Hello,
I am currently in my senior year at Union University, majoring in Christian Studies and Philosophy. Unfortunately I lack biblical language studies in my education, a sad thing for sure since Union University has one of the best undergraduate language departments. I am wondering if anyone here knows how Gordon Cromwell Theological Seminary's Master of the Arts in Biblical Languages program was. I will eventually seek to enter a Ph.D. program so I am unsure if it would be better to simply get an M.Div. from a Seminary such as SBTS or Westminster or if my undergraduate background would account for enough to pursue a Ph.D. with simply an MA degree?

Grace and Peace

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Matthew Lautensack
Christian & Missionary Alliance
Oswego, NY

"It is a remarkable fact that all the heresies which have arisen in the Christian Church have had a decided tendency to 'dishonor God and to flatter man.'" - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Since I am currently looking at Ph.D. programs I can tell you that it depends on what your Ph.D. will be in that will determine which degree might better suit you or be a requirement. In philosophy you can enter a Ph.D. program with just an undergrad. Once you complete the coursework you will be awarded the M.A., so the M.A. is "built in" to the program. If you are seeking a Ph.D. in theology, religion, biblical languages...or something along those lines then you will need a M.A.X. With the "X" being religion, theological studies, biblical studies, biblical languages....

It all depends on what your ultimate goal is. Some advice that I had received has been to earn a degree at a secular school and get ordained in my denomination. This way the theological credentials come from the presbytery and not the school. As in "he's Reformed because he attended Westminster" versus "he's Reformed because he's ordained in the PCA and yet his Ph.D. is from Marquette."

At least that's what's been explained to me so far.

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Frank Cruzata
City of Hope - PCA
Columbia, MD
Pastoral intern...almost