Why Biblical Counseling?

With the introduction of the Ph.D. in Biblical Counseling degree, Southwestern has become one of only a few institutions worldwide to offer such a degree. This biblical counseling degree sets Southwestern apart in that it views Scripture as the sufficient authority.

“We believe that the Bible is sufficient for the counseling task and that it is superior to anything the world has to offer. It’s not the Bible and bits and pieces of behavioral sciences. The Bible is sufficient.”

John Babler

Why a Ph.D.?

As churches seek to fulfill their biblical role and responsibility to counsel members of the local church, the need for people who will teach the discipline rises. In order for churches to turn from extra-biblical counseling methods that deny the power, authority and sufficiency of the inspired and inerrant Word of God, Southwestern accepts the responsibility to train its graduates to rightly handle the Scriptures as they relate to the human condition and conflict. Graduates from Southwestern’s Biblical Counseling Ph.D. leave the seminary prepared to help churches reclaim the ministry of counseling from the world’s wisdom and replace it with Scripture’s timeless and perfect wisdom.

Degree Components

Students can expect to spend three to five years working on a Ph.D. in Biblical Counseling and during their time of study will complete 44 hours in seminars and eight hours in completion of a dissertation, for a total of 52 hours. Students will spend 20 of those hours (five seminars) in biblical counseling and 12 of those hours (three seminars) in a minor of their choosing.

Minor options:

• Administration
• Childhood Ministry
• Family Ministry
• Foundations of Education
• Student Ministry
• Adult Ministry
• Women’s Ministry

Faculty

John Babler

Associate Professor of Counseling, Director of Walsh Counseling Center

• Co-author, Counseling by the Book
• Vice President, Texas Corps of Fire Chaplains
• Warren C. Hultgren Chair of Ministerial Counseling

David Penley

Associate Professor of Counseling

• Co-author, Counseling by the Book
• Served in pastoral roles in five churches
• Hope for the Heart Chair of Biblical Counseling

Frank Catanzaro

Associate Professor of Adult Education and Counseling, Associate Dean for Doctor of Educational Ministry Studies

• Author, “Why Biblical Counsel” in Faith and Mission, Spring 2000
• Served for over 30 years in various pastoral ministry settings as well as teaching in SBC seminaries.