Master of Divinity - Lay Ministry
The M.Div. program for lay ministry candidates readies students for church leadership as lay ecclesial ministers.
Application Requirements
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or the equivalent
- Official transcripts of post-secondary coursework
- Three letters of recommendation from educational or professional contacts
- Typewritten narrative
- Resume/CV
See more complete details of these requirements
Application Deadline: Rolling Admission
The three year Master of Divinity program for lay ministry candidates readies students for church leadership as lay ecclesial ministers. Consistent with Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, the formation program addresses the whole person, attending to human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral development.
The program guides students through discernment of:
- Their call to ministry
- Their gifts
- Their limitations
- A pathway to ministry
Program Description:
Classroom learning, Clinical Pastoral Education, and field education work together to teach students to reflect theologically on their ministerial experiences, while spiritual direction and communal prayer nurture students' spiritual lives.
Through theological study and formation, students grow in their understanding of God's activity in their lives and develop an understanding of themselves as lay ecclesial ministers called to serve in Christian communities.
Integration of mind and heart
Benedict, in his Rule, calls the monastery a "school for the Lord's service" (Rule of Benedict Prologue).
Graduate study and ministerial formation at Saint John's take place within a setting focused upon the integration of mind and heart.
The learning that takes place in the classroom, the chapel, and the dining hall set students on a pathway of service to God and others balanced by prayer and reflection.
Authentic service to others develops within the context of ongoing personal transformation and spiritual growth.