Tyndale Theological Seminary

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Not to be confused with Tyndale University College & Seminary in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Tyndale Theological Seminary is a private, conservative Christian seminary and Bible institute, with locations in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Fort Worth, Texas. The institution also provides online instruction. It was founded by Mal Couch. The second and current president is Chris Cone. It is a dispensational seminary operated by H-E-B Ministries. As of 2007, it has approximately 300 to 350 students with less than 25 percent attending classes on campus.^{[citation needed]} Tyndale is registered with the Louisiana Board of Regents to grant undergraduate, graduate, and seminary degrees in religious and theological education, and is exempt from licensure through R.S. 17:1808.

1 Accreditation
2 History
3 Criticism and controversy
4 References
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Accreditation

Tyndale Theological Seminary is not accredited by any recognized religious or secular accreditation agency. As such, its degrees and credits might not be acceptable to employers or other institutions, and use of degree titles may be restricted or illegal in some jurisdictions [1]. Tyndale directors have stated that the school does not want, nor will it seek, accreditation due to long held philosophical and doctrinal reasons.^{[citation needed]} The Department of Education has stated that unaccredited institutions are not necessarily of poor quality, but it may create problems with employer and institution recognition.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, Tyndale's webpage indicated that the Association of Christian Colleges and Theological Schools (ACCTS) is an agency that "accredits" Tyndale.^[1] However, the ACCTS website does not use the word "accredit", but rather uses the term "approval". ACCTS was founded for member schools that choose not to affiliate with a "regional or other professional accrediting agency because they feel that the qualifications and standards of such accrediting agencies may run counter to the convictions and purposes of Christian schools."^[2] AACTS is not a recognized accrediting agency as determined by the U.S. Department of Education. Furthermore, the Council on Higher Education Accreditation explained such accreditations/approvals are "bogus" to the academic community.[2]

As of 2007, its catalog states: "Tyndale Theological Seminary and Biblical Institute is not accredited, and will not pursue any type of accreditation whatsoever."^[3]

[edit] History

The Society of Dispensational Theology (formerly Conservative Theological Society) is an extension of Tyndale Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. It is a group of pastors, seminary and Bible institute professors, teachers and students, Sunday school teachers, and other Christians who share the aim of biblical conservative, evangelical, dispensational theology. The fellowship promotes these values by providing theological publications, theological and pastoral conferences, and by the internet.

[edit] Criticism and controversy

In 1998, Tyndale Theological Seminary was fined $173,000 for issuing degrees as a seminary without a license.^[4] The two provisions of the Texas Education Code require all private post-secondary education institutions in Texas to obtain authority from the state for approval in order to (1) grant degrees or their equivalent or (2) refer to an educational institution as a “seminary.” The seminary chose not to seek state approval after the information was brought to the attention of the president, for “doctrinal reasons.” In February 2001, Couch had a partial victory. Although the district judge upheld the fine for awarding degrees without state approval, the judge did eradicate a Texas law requiring schools to seek state approval before using the term seminary.

Christianity Today explained that Kenneth Hemphill of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary showed no sympathy for Tyndale explaining "We are a conservative, confessional institution, and we have not found that our accreditation has caused us to compromise our biblical convictions." Furthermore, "We have found accreditation valuable in that it provides accountability for the institution and credibility for those looking for graduate theological work. It is important to have standards of quality."^[5] The article concluded, "Don't expect many Christian higher education institutions, or even Christian civil rights organizations, to jump to Tyndale's defense."^[5]

In HEB Ministries v. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (2003), the Third-Circuit Court of Appeals in Austin ruled that the state’s regulation was indeed constitutional.^[5] HEB Ministries filed that the statute was unconstitutional based on the establishment, free exercise, and free speech clauses of both the United States Constitution and Texas Constitution. On both the section concerning the granting of degrees and the section concerning seminaries, the court ruled that neither requirement violated the First Amendment rights as argued by the seminary. All Tyndale's programs are religious and theological in nature, which has caused the Texas Supreme Court to continue deliberating over the issue of the rights of Bible colleges, institutes, and seminaries to award religious degrees without state interference (see HEB Ministries vs. The State of Texas, 2005).[3] In August 2007, the Texas Supreme Court reversed the decisions of the lower courts, ruling in favor of Tyndale Theological Seminary. The ruling allows seminaries to offer theological education and award religious degrees without state government approval or oversight.^[6]