Program Outline

Doctoral Degree Programs

There are five doctorate degree programs offered by this Institute:

Program 1.Honorary Doctor of Divinity, [basically with some documentation]

Program 2. The earn Doctor of Apostolic Faith Theology, [earned with documentation and completion of requirements]

Program 3. The Doctor of Philosophy of Apostolic Faith Theology and Christian Service [ Earned with required course work and published dissertation]

Program 4. The Posthumous Doctor of the Apostolic Faith Church

Declared by Board of Doctors and the Apostolic Faith Community]

Program 5. The Doctor of the Apostolic Faith Church [recognized by the Apostolic Faith Church].

Program 1. Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree:

This is a Post Achievement Recognition Degree and Honor This degree is for senior ministers and Christian workers within the Apostolic Faith community and celebrates outstanding senior Apostolics during their life time for their faithful service to the Apostolic Faith Church. Those being conferred this honor are those who have documented proof that they have done thorough studies, have taught Apostolic Faith Theology, and have been faithfully engaged in Christian service within the realm of the Apostolic Faith Church, for at least thirty years. To qualify for this degree, it must be documented that the candidate’s study, their teaching, and their Christian service, is equivalent to the time and the effort required to attain a doctorate for the same in a traditional doctoral program. The difference between a doctoral candidate in a traditional university curriculum and this one, is the candidate’s work for this degree was done in the domain of the Apostolic Faith Church. Thus, it is the Apostolic Faith Church through its Doctors of Divinity, Ph.Ds, bishops, and Apostolic Faith scholars, who vouch for the qualification of the candidate, who through the IAAA confer this degree. Prime candidates for this degree are about 65-70 + years old or above, having a portfolio with these qualifications. Others who are at least above 60 years old with 30 years of service, may be conferred with special exceptions approved by the Board of Doctors.

Procedures for the Doctor of Divinity Degree

1. Upon completion of a portfolio the candidate will be certified for conferral and commencement.

2. The candidate will order a cap, a robe, and a hood for conferral and commencement.

Program 2. Doctor of Apostolic Faith Theology and Christian Service

This degree is earned and validated by the documentation of the completion of its requirements: the candidate will present a portfolio of the completion of all that is required for this degree. Ninety graduate hours are required for this degree.

Candidates may Earn the Credits required from the following Sources:

1. Up to 30 credit hours pastoring and or teaching Apostolic Faith Theology

2. Up to 60 credit hours CLEP [ College Level Examination Program] testing points [ A test on Apostolic Faith Theology, Doctrine and History. The CLEP is the program where you can test out of courses by taking a test to prove that you know the materials being taught to younger upcoming Ministers.

3. Romans Ten Nine Series up to 25 hours

4. Up to 25 hours, from the study of Reformed Theology [Calvinism] from the Apostolic Faith perspective

5. Up to 30 credit hours, teaching or taking courses at other institutes of theology, transfer in credits from other Apostolic Colleges.

6. Up to 20 credit hours for special work pertaining to the gospel, like writing a book, or contributing articles to a Sunday school book or seminars taught that have substance. Seminars and tracks presentations that have documentation such as program covers, copies of handouts, power points etc.

7. Up to 30 credit hours of RLPL credits

8. With a Master’s Degree from IAAAIT only thirty hours are required for the Doctors Degree.

9. A minimum of 30 hours must be directly related to the Gospel and Apostolic Faith Doctrine.

Procedure for conferral of the Doctorate of Apostolic Faith Theology and Christian Service Degree

1. Candidate is recommended for the degree by a member of the Board of Doctors.

2. Candidate is sent a letter notifying them of the recommendation, with an acceptance form enclosed for the candidate to sign by which the candidate will officially accept the candidacy.

3. Upon the receipt of the candidate’s acceptance form, the candidate will meet with the counselor to compose a portfolio that will contain the documentation of the requirements already achieved and list the credits needed to complete the 90 hour requirement. The School will sign the program agreement with the candidate.

4. Upon completion of the program the candidate will be certified for conferral and commencement.

5. The candidate will order a cap, a robe, and a hood for conferral and commencement.

Program 3

Earned Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy in Apostolic Faith Theology

Those earning this degree shall have completed three years of graduate level studies and have completed the dissertation of a published work. It must be documented by evidence of their work or by a transfer transcript that the candidate has completed at least three years of post-graduate academic course work, research work or learning three years of research at the graduate level. The candidates for this degree must submit detailed documentation of their works and studies and a copy of their published work and or dissertation. Their hours of research and study must translate into three years of high quality graduate level work. The compilation of the Ph.D’s packet shall serve as documentation of the requirements for this degree.

