The Divinity School Catalog Vanderbilt University 2020/2021 Containing general information and courses of study for the 2020/2021 session corrected to 30 June 2020 The university reserves the right, through its established procedures, to modify the requirements for admission and graduation and to change other rules, regulations, and provisions, including those stated in this catalog and other publications, and to refuse admission to any student, or to require the withdrawal of a student if it is determined to be in the interest of the student or the university. All students, full or part-time, who are enrolled in Vanderbilt courses are subject to the same policies. Policies concerning noncurricular matters and concerning withdrawal for medical or emotional reasons can be found in the Student Handbook, which is on the Vanderbilt website at vanderbilt.edu/student_handbook. NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990,the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Executive Order 11246, the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 as amended by the Jobs for Veterans Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, as amended, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, Vanderbilt University does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of their race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, military service, covered veterans status, or genetic information in its administration of educational policies, programs, or activities; admissions policies; scholarship and loan programs; athletic or other university-administered programs; or employment. In addition, the university does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of their gender expression. Requests for information, inquiries or complaints should be directed to these offices: Equal Opportunity and Access Office, [email protected], telephone (615) 343-9336; Title IX Office, Title IX Coordinator, [email protected], telephone (615) 343-9004, 110 21st Avenue South, Suite 975, Nashville TN 37203; Student Access Office, [email protected] telephone (615) 343-9727. Vanderbilt® and the Vanderbilt logos are registered trademarks of The Vanderbilt University. © 2020 Vanderbilt University. All rights reserved. Produced by Vanderbilt University Marketing Solutions. 2 Contents Calendar..................................................................................................................................................................4 Theological Education in a University Setting ....................................................................................................5 The Divinity School Community ..........................................................................................................................14 Life at Vanderbilt...................................................................................................................................................17 Academic Programs...............................................................................................................................................31 The M.Div. Degree.............................................................................................................................................31 The M.T.S. Degree.............................................................................................................................................34 The Th.M. Degree ..............................................................................................................................................37 The D.Min. Degree.............................................................................................................................................37 Dual Degree Programs .......................................................................................................................................38 Certificate Programs...........................................................................................................................................44 University Courses .............................................................................................................................................46 The M.A. and Ph.D. ...........................................................................................................................................46 Academic Regulations............................................................................................................................................47 Admission................................................................................................................................................................50 Financial Information............................................................................................................................................54 Honors and Awards ...............................................................................................................................................62 Courses....................................................................................................................................................................64 Board of Trust and University Administration...................................................................................................96 Divinity School Administration ............................................................................................................................97 Faculty.....................................................................................................................................................................98 3 Divinity School Calendar 2020/2021 Fall Semester 2020* Orientation and registration for new students/Monday, August 17 – Friday August 21 Classes begin/Monday, August 24 Fall faculty assembly/Thursday, August 27 Ashura/Friday, August 28 Last day to add a course; last day for late registration/Monday, August 31 Last day to change grading status for a course (to audit, to credit, to pass/fail)/Monday, September 7 Antoinette Brown Lecture/Thursday, September10 Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset/Friday, September 18 Yom Kippur begins at sunset/Sunday, September 27 Sukkot begins at sundown/Friday, October 2 Spring 2020 class schedule is published in YES/Monday, October 12 Advising for 2021 spring registration/Monday, October 12 – Friday, October 30 Mid-term academic deficiency reports due/Monday, October 12 Cole Lecture/Thursday, October 15 Spring 2021 registration/Monday, November 2 – Friday, November 20 Vanderbilt University Homecoming and Reunion/Thursday, November 5 – Saturday, November 7 Howard L. Harrod Lecture/Thursday, November 5 Diwali Festival of Lights/Saturday, November 14 Thanksgiving Holidays/Saturday, November 21 – Sunday, November 29 Rohatsu Enlightenment Day in Buddhism/Sunday, December 6 Classes for fall semester conclude/Friday, December 4 Hanukkah begins at sunset/Thursday, December 10 Reading days and final examinations/Saturday, December 5 – Sunday, December 13 Graduation date for December graduates/Sunday, December 13 Due date for submission of 2020 fall semester final grades/Monday, December 14, 11:59 P.M. CST Winter Holidays/Monday, December 14 – Sunday, January 10, 2021 Spring Semester 2021* Classes begin/Monday, January 11 The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial observed/Monday, January 18 Last day to add a course; last day for late registration/Monday, January 18 Last day to change grading status for a course (to audit, to credit, to pass/fail)/Friday, January 22 All academic obligations due for resolving an Incomplete from fall 2020 semester/Friday, January 29 The Mafoi Carlisle Bogitsh Memorial Lecture/Thursday, February 25 Spring Holidays/Saturday, March 6 – Sunday, March 14 Mid-term academic deficiency reports due/Wednesday, March 10 Summer and fall 2021 class schedules are published in YES/Monday, March 15 Advising for 2021 summer and fall registration/Monday, March 15 – Friday, April 9 Founder’s Day/Wednesday, March 17 Passover begins at sunset/Saturday, March 27 Holi Festival of Colors/Monday, March 29 Good Friday/Friday, April 2 Spring faculty assembly/Thursday, April 8 Summer and fall 2021 registration/Monday, April 12 – Friday, April 30 Ramadan/Tuesday, April 13 – Tuesday, May 11 Classes for spring semester conclude/Monday, April 26 Reading days and final examinations/Tuesday, April 27 – Thursday, May 6 Due date for submission of 2021 spring semester final grades/Saturday, May 8, 11:59 P.M. CDT Commencement/Friday, May 14 *Subject to change 4 Theological Education in a University Setting VANDERBILT University was founded in 1873 as an institution of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. When classes began in 1875, the Biblical Department was one of four schools in the university, the others being an undergraduate college (the Academic Department) and the schools of law and medicine. Wesley Hall, afive-story structure providing classrooms, offices, a library, dining facilities, and residences for students and faculty, opened in 1881. As a result of a court case in 1914, which settled a dispute between the MECS and the university over the church’s