BELFAST
BOUND
What Will You Be Studying?
Generally, I am enrolled in the history department. My topic relates to the Irish Reformation and how it relates to the English Reformation.
Specifically, my research topic is James Ussher’s covenant theology. James Ussher was the foremost Irish reformer, but he had far reaching influence in Britain and Europe. Ussher’s covenant theology appears in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Westminster Catechisms, an incredibly important set of documents for Reformed and Presbyterian churches, as they are the fullest expression of our doctrines. Ussher was a key source of this theology and my research aims to show how he influenced the covenant theology of the Reformed tradition.
Why Study at Queen's?
How is supporting PhD work investment in God’s Kingdom?
It can cost up to $100,000-$150,000 to keep a missionary family on the field per year. Three years of tuition at Queen’s plus the cost of living add up to $80,000 total. To be definitively equipped for a lifetime of ministry costs less than a year of supporting one missionary family. In this way, investing in my PhD studies at Queen’s has potential to produce abundant dividends. We have three years to raise the $80,000 and hope you will partner with us in prayer and financial support to help us become definitively equipped for training the next generation of leaders for Christ’s church.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why PhD Studies?
I believe God has called me to be a seminary professor one day. In our day and age, a necessary requirement for teaching at the seminary level is to have a doctoral degree. I believe in using our gifts to the best of our abilities for the benefit of Christ’s church. I want to play a part in serving Christ’s church by training the next generation of pastors, missionaries, and teachers to understand the depths of God’s Word and effectively communicate those truths to others. PhD studies are a necessary qualification to execute God’s call on my life.
Where Will You Be Studying?
I will be studying at Queen’s University Belfast. Queen’s is an up and coming university that ranks in the top 200 schools in the world. Crawford Gribben, a very well respected scholar of Puritan and Irish history, will supervise my research.
The simplest answer is that I was asked to come study at Queen’s. After some correspondence with Crawford Gribben on some historical research I was doing regarding James Ussher, he asked if I would be interested in coming to do PhD studies with him.
A more specific answer is that I believe we need Christian scholars who are trained in the best of educational institutions, so that they are prepared to engage the world and the worldviews that come to stand against the church. Queen’s is in the top 200 schools in the world and Dr. Gribben is one of the leading historians of Puritan thought. Queen’s will be a place that challenges me to deal with all of the rigors of secular education and I can put that rigorous preparation to use to equip the church to be deeply rooted in their faith.
When we visit the doctor, we want to know that our doctor has a complete understanding of the medical field. Just as we want those who care for our bodies to have a period of rigorous preparation, we should also want those who care for our souls to have been rigorously tested. This is why pastors should go to seminary, and this is why we need another generation of seminary professors who have a clear vision for the cause of the seminary and who are committed to building Christ’s church.
Why Should I Support this Financially?
The mission of the church is always carried out because of the generosity of God’s people (2 Corinthians 8:1-5; Acts 11:27-30; 1 Timothy 5:17-17). Most missionaries have to raise financial support from others to fund their work for God’s Kingdom. The church itself runs on tithes and offerings. I am not doing doctoral studies for the sake of my own academic advancement, but because it helps me reach my goal of contributing to the good of the church. Because my doctoral studies are oriented for the sake of God’s Kingdom, it is worth your financial support, just as missionary work and local causes are worth your investments.