My Nations University MTS Journey

[armstrongsubero]

Well I am due to graduate in September, and I hate sitting around so I started looking at masters programs. While a few months ago I was considering tech, my life has changed a lot, so I started looking toward business and liberal arts programs, though I still want my doctorate in tech.

I decided on the Harvard Extension ALM in Management with the MITx program pathway, I don't need it, I just want it, so after talking to my fiance, we decided I'll start that in 2021 after I migrate and settle so I can plan my travels to Cambridge better.

However I just hate sitting idly by, I'm working on my second book, but still feel like something's missing education wise. The thought of a free masters degree sitting there (since I'm in a developing country won't cost me a dime), it was too much for me to pass up, so I emailed my advisor at Nations University and told her about my expected conferral in September, I already did some courses with them before, sent in notarized documents and everything,  so I didn't need to re-enroll or anything. 

She emailed me the next day and told me I won't be officially admitted to the program, but I can complete 3 courses M1, M2 and M3 as well as the comprehensive exam while they wait on the transcripts, she also told me she will try to get one of the courses I did "bumped up" to satisfy the "MRS622 spirituality" course that's required.

I drafted a degree plan, enrolled in the online orientation course and completed it in 2 days, and started my work on M1.

Currently I'm working on M1, reading the old testament many times as they requested,  and I also started looking at the videos and reading "The Hebrew Bible for Beginners" book, which I am enjoying honestly, as it feels good to study with no pressure. 

Speed isn't my aim, I'm taking my time, though I want to finish in a year.

After completion I plan to use it to register as an ordained minister so I can marry people, cause it's cool, maybe open an online church or B&M one or something. I know an M. Div is more applicable for that but it's longer and too many scam people "Rev. Dr. XYZ" with M.Divs and D. Divs out there from my perspective at least.

Martin Luther King Jr said "Science gives man knowledge which is power; religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are complementary." This quote opened my eyes since I'm more a science guy. Theology is like philosophy, history, social science and even epistemology in one, so I have nothing to lose.

We'll see how it goes. I'm putting my degree plan here, it's not necessary and may be missing a few of the comprehensive exams, but writing things down gives me a path.

I guess I'll review each course one by one on completion and give tips on the program.

[sanantone]

I haven't looked at your country's laws, but you usually don't need a theology degree to marry people. You just need an ordination, and there are churches and denominations that will ordain you without a theology degree. The stricter denominations usually require an MDiv of at least 75 credits or so.

[armstrongsubero]

@sanatone in my country you need to be a registered Marriage Officer, which requires that you be an 'ordained minister' to perform marriages.

https://www.ttconnect.gov.tt/gortt/porta...rs+Licence

All of the churches respect persons with academic degrees in theology to be considered for being accepted into their training programs to becoming ordained, which leads many to the 'Rev Dr. XYZ' part with the bogus D Divs, but many of them have legit undergrads or grad degrees in theology or divinity.

You can undergo formal training and become ordained without academic training in theology or divinity but programs are limited and most churchs have a limit to the amount of ordained ministers they have and how many they select into their ordiantion programs. It actually very competetive ro get into a program in the large and recognized churches.

There is also the 'lay pastor' route, but they're not as respected.

Haing a degree isnt necessary, but you will be more recognised than a 'lay pastor', and more knowlege is always better for making it through the training and exams and makes gives you an edge on the competition.

[Merlin]

I haven't looked at your country's laws, but you usually don't need a theology degree to marry people. You just need an ordination, and there are churches and denominations that will ordain you without a theology degree. The stricter denominations usually require an MDiv of at least 75 credits or so.

Yeah, here in the states no degree is required to become ordained to marry people. I'm a registered ordained minister for an online church (which I mostly pursued on a lark since some friends were looking for someone to marry them) and don't have a theology degree. I have never had the opportunity to use it, but I can perform marriages if I wanted to.

