Master of Divinity
Overview
Lead in Christian Ministry
The online Master of Divinity provides the foundation for advanced study and a successful career in church leadership. The College of Theology's pastorally oriented curriculum emphasizes the significance of the gospel, the church and the kingdom of God. Prepare for your mission and capture the crucial components of a well-rounded theological education that inspire a life of faithful ministry.
In our Master of Divinity program, you are exposed to a profound depth of religious inquiry and biblical and theological study to increase your wisdom. From a scholarly perspective, you investigate the Christian faith and various religions and ideologies throughout the world. Through a progression of learning, you also gain insight in the areas of Christian ethics, preaching and apologetics.
The residency component of the Master of Divinity degree is strategically designed to further your learning in a conference-style environment at key points within the program of study. During residency, you are equipped to minister with wisdom and sensitivity in the local church and other Christian organizations.
Degree Outcomes
Study Theology and the Holy Bible
The essential features of a theological education are captured in this degree, inspiring faithful Spirit-filled ministry. Increase your understanding of discipleship and evangelism to enhance your communication of the gospel. Explore the great doctrines of the Christian faith and the significance of these doctrines for life and ministry.
What You Will Learn
Increase your Biblical Wisdom
The Master of Divinity program's pastorally oriented curriculum focuses on:
- The history of Christianity
- New Testament Greek, emphasizing vocabulary, linguistics and interpretation
- Theological themes in the New Testament
- Christian Faith and World Religions
- Hebrew and its application to Old and New Testament
- The Gospels and Acts, the Pentateuch and Epistles and Revelation
Career Outcomes
Your Future in Christian Ministry
The Master of Divinity prepares you to pursue ordination for professional ministry or to lead ministry in local churches, Christian organizations and other ministerial settings. The program offers an additional skillset for contextualized gospel ministry.
Course List
Program Core Courses
Course Description
This course is designed to prepare students for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University. Students have opportunities to develop and strengthen the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in ministry and theology. Emphasis is placed on utilizing the tools for graduate success.
Course Description
This course examines the biblical truths of the gospel and the corresponding virtues and habits that contribute to the process of discipleship. Students study God's work in the formation of Christ-like character as they learn to keep in step with the Spirit in all aspects of life. Special attention is given to the doctrine of sanctification and teaching related to ministerial ethics and character in the Pastoral Epistles.
Course Description
This course surveys the text and historical background of the Old Testament with an introduction to hermeneutics and the proper interpretation of the books of the Old Testament.
Course Description
This course surveys the text and historical background of the New Testament with an introduction to hermeneutics and the proper interpretation of the books of the New Testament.
Course Description
This course is a practically oriented study of biblical principles and practices for faithfully communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ to non-Christians and guiding them toward spiritual maturity in Christ. Emphasis is placed on understandings, disciplines, and habits that facilitate the process of discipleship.
Course Description
This course introduces biblical Hebrew with a focus on grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and the use of linguistic tools for the translation and interpretation of selected passages.
Course Description
This course is an exegetical study of the first major division of the Old Testament. Special attention is given to key theological themes. Emphasis is also placed on the interpretation of selected passages from the Pentateuch and the elementary Hebrew language skills and interpretive tools. Prerequisites: BIB-501 and HEB-501.
Course Description
An introduction to the biblical, historical, and theological bases for the cross-cultural contextualization of the Christian worldview with attention to sound missiological practices. Special emphasis is placed on cross-cultural communication and ministry in light of contemporary topics and practical exigencies. This course is taught in residency.
Course Description
This course is a historical exploration of the Christian church's theological and institutional development from the postapostolic era to the early medieval era (100-1300) with emphasis on significant doctrinal statements, major thinkers and leaders, important political figures, and movements.
Course Description
This course introduces the grammar of New Testament Greek with an emphasis on the vocabulary and morphology of the New Testament and the use of linguistic tools for the translation and interpretation of selected passages.
