at a later time.

Coming to Grips with Genesis: Biblical Authority and the Age of the Earth Edited by Mortenson and Ury

Taking Back Astronomy: The Heavens Declare Creation by Jason Lisle

Ultimate Proof of Creation by Jason Lisle

The Young Earth: The Real History of the Earth – Past, Present, and Future by John Morris

The New Answers Book (Answers Book Series) edited by Ken Ham

Already Gone: Why your kids will quit church and what you can do to stop it by Ken Ham and Britt Beemer

The Great Turning Point: The Church’s Catastrophic Mistake on Geology–Before Darwin by Terry Mortenson

  • http://wishihadone! Hammy!

    D-Train, this looks awesome. I am so excited for you, and would love to pursue something like this myself one day. A graduate class on Creationism would be unreal! Do you have to have a ministry-related master’s to do this? I am getting my MBA at Michigan Tech right now, but would love to do Christan grad work one day. Thanks for posting this link on FB, never knew about your site before :) Take care buddy!

    • http://gadietrich.com G. A. Dietrich

      Hambone! You don’t necessarily have to have a related masters degree to do a degree like this. In fact, once you are finished with your MBA you could probably go right into it. The only thing for guys without a Bible background is that they have to have at least one year of biblical languages.

      The other cool part of this degree is that a) it is offered as modules and b) it is also offered online (though not the same classes at the same time).

      My site is pretty new. I wanted to create something to serve my church and students…so it is a work in progress.

      Thanks for stopping by!

  • Jonathan Hamilton

    Thanks D! Is the language requirement a year of each (H & G)? Or one year total of either? I had a semester of Greek at NBBC (with ole Nathan Rohrer, bless his heart), but would definitely want to start over on that front! :)

    • http://gadietrich.com G. A. Dietrich

      Hammy: The language requirement is simply one year of either Greek or Hebrew, not both. Since it has been a few years you will most certainly want to start over :)

      Deb: Thank you for your comments. We already miss you and Gerry and are hoping the winter flies by so you can come home!

  • http://www.debgerard.com deb Gerard

    Greg, you are an amazing animal!!! Looks like you have your work cut out for you in the New Year! I so appreciate your hunger for truth and have been thankful to be on the receiver end of your knowledge at IBC-miss it for sure! God bless your studies!

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