[mysonx3]

My dad has performed several marriage ceremonies. He does not have a theology degree. But, like Merlin, that's in the States

[sanantone]

I haven't looked at your country's laws, but you usually don't need a theology degree to marry people. You just need an ordination, and there are churches and denominations that will ordain you without a theology degree. The stricter denominations usually require an MDiv of at least 75 credits or so.

Yeah, here in the states no degree is required to become ordained to marry people. I'm a registered ordained minister for an online church (which I mostly pursued on a lark since some friends were looking for someone to marry them) and don't have a theology degree. I have never had the opportunity to use it, but I can perform marriages if I wanted to.

My sister's wedding ceremony was performed by her ex-husband's grandmother, who was ordained by Universal Life Church. I became ordained by them for free by filling out an online form. 

I found a Christian organization that ordains and endorses chaplains without a masters's degree requirement. Their chaplains have successfully gotten positions with hospitals, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and Texas State Guard. They used to be able to get into the U.S. military until the military got strict about having an MDiv or equivalent degree. A 30-36 credit master's does not qualify.

[armstrongsubero]

Haha well Amrrican culture is very different. Here marriages are still seen as sacred and a being a Marriage Officer is a very respected and licensed field...I wish all I had to do was full out an online form, but I guess it would remove the merit associated with it.

But I dont mind, it adds more respect to the process and office and will make me feel more accomplished on completion.

[sanantone]

Haha well Amrrican culture is very different. Here marriages are still seen as sacred and a being a Marriage Officer is a very respected and licensed field...I wish all I had to do was full out an online form, but I guess it would remove the merit associated with it.

But I dont mind, it adds more respect to the process and office and will make me feel more accomplished on completion.

It's this way because we believe in freedom of religion. States have been taken to court for requiring a religious affiliation to perform marriages. When the government started giving benefits to married couples, they made marriage secular. My sister and her ex-husband chose to have a secular wedding because they're agnostic or atheist or whatever.

[armstrongsubero]

@sanatone we also have freedom of religion. Hindism, Christianity and Islam are dominant here and all recieve the full force of the law behind them.

Recently people tried to get the law on sodomy being a crime abolished and for same sex marriage to take place. All three religious united and put a stop to it.

We'll see how it goes but the same sex marriage wont happen soon (if at all with so many religious leaders standing begind it) and there was some success with the sodomy law, but its being appealed and I see it may even reach the privy council the rate this is going.

Here religion is seen as something held in high esteem and people still have a lot of respect for it and the laws are as such. It isnt a 'fly by night' operation to become ordained and stuff. A Bishop, Pastor, Pundit or Imam is a very prominent person where the law is concerned and people hold a lot of respect for them.

Well I guess any goverment seeks the best interest of its persons, here once you are living for more than a number of years the law recognizes it as a 'common law' marriage and there are also civil marriages. They all hold up in a court of law just as a proper marriage, but in everyday culture its froqned upon and people are ashamed somewhat to say they are common law, especially when they are making a report or something.

A proper marriage done by a priest, pastor, imam or pundit is the best and everyone tries to get that if possible, since the less affluent people cannot afford a proper wedding and would live common law or do a civil marriage.

To each its own, just a different culture. No one here would let a guy who filled out an online form marry them thats for certain.

[armstrongsubero]

So I just completed my second course M1, which is really my first since the other one was bumped up from doing some undergrad courses with them before.

The bible really isn't my strong point to be honest so it was a lot of work. I'm more of a math and tech guy though I like to read, still I had to read the old testament several times to get everything in order. Then there was this text "reading the old testament" that really helped me grasp everything.

I got 90% on test one and three and 80% on test two.

The first two assigments weren't really clear to me for some reason, but I managed to figure it out and landed an 88% on each.

I finished the course with an 87% which isn't too bad, of course I would have preferred an A, but there are just so much names and events to remember! I just want a 3.0 minimum GPA at the end though 3.5 or so would be better.

The only caveat I have is that on completion of the courses, my advisor told me you must contact her to close the course.

I plan to ramp it up from here on out as I start M2. I'll post an update here to let you guys know how it went.