The Doctor of Ministry Programs are designed to deepen and broaden ministry in a wide variety of settings. For those who have completed the Master of Divinity (or its equivalent) and have been engaged in the practice of ministry for a period of years, the D.Min. allows religious leaders to pursue individual, congregational, systemic and global implications of ministry for our time. Multidisciplinary, contextual, integrative and praxis-oriented, the D.Min. programs seek to equip the life-long learning vocation of the minister. All programs are designed to be completed within a minimum of three years.
What kinds of ministry concerns do D. Min. students pursue? They are committed to peace-making, spiritual companionship, narrative preaching, stewardship, cultural faith expression, pastoral care, liturgy and justice and ritual and healing, to name but a few.
D. Min. - Multi-Disciplinary Program
As one of the pioneers in D.Min. education, CTS offers this program for those who are discerning new directions or deepening expertise in their ministry. It is focused by an individualized study plan determined by each student and the faculty.
D. Min. - Affiliated Program in Spirituality and Spiritual Direction
The seminary is affiliated with the Institute for Spiritual Leadership (ISL) in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. During a twenty-year period, ISL has trained over 600 religious leaders from the United States and 50 other countries in the process of forming and cultivating personal transformation and professional development. In conjunction with the seminary, students in this program study issues in spirituality, spiritual direction and transformative leadership. Students who complete this program will receive a Doctor of Ministry Degree from CTS and a certificate from ISL.
D.Min. - Affiliated Program in Religion and Health
The seminary is affiliated with Advocate Health Care and has a complementary D.Min. program designed to intersect with advanced or supervisory Clinical Pastoral Education positions in three Advocate affiliated, Chicago-area hospitals. Opportunities for enrolling in such clinical programs and the seminary D. Min. degree may be available (dual admissions) through Christ Hospital (Oak Lawn), Good Samaritan Hospital (Downers Grove) and Lutheran General Hospital (Park Ridge).
D. Min. - Cooperative Program in Preaching
The seminary is a founding member of the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS) D. Min. in Preaching Program. The course work takes place during intensive summer residencies, and the preaching work takes place during the fall and winter in active partnership with the students’ own congregations. Six schools enroll over 90 students in this well-established, highly innovative program.