Course Description
This course is an exegetical study of the initial books of the New Testament. Special attention is given to key theological themes. Emphasis is placed on the interpretation of selected passages from the Gospels and Acts and the application of elementary Greek language skills and interpretive tools. Prerequisites: BIB-502 and GRK-501.
Course Description
This course is a historical exploration of the Christian church's theological and institutional development from the late medieval era to the late modern period (1300-2000) with emphasis on significant doctrinal statements, major thinkers and leaders, important political figures, and movements.
Course Description
This course is a historical and theological study of Christian worship with emphasis on biblical teaching related to personal and corporate worship. Attention is given to the formation of worshipers and historical developments that have shaped contemporary worship.
Course Description
This course is an integrative study of biblically sound principles and practices for rightly handling God's word for the purpose of developing skill in the preparation and delivery of expository sermons. Emphasis is placed on the Christological focus of the Old and New Testaments and the vital relationship between the character of the messenger and responsible exegesis. This course is taught in residency. Prerequisites: BIB-611 and BIB-620.
Course Description
This course systematically studies the biblical, theological, and philosophical foundations of Christian ethics as compared with other ethical systems that shape public discourse on ethical issues. Emphasis is placed on personal morality and contemporary issues that are relevant to the church's public witness and societal leadership.
Course Description
This course is a systematic study of the biblical bases, historical development, and theological formulation of the Christian doctrines of revelation, God, creation, humanity, sin, and the Person of Christ, as well as their implications for individual and corporate Christian life. Attention is also given to theological prolegomena. Prerequisites: BIB-501 and BIB-502.
Course Description
This course is a systematic study of the biblical bases, historical development, and theological formulation of the Christian doctrines of the works of Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church, and the last things as well as their implications for individual and corporate Christian life. Prerequisites: BIB-501, BIB-502, and HTH-505.
Course Description
This course is an exegetical study of the second and third major divisions of the Old Testament. Special attention is given to key theological themes. Emphasis is also placed on the interpretation of selected passages from the prophets and writings and the application of elementary Hebrew language skills and interpretive tools. Prerequisites: BIB-501 and HEB-501.
Course Description
This course is a historical, theological, and missiological study of global Christianity that examines the mission and purposes of God and His people among the nations. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between historical developments and current trends with a view to the implementation of prudent strategies for contemporary cross-cultural ministry.
Course Description
This is a practically oriented, theological examination of the roles and responsibilities of ministers as they lead, equip, shepherd, and intercede for God's people. This course is taught in residency. Prerequisites: HTH-505, HTH-550, and HTH-610.
Course Description
This course is an exegetical study of the latter books of the New Testament. Special attention is given to key theological themes. Emphasis is placed on the interpretation of selected passages from the New Testament epistles and the book of Revelation as well as the application of elementary Greek language skills and interpretive tools. Prerequisites: BIB-502 and GRK-501.
Course Description
This course is an investigation of major world religions and ideologies from an evangelical perspective with the goal of building bridges cross-culturally. Attention is given to historical backgrounds, religious texts and traditions, contemporary belief and practices, and careful consideration of the appropriate Christian response to non-Christian religious systems.
Course Description
This course examines the rational and existentially compelling defense of the Christian faith within various contexts. Emphasis is placed on apologetic methodology, sound tools of persuasion, the philosophical foundations of key Christian doctrines, and responding to significant objections to Christianity with humility and respect.
Faculty Bios
Program Locations
Campus
Online
Evening
* The Department of Education defines how an institution must calculate a program's On-Time Completion rate for federal disclosure purposes. The On-Time Completion rate is based on a program’s published required number of months to complete all degree requirements as provided in the institution’s catalog. Completion statistics are updated every January and are based on the cohort of students who graduated between 7/1 – 6/30 of the preceding year. The On-Time Completion rate is determined by the number of students in the cohort who completed the program within the published program length divided by the number of students in the cohort who graduated.
On-campus program disclosures Online and Evening program disclosures* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Program subject to change.