DIVINITY DEGREES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 29, 3 August 1925, Page 6

DIVINITY DEGREES

PREFERABLY CONFERRED BY

SENATE

.VIEWS OF MINISTERS' ASSOCIATION.

Evidence regarding the desirable course to be pursued in- conferring of Divinity degrees was given before the University Commission to-day by the Revs. D. Pinfold and F. E. Harry, who supported the conferring of these degrees by the university. A high standard of degree was asked, as representing the needs of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Congregational Churches. It was desirable that the young men who went Home for degrees at present should be retained in the Dominion to its advantage. The university should allow New Zealanders to obtain full equipment for all legitimate occupations in their own country, and, moreover, the public did not understand or appreciate a degree conferred Toy church training colleges as much as it would a university degree. To the affirmation that the churches could not agree, it was replied that a curriculum gould be prepared suitable to all. The status of the university would be raised by the conferring of the degree. If the Commission decided against the conferring of a degree by the university, the witnesses asked it to recommend that the churches of New Zealand be empowered by Act of Parliament to grant through a College of Divinity the B.D. and D.D. degrees.