S.T.B. Degree Boston University?

[Crystalvalen]

I’m guessing this goes here, because it’s about education of sorts…

So I found out today that my Philosophy of Religion professor lists on our University website that he holds an S.T.B (Bachelor’s of Sacred Theology degree, typically only conferred by Pontifical Universities) from Boston University from way back in 1954.

Now my question is this: do you guys know of Boston U. ever being authorized to issue Pontifical Degrees, or is this something else entirely? For context, he’s an ordained minister in the United Methodist church, so I don’t know whether he would bother with Catholic theology at an advanced level or not. It’s just left me scratching my head.

 

[KnitNut]

I don’t believe the STB was exclusively Roman Catholic. To this day, BU continues to offer the STM, an advanced graduate degree (beyond a first masters, I believe). I think the Roman Catholic STMs are via pontifical institutions, but other versions exist.

 

[Virga]

Now my question is this: do you guys know of Boston U. ever being authorized to issue Pontifical Degrees, or is this something else entirely?

While it’s possible the school might have granted an ‘S.T.B’. degree in the past, I doubt that BU, not being Catholic, would have offered an actual ecclesiastical degree that we think of being offered by pontifical universities.

Just to be clear, since they have similar names, Boston University is not Boston College, which in fact does offer all three ecclesiastical degrees. I used to get them mixed up myself.