B. H. Carroll Theological Institute
Encyclopedia
B. H. Carroll Theological Institute is an unaccredited Christian Baptist
institution in Arlington
, Texas
with multiple sources of funding and a self-perpetuating board of governors. It is named after Benajah Harvey Carroll
and teaches Baptist principles and practices. It operates in cooperation primarily with Baptist churches, and also cooperates with other Great Commission
Christians. The institution offers classes in both conventional classroom settings and by innovative means. It trains students in "“teaching churches” located in multiple Texas cities, as well as through interactive lessons taught over the Internet", with 20 such "teaching churches" in operation throughout Texas as of November 2006. The school plans to focus on the use of distance education
to make it easier for students to obtain theological education. As of 2006, the school's second year of operation, B. H. Carroll Theological Institute has 300 students taking courses they hope will lead to seminary degrees and an additional 300 students auditing courses. Bruce Corley is BHCTI's president.
While it is certified to grant degrees by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
,it is unaccredited. As of 2008, The Institute is in the process of applying for accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS).
, a former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
, who launched the institute in part as a response to what he has called the "disruption" of theological education in the Southern Baptist Convention
. Dilday had been forced out as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
in Fort Worth, Texas
after fundamentalists
gained control of that seminary during the Southern Baptist Convention conservative resurgence. The four inaugural faculty members at Carroll all formerly taught at Southwestern. including Corley, who was a professor of New Testament and Greek and the Dean of the School of Theology there. Corley was awarded both a Master of Divinity
(M.Div.) and Doctor of Theology
(Th. D.) from Southwestern.
However, Dilday denies that Carroll serves only moderate Baptist churches at odds with the conservative drift in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Southwestern's president, Paige Patterson, has criticized Carroll Institute for using the name of Carroll, his seminary's founding president, saying
However, Carroll biographer Alan LeFever takes issue with Patterson's statement. Carroll was theologically conservative, he notes, but the only guide for Southwestern faculty during his tenure was the New Hampshire Confession of Faith, which is less restrictive than the Southern Baptist Convention's 2000 Baptist Faith and Message
.
, "the institute is a graduate-level community of faith and learning dedicated to equipping men and women called to serve Christ in the diverse and global ministries of His church".
Since its opening, the institute had stated that it was actively seeking certification in Texas through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
(THECB), a process that could take up to two years, during which time the institution was forbidden to use degree terminology or imply that it can offer degrees. As of January 25, 2007, B. H. Carroll Theological Institute was granted a "Certificate of Authority to grant degrees" by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
(THECB), which expires January 31, 2009. With its THECB certification, the school is offering programs leading to a Master of Divinity
degree with major in Christian Ministry, Master of Music
degree with major in Christian Ministry or a Master of Arts
degree with majors in Theology, Education, and Music.
The institute currently has no approval or standing with the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or any group recognized by the United States Department of Education
.
In 2004, BHCTI said, that upon receipt of Texas certification, it plans to pursue accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS), one of six regional accrediting organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education
. In 2006, Corley stated that the school planned to apply for accreditation "from four accrediting agencies". In November 2006, the school said that it had taken preliminary steps to prepare for SACS accreditation. The school has said that it will also seek accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
(ATS). The school is soliciting members of its prayer network to pray for several of the school's pressing needs, including "Accreditation of the Institute by SACS & ATS".
BHCTI-made application to the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) for accreditation.It is on the verge of "Candidate status" which is possibly guaranteed as early as the spring of 2012. An application for accreditation has been turned in, and a pre-accreditation visit has been completed.
A final report will be going to ABHE on November 1, 2010, ABHE will vote on the report by February 2011, and a site visit will follow sometime in the fall.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
institution in Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
with multiple sources of funding and a self-perpetuating board of governors. It is named after Benajah Harvey Carroll
Benajah Harvey Carroll
Benajah Harvey Carroll, known as B.H. Carroll , was a Baptist pastor, theologian, teacher, and author.-Biography:...
and teaches Baptist principles and practices. It operates in cooperation primarily with Baptist churches, and also cooperates with other Great Commission
Great Commission
The Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism...
Christians. The institution offers classes in both conventional classroom settings and by innovative means. It trains students in "“teaching churches” located in multiple Texas cities, as well as through interactive lessons taught over the Internet", with 20 such "teaching churches" in operation throughout Texas as of November 2006. The school plans to focus on the use of distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
to make it easier for students to obtain theological education. As of 2006, the school's second year of operation, B. H. Carroll Theological Institute has 300 students taking courses they hope will lead to seminary degrees and an additional 300 students auditing courses. Bruce Corley is BHCTI's president.
