A. Daniel R. McKinney

Dan and ChristyI am a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) and Duke Divinity School (ThM). While I hope to begin PhD work before I die, I will die before I begin PhD work if I don’t take a break from school––so I’m taking a break.

I am married to Christy and we have three wonderful children. My academic interests have changed significantly during my second ThM. Previously I was interested in Gospel studies (canonical and non-canonical), Historical Jesus, Paul, Second Temple Judaism, and reconstructing the early Christ-following communities. While I am still fascinated in these areas of research, my interests have now turned to Christianity in the first three centuries. I am specifically interested in the diversity of Christianity during this time and what this diversity tells us about Christian origins and the formation of religious and social identity.

Contact Info:

adrmckinney@gmail.com

2 Replies to “A. Daniel R. McKinney”

    1. Yes, I finished my ThM at DTS. The reasons I decided to do another ThM are somewhat complex. First, I did not receive the funds to study abroad, which forced me to figure out what I was going to do for a year. It seemed that I had two options: stay in Dallas and reapply for scholarships the following year or pursue another masters in hopes that I would be better prepared for PhD work and have a greater chance at being accepted. (I should note that I did not feel like I was prepared to start PhD work after DTS. I mostly blame myself for this. I was more than halfway through my time at DTS before I decided to move from a pastoral vocation to a more academic vocation. Thus, I did not spend my early years at DTS as a sedulous student hoping to achieve a PhD position.) Clearly, I chose the latter. I figured that it is more difficult to get funding overseas than it is to get into a American university with a living stipend. So, to increase my chances of getting into a American university, I felt I needed to spend another year doing a degree that is geared toward those pursuing PhD work. Duke’s M.T.S and Th.M. degrees are designed for exactly this.

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