Is Accreditation Unbiblical?

ok...check out page 30 of this report...

http://www.goacta.org/publications/Reports/accrediting.pdf

 

The original article that i read on Westminster and the accreditation issue is no longer on the original site, but i did find it on the wayback machine...
The Politics of Accreditation

 

This is slander. Westminter did not allow women on the board, as can be seen in the source you cited. Westminster threatened to withdraw from the association if Middle States didn't reverse its decision. Instead, Lamar Alexander intervened on behalf of WTS, and Middle States backed down.

 

The article said that the accreditor "notified Westminster that the seminary's proposal to have the board "augmented" by elders not ordained by the church would be acceptable"

So that doesn't technically mean "women" but it is still a compromise and it could certainly lead to women being on the Board. If they don't have to be their church's elders then that really opens things up. Why should Westminster not be allowed to have elders that are ordained by the church?

And what about Baruch, the other college in the article...
"Baruch's skirmish with Middle States ended in defeat for the college."

 

There is no biblical injunction against women on the board of a college.

Also accreditation means a school is not a diploma mill

 

Actually, accreditation means a school is accredited.

It may or may not be a diploma mill with or without accreditation.

 

But the way some see it is that the Bible sets male Elders to be in charge of Church teaching. If the Board of a school is in charge of how a particular denomination is taught, logically it would rest with ordained Elders. The Bible may not speak directly of schools, but it does speak of teaching (1 Tim 2:12)

 

I judge each school by its fruits, not by if it has regional accreditation. And i would never call ARTS accredited (not regionally accredited) schools diploma mills.

 

You must have a very liberal definition of diploma mill.

Legitimate accreditation agencies hold colleges to strict standards.

 

"Some" see it wrong.

 

Excellent biblical defense of your position

 

Recently I attended some training to be on an accreditation committee to evaluate school. Even though I was in business for over 20 doing the same thing I am teaching today I still learned some new things which the accrediting agency saw as important and I had not given much thought to. Accreditation helps a school to be reminded of what is important and point out areas of weakness which may need improvement. It also commends the very good programs. Even good schools may not be aware of legal issues and other areas which are important. It helps to give balance to a program.

I do not see accreditation as a negative for someone who wants to do a great job. Accreditation involves a self evaluation and observation by an outside committee. Too many can settle into teaching their little area and avoid in teaching what may be needed for students to be well prepared.

 

GLL, would Jesus post on an internet forum?

 

There is only one teacher

When you are called to serve God, it is God who will teach you what you need to know. No man knows the mind of God. And few follow His ways. So it is God you should go to in order to become what you are called to be.

Universities teach you man's understanding and man's knowledge. It is a waste of time and money. And besides, the best way to learn how to be a servant of God is to find other true servants and model after them. But do this listening to God, because there is only one teacher.

However, if you take the time at a university to learn Hebrew and Greek, the original languages of the Bible, this is good. To be able to read the Bible in their original language is a blessing, and better to read for yourself what God inspired than to trust the many translations, even King James. The original language is how it should be read.

 

Every Christian is called to serve God and make disciples. Why is it that few have figured out how to make disciples other than just stand before a group of people and preach or teach a Bible study.

 

in response

Of course everyone is called to serve God. But it is a matter of how, when, where, what, ect. We each make up the body of Christ, and we each serve an important function within that body. And while an important part is making disciples, the body completes other tasks as well.

Aside from seek and save the lost, aren't we also to help the poor, right injustice, feed the hungry? And don't some parts of the body act as mentors to the new babies being born into the kingdom? So how we serve the Lord may differ from one part of the body to the next.

When we are called to serve in specific areas of the world, or in specific ways, these are where the Lord will teach us how to serve. To be our guide. And not everyone is ready to serve when they come out of the womb. We each must be tested and refined, to become better instruments for our Lord.

 

Discipleship is not a part of ministry. It is ministry. It is not doing ministry. It is ministry. Those I meet and help to grow soon become my friends in minstry. When they get older they are partners in ministry. I no longer lead them but they lead others. The legacy I leave is with them the rest of their life. Some of those are pastors, missionaries, and in other ministries. All are doing ministry where they live and work. Disipleship does not value one gift more highly than another. It teaches the person to lead people they meet. Usually those they meet are much like themselves. Over and over it has been proven that those who are strong leaders have had strong leaders in their lives as models. The men who have had a great influence on me continue to influence me. Some are dead and others are still living. When I encounter a situation often I am reminded of how that person dealt with the same issue. Some were great models of how to lead a family. I did not gow up in a loving Christian home. I needed to see the difference Christ makes.

When I teach people I take them with me in wherever I go. We are friends working together trying to reach people. When I do a funeral I take some with me. When I visit dying people I take some with me. When I go eat ice cream I take some with me. I try to have people aorund me so they can see ho wministry is done. One man I met a few years ago was not a Christians and now leads the music at a church and also was asked to teach the people how to do evangelsim and make disciples. One day I got a call from him and he tahnked me for out many times together. During our conversation he told me a bout a time when I shared my faith with someone as he watched. He told me that he was surprised at my boldness. God used that to encourage him to share his faith. I was just being me. Now he shares his faith in ways that are him.

Some of those I met years ago are leading in ministries I would find very difficult. One is a first class musician. I know little about music. One is an excellent evangelist. He is far more gifted than I am in that and I have learned a lot from him. Some are engineers. Some are average blue collar workers. Nobody is like me. All of them are walking with God and doing ministry. Disipleship encourages the people to be used by God and employ their gifts to serve others.

 

Squire,

Do you have some specific cases in mind? We all know of schools which went downhill prior to accreditation being an issue, e.g. Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

Also, we all know of schools which have the same accreditation as liberal theological institutions and have returned to their conservative roots, e.g. SBTS.

I may simply be missing your point, so I would appreciate if you would elaborate a bit.

Blessings,
Bill