Tracks
There are currently 9 tracks available in our Doctor of Theology program. Click on any of the links below to read a description of the track and to learn more about the track mentor.
- Semiotics
- Restorative
- Biblical
- Contextual
- Historical
- Missional
- Personhood
- Science and Christianity
- Next Generation Apologetics
- Military Chaplaincy– New for Fall 2021
- Ethnohermeneutics– New for Fall 2021
Semiotics Track
Jesus said, “You know how to read the signs of the sky; Learn to read the signs of the times” [Matthew 16:3]. The Greek word for “signs” is semeion, and semiotics is the study of signs and the art of making connections, seeing the relationships between things and reading the meaning of those relationships. Disciples of Jesus must learn to read the sign-language of the Spirit so we can join Jesus in his continuing mission in this world, particularly in these challenging but exciting days for the Church.
Track Mentor:
Leonard I. Sweet is an honors and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Richmond, having earned his Master of Divinity degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School and PhD from the University of Rochester. The author of more than 200 articles, 1300+ published sermons, and more than sixty books, Leonard Sweet’s publications include the best sellers Soul Tsunami, Aqua Church, and Jesus Manifesto (with Frank Viola), as well as many other volumes that are revolutionizing the church’s mission. In 2006 and 2007, Sweet was voted by his peers “One of the 50 Most Influential Christians in America” by ChurchReport Magazine, and in 2010, he was selected by the top non-English Christian website as one of the “Top 10 Influential Christians.” His popular podcast, “Napkin Scribbles,” is widely quoted, as is his homiletics resource, preachthestory.com. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the program director? Click here to email Tony Blair.
Restorative Track
“All real living is meeting,” claims Martin Buber, and from the very beginning of the biblical narrative we see this to be true. The “Trauma and Transformation” track will reside at the dynamic meeting space between theology and psychology in order to lead churches, families, and communities in creating restorative meeting spaces of their own– spaces of engagement between each other and God that can heal and transform the pain of a traumatized world, which is “the mission field of the 21st century”.
Track Mentor:
Janet Stauffer is a faculty member in the Marriage and Family Therapy department, mentor of the Restorative Theology: Trauma and Transformation track in the Th.D. program as well as Dean of Students. A licensed marriage and family therapist, she maintains her therapy practice at Fredericksburg Family Therapy Center. Prior work included a position at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh. Janet served 15 years on the board of Philhaven Behavioral Healthcare Facility and now is Chair of the LMC Legacy Foundation Board seeking to find and fund “a better way” for integrative mental health care. She has led retreats, presented at professional conferences nationally and internationally, and published articles in a number of journals. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email Janet Stauffer.
Biblical Track
With the Bible as the divine wellspring of God’s revelation of himself and his redemptive plan, this track immerses the student in a rigorous and generative study of theology as packaged in the Bible (Old and New Testaments). Students will engage biblical theology as contained in its own cultural context, historical setting, and patterns of thought as well as grapple with the profound reality that biblical theology is the study of God who has appeared in history and that the redemptive significance of this historical revelation mandates that their work has fresh and impacting relevance to the church and its mission.
Track Mentor:
Doug first began to teach at Evangelical in 1993, soon after returning to the States after finishing his post-graduate studies in Scotland with Prof. I. Howard Marshall. Before coming to Evangelical he was working as a free-lance editor with Walter A. Elwell and J. D. Douglas for Baker Book House and Zondervan Publishing House on various theological and biblical reference works. In addition to his teaching duties, Doug also edits the Evangelical Journal, a semi-annual publication published by the seminary. He has written numerous articles and authored The Character and Purpose of Luke’s Christology (Cambridge, reprint 2005). Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email Doug Buckwalter.
Contextual Track
Contextual theology refers to theology which has responded to the dynamics of a particular context. In this track, the student will discover the wonders of God’s work within contexts while anchoring that diversity in the constants which undergird all settings. The student will then examine (and maybe even develop) a theology of mission and movement for a context which interests her or him– one that honors historical and normative theology while staying in close conversation with a particular cultural expression.
