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Trinity Newburgh

Discussion in 'Baptist Colleges & Seminaries' started by Bearhouse, Oct 21, 2006.

  1. Bearhouse

    Bearhouse New Member

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    Does anyone know what's going on with Trinity, Newburgh? They have deleted a reference to the regional accreditation candidacy from the website. I wonder if that means they have lost their candidacy status. I know they recently had a site visit. The website now says the school is ``accredited'' by a British university. They also began PhD programs. I would not say the time you spend taking classes with Trinity is a waste of time because anytime you study the word of God is not a waste.

    http://www.trinitysem.edu/
     
  2. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    ==According to the Higher Learning Commission North Central Association of Colleges and schools website, Trinity is a candidate for accreditation. I have no idea why Trinity removed this from their accreditation page, unless they "know" that they will be denied. Probably a good guess.

    ==Their claim is misleading. British Universities have no authority to give accreditation to American institutions. No accredited American University will acknowledge their British accreditation. Btw, there are rumors that Trinity is about to lose that as well...


    ==Trinity no longer offers the PhD program. They offer a Doctor of Ministry, a Doctor of Arts, and a Doctor of Religious Studies.

    I agree that no time studying is a waste of time. However pouring hard earned money into Trinity is a waste of resources. People who desire, or need, a doctorate degree should seek out an accredited institution.

    The following offer flexible programs:

    Regent University - PhD

    Liberty University - DMin

    Southern Evangelical Seminary - DMin

    Luther Rice University - DMin

    Each of those programs are very flexible but will require "oncampus" time. However their quality is much higher than anything Trinity can offer. Also, because of their accreditation, their acceptance is much wider than Trinity's, Andersonville's, or Covington's.

    Run from Trinity, Newburgh. Run as fast as you can...
     
  3. PatsFan

    PatsFan New Member

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    If you haven't looked at their website since Thursday, they do indeed offer the Ph.D. once again--under something called the British model of education that seems to be open to everyone:


    http://www.trinitysem.edu/
     
  4. Broadus

    Broadus Member

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    A few years ago, Trinity Newburgh claimed to be accredited by Liverpool University in England. When I mentioned this to Dr. Daniel Block, who was then a professor of Old Testament at SBTS and had received his D.Phil. from Liverpool, Dr. Block grimaced and said that he had complained about that relationship to the administration of Liverpool. It was not long before the relationship between Trinity and Liverpool was ended.

    Trinity continues to find itself unable to achieve legitimate accreditation. If they could attain regional or national accreditation (such as through TRACS), they would do so. Personally, I would look elsewhere were I seeking additional formal education. BTW, as indicated above, there is really no such thing asvbeing accredited by a British university. It might be different if Trinity actually became a part of and came under the authority of Canterbury Christ Church University.

    Bill
     
  5. Martin

    Martin Active Member

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    ==Thanks.

    I think that shows, once again, that Trinity is more interested in making "easy" money than they are in becoming a real center of academic excellence.
     
  6. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    Trinity professors do present papers regularly at the Evangelical Theological Society meetings. One SBC seminary professor told me in that he recommended to all his students who could not attend class for a PH.D. or a D.Min, to do them at Trinity because they were well structured.

    FWIW.
     
  7. UZThD

    UZThD New Member

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    ===

    In 2000 I was in the TTS PhD in Bible. I had been convinced by the Seminary's claims, the ,qualifications of the faculty and the testimonies of church leaders and graduates that the TTSgrad programs must be substantial. I was wrong! I was admitted into the PhD with no exams; the program required no work in languages.

    After three courses it became quite clear that this was not doctoral work at all, and it also began to sink in that all the claims as "world wide accreditation" and "unexcelled excellence" were deceptions.

    PhD students used the same textbooks and listened to the same cassettes as did MDiv students. One's papers might be evaluated by someone else, less qualified, than the professor of record. In fact, it was difficult to discuss issues with the professors at times. A simple page taken from Bloom's Taxonomy was used as a grading tool so Profs were not required to really interact with submissions.

    I began to complain about this and to question the TTS accreditation through Liverpool (for which I paid an additional $225!)on the TTS discussion forum (T Delta ). A TTS VP came on to quiet me, but I was vocal and so was banned.

    Before the banning, profs and the VP on T Delta made optimistic prophecies of a soon to be achieved new accreditation.

    If the real reason why one cannot enter a real doc program is cost or residential classes, and not the sometimes actual reason that one is just unprepared to do real doc work, then, why not consider a South African University?

    After dropping out of TTS, I stumbled across the South African option. In 2001 I "entered" a doc program at a SA public university of 6500 students. While TTS went on making its wild claims of quality ,and by deception separating God's people from their hard earned cash, I entered in 2001 the ThD at Unizul. ( I had already finished grad degrees in "Religion" from accredited US schools: MA, MDiv, ThM,). In 2004 I finished the ThD in Systematic Theology. In 2005 I joined the faculty of a small US school.
    I attended no classes and paid under $3000 for this degree.

    Unlike your SBC prof, I would never recommend TTS! It is a deceiver and has offered substandard curricula-IMO!

    The test of a good school, IMO, is not what rigor the student is allowed but what rigor is required by an academically prepared faculty which wishes to academically prepare doctoral students.
     
  8. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    Keep in mind that was not an endorsement of TTS. I was simply relating my observations.
     
  9. paidagogos

    paidagogos Active Member

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    Agreed

    Having carefully followed the development of DE over the past twenty plus years, I heartily agree with UZThD's assessment. The SA programs are the best buy for your money hands down. IMHO, these programs are more substantial than most accredited US DE programs. With the current state of affairs, it is doubtful if Trinity will ever acheive accreditation or even survive with its current baggage and disgruntled former students. The general public feeling, as I perceive it, is pretty much thumbs down on TTS.
     
  10. PatsFan

    PatsFan New Member

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    I also agree with Bill. I filled out a questionaire for a Trinity (Newburgh) Ph.D. candidate's dissertation a few years ago. IMO It was not a very scholarly project. Years ago when there weren't many DL options, I could understand why Trinity might have been an ok option. Today there are numerous regionally accredited and nationally accredited options (TRACS and DETC) available, in addition to some wonderful South African seminaries. I'm just not sure what draws students there these days?
     
  11. paidagogos

    paidagogos Active Member

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    Quick and easy?

    Could quick and easy plus a little hype be the answer?
     
  12. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    One drawback to the SA approach is that, from what I've been told, you write a dissertation on one major research area. Some just aren't looking for that. They are looking for the more traditional seminary approach that we've had modeled for us here in the states (prescribed curriculum, exams, etc.). I personally like the idea of the SA approach as has been described to me. I also have experienced some level of church resistance to the SA model. They want to see the good ole M.Divs and D.Mins rather than a research degree. Right or wrong, it is what it is. Some also still have this idea that if it's foreign, it's substandard. Again, I don't endorse that view but merely observe it. UNISA and others are good alternatives for some, but they do not fit everyone's needs. Someone with no pastoral experience and a secular B.S./B.A. would seemingly be better suited somewhere else.

    Regarding Trinity's appeal:
    Make that lots of hype. Somehow Trinity has gotten my email and I've been bombarded with "offers" for months now.
     
  13. UZThD

    UZThD New Member

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  14. paidagogos

    paidagogos Active Member

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    American vs. European education

     
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