While it is certified to grant degrees by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is an agency of the Texas state government that oversees all public post-secondary education in Texas. It is headquartered at 1200 East Anderson Lane in Austin....
,it is unaccredited. As of 2008, The Institute is in the process of applying for accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS).
History
The institute's founding chancellor is Russell H. DildayRussell H. Dilday
Russell H. Dilday is a pastor, educator, former seminary president, and chancellor of B.H. Carroll Theological Institute.-Career:He served as President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary starting in 1978. He was fired in March 1994 by the seminary's board of trustees in a 26-7 vote during...
, a former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a private, non-profit institution of higher education, associated with the Southern Baptist Convention...
, who launched the institute in part as a response to what he has called the "disruption" of theological education in the Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention is a United States-based Christian denomination. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination and the largest Protestant body in the United States, with over 16 million members...
. Dilday had been forced out as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a private, non-profit institution of higher education, associated with the Southern Baptist Convention...
in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
after fundamentalists
Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism is strict adherence to specific theological doctrines usually understood as a reaction against Modernist theology. The term "fundamentalism" was originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific package of theological beliefs that developed into a movement within the...
gained control of that seminary during the Southern Baptist Convention conservative resurgence. The four inaugural faculty members at Carroll all formerly taught at Southwestern. including Corley, who was a professor of New Testament and Greek and the Dean of the School of Theology there. Corley was awarded both a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
(M.Div.) and Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
(Th. D.) from Southwestern.
However, Dilday denies that Carroll serves only moderate Baptist churches at odds with the conservative drift in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Southwestern's president, Paige Patterson, has criticized Carroll Institute for using the name of Carroll, his seminary's founding president, saying
"People are, of course, free to employ whatever name they wish. Whether this is done with integrity depends on whether the principles of the one whose name is thereby invoked are honored and espoused. While one may question the justice of using the name of the founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in a competing effort against that seminary, the real test will be whether they have honored Carroll's name or just used it."
However, Carroll biographer Alan LeFever takes issue with Patterson's statement. Carroll was theologically conservative, he notes, but the only guide for Southwestern faculty during his tenure was the New Hampshire Confession of Faith, which is less restrictive than the Southern Baptist Convention's 2000 Baptist Faith and Message
Baptist Faith and Message
The Baptist Faith and Message is the confession of faith of the Southern Baptist Convention . It summarizes key Southern Baptist thought in the areas of the Bible and its authority, the nature of God as expressed by the Trinity, the spiritual condition of man, God's plan of grace and salvation,...
.
Academics and accreditation
According to the Carroll Institute's websiteWebsite
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
, "the institute is a graduate-level community of faith and learning dedicated to equipping men and women called to serve Christ in the diverse and global ministries of His church".
Since its opening, the institute had stated that it was actively seeking certification in Texas through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is an agency of the Texas state government that oversees all public post-secondary education in Texas. It is headquartered at 1200 East Anderson Lane in Austin....
(THECB), a process that could take up to two years, during which time the institution was forbidden to use degree terminology or imply that it can offer degrees. As of January 25, 2007, B. H. Carroll Theological Institute was granted a "Certificate of Authority to grant degrees" by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is an agency of the Texas state government that oversees all public post-secondary education in Texas. It is headquartered at 1200 East Anderson Lane in Austin....
(THECB), which expires January 31, 2009. With its THECB certification, the school is offering programs leading to a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree with major in Christian Ministry, Master of Music
Master of Music
The Master of Music is the first graduate degree in Music awarded by universities and music conservatories. The M.Mus. combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization with graduate-level academic study in subjects such as music history, music theory, or music pedagogy...
degree with major in Christian Ministry or a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree with majors in Theology, Education, and Music.
The institute currently has no approval or standing with the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or any group recognized by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
.
In 2004, BHCTI said, that upon receipt of Texas certification, it plans to pursue accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS), one of six regional accrediting organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
. In 2006, Corley stated that the school planned to apply for accreditation "from four accrediting agencies". In November 2006, the school said that it had taken preliminary steps to prepare for SACS accreditation. The school has said that it will also seek accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has more than 250 member institutions...
(ATS). The school is soliciting members of its prayer network to pray for several of the school's pressing needs, including "Accreditation of the Institute by SACS & ATS".
BHCTI-made application to the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) for accreditation.It is on the verge of "Candidate status" which is possibly guaranteed as early as the spring of 2012. An application for accreditation has been turned in, and a pre-accreditation visit has been completed.
A final report will be going to ABHE on November 1, 2010, ABHE will vote on the report by February 2011, and a site visit will follow sometime in the fall.