DOCTOR, a person who has passed all the degrees
of a faculty, and is empowered to teach or practise the
same: thus we say, doctor in divinity, doctor in phy-
sic, doctor of laws.
The establishment of the doctorate, such as now in
use among us, is ordinarily attributed to Irnerius, who
himself drew up the formulary. The first ceremony
of this kind was performed at Bologna, in the person
of Bulgarus, who began to profess the Roman law,
and on that occasion was solemnly promoted to the doc-
torat, i. e. installed juris utriusque doctor. But the cu-
stom was soon transferred from the faculty of law to
that of theology; the first instance whereof was given
in the university of Paris, where Peter Lombard and
Gilbert de la Portree, the two chief divines of those
days, were created doctors in theology, sacra theologia
doctores.
Spelman takes the title of doctor not to have com-
menced till after the publication of Lombard's sen-
tences, about the year 1140; and affirms, that such
as explained that work to their scholars were the first
that had the appellation of doctors. Others go much
higher, and hold Bede to have been the first doctor at
Cambridge, and John de Beverley at Oxford, which
latter died in the year 721. But Spelman will not al-
low doctor to have been the name of any title or de-
gree in England till the reign of King John, about the
year 1207.
To pass doctor in divinity at Oxford, it is necessary
the candidate have been four years bachelor of divinity.
For doctor of laws, he must have been seven years in
the university to commence bachelor of law; five years
after which he may be admitted doctor of laws. O-
therwise, in three years after taking the degree of
master of arts, he may take the degree of bachelor in
law; and in four years more, that of LL. D. which
same method and time are likewise required to pass the
degree of doctor in physic.
At Cambridge, to take the degree of doctor in di-
vinity, it is required the candidate have been seven
years bachelor of divinity: Though in several of the
colleges the taking of the bachelor of divinity's degree
is dispensed with, and they may go out per saltum. To
commence doctor in laws, the candidate must have
been five years bachelor of law, or seven years master
of arts. To pass doctor in physic, he must have been
bachelor in physic five years, or seven years master of
arts. A doctor of the civil law may exercise ecclesi-
astical jurisdiction, though a layman, stat. 37 Hen. VII.
cap. 17. sect. 4.
DOCTOR of the Law, a title of honour among the
Jews. The investiture, if we may so say, of this order,
was performed by putting a key and table book, in
their hands; which is what some authors imagine our
Saviour had in view, Luke xi. 52. when, speaking of
the doctors of the law, he says, "Wo unto you, doc-
tors of the law, for you have taken away the key of
knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them
that were entering you hindered."
DOCTOR of the Church, a title given to certain of the
fathers whose doctrines and opinions have been the most
generally followed and authorized. We usually reckon
four doctors of the Greek church, and three of the La-
tin. The first are, St Athanasius, St Basil, St Gregory
Nazianzen, and St Chrysostom. The latter are St
Jerome, St Augustine, and Gregory the Great. In the
Roman breviary there is a particular office for the doc-
tors. It only differs from that of the confessors, by the
anthem of the Magnificat, and the lessons.