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Studies & Degrees in Church Professions

Church professions are study programmes that prepare people for paid, non-ordained or ordained service in a church and its institutions: congregations, church schools, youth and family work, music, social services and mission. The programmes combine theology and Bible studies with a professional field such as education, music, social work or administration, and they normally include supervised practice in a congregation or church organisation.

The name is common at church-related colleges in the United States, and each church defines its own professions and its own training. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), for example, lists these church work vocations: pastors, Lutheran school teachers, directors of Christian education, directors of Christian outreach, directors of family life ministry, directors of parish music, directors of church ministries and deaconesses.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's level. Students take a regular bachelor's degree, for example in education, music or theology, and add the courses their church requires for certification. In the LCMS this training is given by the Concordia University System, five universities affiliated with that church. According to the LCMS, the undergraduate deaconess programme of Concordia University Chicago leads to a B.A. in theology, and undergraduate programmes for certification as a director of parish music are available at several Concordia universities.
  • Master's level and seminary. Pastors and some other workers train at a seminary after a first degree. As an example of length, the LCMS describes the residential Master of Arts in Deaconess Studies at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne as a three-year programme: two years on campus and a third year of internship. A distance programme of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis takes four years and leads to certification as a commissioned deaconess.
  • Catholic ecclesiastical degrees. The Catholic Church has its own degree ladder of Baccalaureatus, Licentiatus and Doctor, awarded by its faculties and higher institutes. In Spain, Real Decreto 1619/2011 recognises civil effects for the ecclesiastical degrees listed in its annex.
  • Teaching religion in Spain. To teach Catholic religion in schools, teachers need the DECA (Declaración Eclesiástica de Competencia Académica), issued by the Conferencia Episcopal Española. For pre-primary and primary level it requires a teaching degree plus 24 ECTS credits in Catholic theology and its pedagogy; the fee for issuing it is €60.

Many graduate schools of theology are members of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), which includes Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Jewish schools.

Where to study

Training for church professions is tied to a denomination, so the first step is to ask your own church which colleges, seminaries or institutes it recognises. Certification by one church does not automatically count in another. Programmes are taught in the language of the country and the church; Catholic ecclesiastical faculties exist in many countries, including Spain and across Latin America.

SpainExchange currently lists two active schools under this subject, one in the United States and one in Russia: Concordia Language Villages, a programme of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and Rostov State Medical University in Rostov-on-Don. Neither is a seminary, so ask each school directly what it offers in this field.

Careers

Graduates work for congregations, dioceses and church bodies, church schools, mission organisations and church-run social services. Typical roles follow the list above: teacher in a church school, director of Christian education, youth or family worker, church musician, deaconess, and pastor after seminary. The LCMS describes deaconesses as supporting pastors through works of mercy, spiritual care and teaching the Christian faith, and directors of parish music as planning worship, giving musical education and directing choirs and ensembles. Posts usually require certification or a call from the church concerned, and in many churches some offices are open only to members, or only to men or to women.

Frequently asked questions

Is a church professions programme the same as a theology degree?

No. Theology is an academic subject. A church professions programme adds a professional field, such as education or music, and the practical training and certification that a particular church requires.

How long does the training take?

It depends on the role. Many roles are prepared within a bachelor's degree. Seminary programmes come on top of that; the LCMS describes a residential master's in deaconess studies of three years, including a year of internship.

Are church degrees recognised by the state?

It varies by country and degree. In Spain, Real Decreto 1619/2011 recognises civil effects for the Catholic degrees of Baccalaureatus, Licentiatus and Doctor listed in its annex. For any other qualification, ask the school what recognition it has.