Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

First Advisor

Christopher Rappazini, PhD

Abstract

This dissertation chronicles the pursuit of an answer to the following question: In what ways have Southern Baptist Conventions (SBC) seminaries incorporated leadership studies into the curricula of their Master of Divinity (M.Div.) programs? This dissertation is a qualitative, multi-site case study that utilized a descriptive method of research. The research also utilized a qualitative interview that asked seminary administrators about their understanding of leadership studies and the place of those studies in the leadership courses that each seminary provided. One administrator from each of the six SBC seminaries was interviewed for this research. Content analysis was used to discover the current presence of leadership studies in the M.Div. curricula. This research relied upon insights gleaned from those who have studied the current place and impact of leadership studies in divinity training. The overarching goal of the research was an appraisal of the current place of leadership studies within the M.Div. programs of the SBC. The research found that each of the SBC seminaries has included leadership studies as part of its core M.Div. curricula. The research also discovered potential deficiencies in SBC leadership training and the challenges associated with addressing those deficiencies in the future.

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