Track Mentor:
The most important thing to know about Rob is found in his identity in Jesus. He describes his life by the following words, “Whom have I in heaven, but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.” (Psalm 73:25)
Academically, Rob’s interests fall into two categories: global and contextual studies and research methods. Concerning the latter, Rob enjoys unpacking and simplifying research as students learn and develop these skills. Concerning the former, Rob is fascinated by the studies of world Christianity, contextual theology, global organizational leadership, postmodernity, epistemology, culture, context, and globalization. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email Robert French.
Historical Track
According to G.K. Chesterton, “Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about.” The Roots and Rhythms track explores historical theology and will train students to listen to the saints from the past as a means of providing grounding and framework for moving the church into the future.
Track Mentor:
Mark Draper, who is originally from Philadelphia, comes to Evangelical via the Chicagoland area, where he completed his doctorate in Historical Theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he was also a Jonathan Edwards Fellow. He has served as the Assistant Director of the Niebuhr Center for Faith and Action and adjunct professor in history and religion at Elmhurst College. While at Elmhurst College, Mark worked closely with campus ministries such as Cru, Intervarsity, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In this role, he developed a passion to train men and women at the seminary level to minster to college students and young adults to help them develop a Christian worldview. Prior to moving to Chicago, Mark served as a library supervisor at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email Mark Draper.
Missional Track
How leadership is understood and practiced in congregations has evolved over the centuries in response to cultural pressures, often without the benefit of clear theological thinking or missional intentionality. The result is an increasingly untenable and unbiblical model of the pastorate that often does more harm than good to practitioners and those they intend to serve. Therefore, the purpose of this track is to reimagine leadership roles and activities within both Church and church (hence the big “C” and small “C” in the description title), and in the process, help heal the clergy/laity split. It is to create and implement fresh, Spirit inspired ways of being and doing church in this generation and beyond.
Track Mentor:
Dr. Mike Dittman oversees a disciple making network of missional communities in his church and community. He is also Director of National Ministries for the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and former department chair for Philadelphia Biblical University.
Along with his wife Pam, he co-directs a ministry to christian leaders called Haven For The Heart. Mike will be assisted in mentoring this track by Professor Tony Blair. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email Mike Dittman.
Personhood Track
This track leads students in an in-depth exploration of the person and those factors which facilitate human flourishing. Students will probe the nuanced meaning of personhood, how humans image God, how sexuality and gender inform human nature and interpersonal relationship, the meaning of “sin” and “fallenness,” grace and restoration, personality and character and those dynamics which bring about individual and interpersonal excellence, beauty and greatness. Attention will also be given to social, systemic and relational flourishing, the constituents of meaningful and successful living and the application of the aforementioned to ministry, parachurch and/or therapy contexts.
Track Mentor:
Dr. Robb Palmer is a Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Clinical Fellow, Approved Supervisor and Supervisor of Supervisors, with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. He is an Ordained and Licensed Minister with the Evangelical Free Church of America, having served in the capacity of Senior Pastor, Leadership Pastor and Counseling Pastor, with over thirty-five years of ministry experience. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email Robb Palmer.
Science and Christianity Track
Students will study the 2000-year history of constructive engagement between Christianity and the natural sciences, focusing on how Christian ideas of God, humanity, and nature have influenced, and been influenced by, natural philosophy from early Christianity until the present. Careful attention is given to historical, theological, philosophical, and ethical dimensions of this conversation.
Track Mentor:
Prof Edward B. (“Ted”) Davis is Distinguished Professor of the History of Science at Messiah College, Affiliate Fellow in the Department of the History of Science at University of Oklahoma, and Fellow of the International Society for Science & Religion. Author of dozens of articles and essays about religion and science in the Scientific Revolution and modern America, his study of modern Jonah stories was featured on two BBC radio programs. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email Ted Davis.
