Doctoral studies
King began doctoral studies in systematic theology at Boston University and received his Ph.D. degree on June 5, 1955, with a dissertation (initially supervised by Edgar S. Brightman and, upon the latter's death, by Lotan Harold DeWolf) titled A Comparison of the Conceptions of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman.
While pursuing doctoral studies, King worked as an assistant minister at Boston's historic Twelfth Baptist Church with Rev. William Hunter Hester. Hester was an old friend of King's father, and was an important influence on King.
Decades later, an academic inquiry in October 1991 concluded that portions of his dissertation had been plagiarized and he had acted improperly. However, "[d]espite
its finding, the committee said that 'no thought should be given to the
revocation of Dr. King's doctoral degree,' an action that the panel
said would serve no purpose."
The committee also found that the dissertation still "makes an
intelligent contribution to scholarship." A letter is now attached to
the copy of King's dissertation held in the university library, noting
that numerous passages were included without the appropriate quotations
and citations of sources.
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