Theology of the Family

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Theology of the Family studies marriage, parenting, singleness, and the household as theological subjects rather than as pastoral afterthoughts. Congregations are full of households under strain, and the teaching they receive is often a mixture of cultural nostalgia and thin proof-texting. The doctrine of the church requires something better, because the New Testament treats the household as a site of formation, mission, and mutual obligation, and treats the church itself as a family. Students work through the biblical material: creation and covenant accounts of marriage, the household codes and their interpretation, Jesus' teaching on marriage, divorce, and the relativizing of natural kinship by the kingdom, Paul on singleness, and the wisdom literature on parenting and household order. Historical theology traces Christian marriage from the patristic era through the sacramental synthesis, the Reformation recovery of marriage as vocation, and the modern companionate ideal. Constructive work addresses parenting and catechesis in the home, singleness as a Christian vocation rather than a waiting room, childlessness and infertility, adoption and foster care, divorce and remarriage, domestic abuse and the church's frequent failures, gender and authority debates, and the economic pressures that shape family life. Empirical literacy in family sociology is required. The dissertation contributes original research on a doctrinal question, a historical development, or a pastoral practice concerning households. Graduates teach theology and family ministry, direct denominational family and marriage work, train counsellors and pastors, and lead congregations that support households honestly.

Core Courses

• FAM 801 — Marriage and Household in Scripture (6 credits)
• FAM 812 — History of Christian Marriage Doctrine (6 credits)
• FAM 824 — Parenting, Catechesis, and the Household Church (6 credits)
• FAM 836 — Singleness, Infertility, and Family Diversity (6 credits)
• FAM 848 — Divorce, Abuse, and Pastoral Failure (5 credits)
• FAM 860 — Research Design in Family Studies (4 credits)
• FAM 899 — Doctoral Dissertation in Theology of the Family (24 credits)

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree in theology, ministry, ethics, or a closely related field
• Ministry, advocacy, or teaching experience in the area of specialization
• Statement of purpose naming the community, question, or practice your research serves
• Academic writing sample or substantial ministry portfolio
• Current curriculum vitae or ministry profile
• Official transcripts from prior institutions when available