The Qualifications for the Ph. D.

1. Documentation of three years of graduate level theological studies related to Apostolic Faith Theology and Christian Service

2. A Published dissertation or book which shall be evaluated by the Ph.D.s of the Institute

3. The candidate must be a noted authority on the subject of his/her thesis and or instructions and lectures within the Apostolic Faith academic community.

There will be an evaluation fee paid to the evaluating Ph. D. for the evaluation of the work packet submitted by the Ph.D. candidate.

Because this is an Apostolic Faith theology Institute all dissertations and published works that qualify for the Ph.D. are required to be related to Apostolic Faith Theology and the Gospel. Other published works and courses taken may receive credit as post graduate course work or elective college work credit hours.

Thesis Based Doctoral Degree

For this degree the candidate will present a thesis that is very original and informative of something not commonly known.

For this thesis there must be the presentation of a hypothesis and the proof of it by very sound evidence. It must be well researched and well presented. It must be a publishable work in a volume of not less than 200 pages. It must include references, charts. diagrams and documented research results that prove and establish the hypothesis of the thesis.

1. The topic must be significant
2. It Must contain enough resources and references
3. The thesis must be relevant to theological questions and discussions in the Apostolic Faith Arena
4. It Must include quotes from valid and creditable authorities
5. Must contain an abundance of Information

The Theme must be original

1. The Theme must be Original not plagiaristic
2. The thesis must be organized in points sub-point format
3. It must be appropriate for graduate level discussions
4. It must be published
5. It must have been shared with other Ph.Ds having received endorsement statements from them.
6. The theory of the thesis, must be tested and the results of the testing must be described in the dissertation.
7. The objective point of the thesis must be documented in the thesis
8. The thesis must clearly demonstrate that the author is an authority on the subject matter presented

Format and Composition for the Thesis-Based Doctorate

It must have a stated theme, thesis, or hypothesis

The objective of the thesis must be stated

The procedural standards for the study must be stated

The scientific method of research and hypothesis testing must be engaged

The use of valid hermeneutics must be engaged in establishing the arguments for the thesis

All scripture references must be referred to in their correct contexts, leading to an exegetically accurate argument.

The theme thesis or hypothesis must be dogmatically in defense of or a support to the Apostolic Faith

The thesis for this degree will be evaluated by the Ph. Ds. There will be an evaluation fee paid for the Ph. D’s evaluation which will be included in the registration into the thesis based doctoral program.

Program 4. Declared ‘Doctor of the Church’

This degree is a declaration and acknowledgement that a person is an effective leader by teaching the Gospel. This recognition is for living proponents of the Apostolic Faith and is intended to recognize them and identify them to the apostolic faith community as being an example and proponent of the Gospel. This is to be done while they are living and shall show their role in the history of the Apostolic Faith Church to the community and to future Generations of Apostolics. Persons given this honor will be approved by the Apostolic Faith Community through a majority vote of the Board of Doctors and the Apostolic Guardians.

Program 5: Posthumously Conferred Doctor of the Apostolic Faith Church

In Church history, the main teachers and pioneers in the Church system were called patristic, because they lived in the period of the patriarchs and pioneers of the Church’s beginnings. Those who were the ‘most influential’ and effective in their day, in teaching and leading in the church were unanimously recognized as doctors [masters-teachers]-hence Doctors of the Church. These doctoral declarations and conferrals were posthumous and unanimously agreed to by that church via its leaders, its bishops, its pastors, etc. Therefore, being exposed to this ecclesiastical tradition, this institute shall receive recommendations for significant persons in our history, to be voted on to be recognized as posthumous Doctors of the Church. This institute shall be the guardian of the records of the posthumous conferrals of the doctors of the Apostolic Church. The conferral of a posthumous doctorate degree is proof that the person is recognized as a pioneer and teacher in the history of the Apostolic Doctrine to the Church.

The Posthumous Doctor of the Church Degree shall be conferred on a person who has died and left a legacy of teaching and pioneering work for and within the realm of the Apostolic Faith Church. He or she must have been a significantly outstanding pastor or Bishop who has done exceptional work and have played a major role in the propagation of the Apostolic doctrine and the growth of the Apostolic Faith Church.