Next Generations Apologetics Track
In response to global and cultural changes, this track is designed so that students will research, evaluate, discern, and create approaches to Christian apologetics for reaching future generations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Students will be challenged to take this generation’s questions seriously and help them to discover who God is and in the process discover who they are and the world around them. Researching and pursuing answers to this generation’s existential cries will afford students the opportunity to focus on real people’s questions and develop a response to their crisis of faith or general lack of confidence in Christianity.
Track Mentors:
Angie serves people by educating them with knowledge, equipping them with skills, and mobilizing them resources. Her leadership expertise and professional credentials are in education, online learning, discipleship, apologetics and mathematics. Angie has earned an MDiv, ThM and PhD in Christian education from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. In addition, she holds an MSEd in instructional design for online learning, a graduate certificate in online teaching and a BSEd in secondary mathematics. Read more.
Tim is a grace-loving husband, father, pastor, seminary professor, conference speaker, softball player, and incurable Phillies fan. His research interests today include biblical studies, theology, apologetics, semiotics, homiletics, and cultural engagement. Once an NCAA Division 1 championship swimmer, he now just floats and blows bubbles.
Tim has been a professor at Evangelical Seminary since 2007, teaching a wide variety of Bible, theology, pastoral ministry, and student writing courses. He presently serves as the Assistant Th.D. Program Director and a Next Generation Apologetics Track Mentor in the Th.D. program. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentors? Click here to email Tim Valentino. Click here to email Angie Bauman.
Military Chaplaincy Track
As a profession within a profession, the military chaplaincy context requires deft navigation among institutional culture, values, and limits, along with a non-judgmental approach to the pluralistic nature of institutional diversity. The military oath of office (commission) means that the chaplain fulfills his or her religious support requirements and the requirements of any other uniformed service member, including deployment to combat. This track addresses the nature of dual identities (minister and officer), the chaplain’s relationship to the church, and the unique challenges of spiritual integration and leadership in an institution charged to “deter war and ensure our nation’s security.”
Track Mentor:
David Reese comes to Evangelical by way of thirty years active duty service as a U.S. Army chaplain. He counts it a tremendous privilege to have provided spiritual support to our nation’s sons and daughters in a variety of combat and combat support units, especially enjoying his time as a paratrooper jumping out of “perfectly good “airplanes.
David’s academic interests are broad: homiletics, pastoral care, church and society, and chaplaincy studies. He has a special interest in preaching in the aftermath of public tragedy, which was the focus of his doctoral research. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email David Reese.
Ethnohermeneutics Track
Ethnohermeneutics is a relatively new discipline that combines biblical studies with cultural anthropology; it is a discipline needed in our world more than ever. Ethnohermeneutics is Bible interpretation done in multi-generational, multi-cultural and cross-cultural contexts, that, whenever possible, seeks to use culturally appropriate dynamic hermeneutical methods that already reside within those contexts. Its primary goal is to interpret and communicate the truths of the Bible in ways that will be best understood by the receptors. In this track, students will learn both the theoretical and biblical foundations of ethnohermeneutics, as well as skills in how to exegete a culture in order to better communicate the truths of the Bible. Students will also develop an integrated ethnohermeneutical model for their own ministry context.
Track Mentor:
Larry Caldwell, and his wife Mary, lived in Asia off and on for 30 years, with over 20 years in Manila, Philippines, as missionaries with Converge Worldwide (formerly Baptist General Conference). In Manila he was Professor of Missions and Bible Interpretation at Asian Theological Seminary; he also served as Academic Dean for five years. In addition, Larry edited the Journal of Asian Mission as well as directed the Doctor of Missiology (D.Miss.) Program of the Asia Graduate School of Theology. Read more.
Do you have any questions for the track mentor? Click here to email Larry Caldwell.