Trinity Graduate School of Apologetics and Theology?

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by latebloomer, Feb 9, 2014.

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  1. latebloomer

    latebloomer New Member

    What is the deal with this school in India, Trinity Graduate School of Apologetics and Theology?? Conflicting info abounds online.
     
  2. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    The school is not recognized to grant Indian degrees, no matter what its proponents say. They are "accredited" by ICAATE, an NGO, and its imprimatur is meaningless in terms of official Indian (or other) degree-granting approval.

    Our resident expert on Indian higher education, msganti, said himself that it was not accredited - UGC AICTE or anything else that has meaning in India. If he says it is not the Indian equivalent of accredited - then it's not. Plain and simple.

    I have no idea of how good or umm...not good its religious instruction is. I just don't like schools which claim to have equivalent of mainstream accreditation when they do not. I've read too much of this type of claim from people at the school.

    There are some illustrative posts (including msganti's) in this old thread.

    http://www.degreeinfo.com/accreditation-discussions-ra-detc-state-approval-unaccredited-schools/37808-trinity-graduate-school-apologetics-theology.html

    My favourites:

    "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of mill, I fear no rigor." (ITJD) :smile:

    Oh yeah, and by the way, the secular world DOES regulate the vast majority of religious degree programs.
    Also, a long time ago people thought the sun revolved around the earth too. Join us in the 21st century.
    (Kizmet) :smile:

    It's basically free -- so how much utility were you expecting?

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 9, 2014
  3. latebloomer

    latebloomer New Member

    Yeah, I figured as much. Sounded really off.
     
  4. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    As Johann noted, not accredited. From what I recall there is lots of writing (that seems to be a large part of how they measure rigor). Lots of writing does not equal rigor. Some of the things mentioned as reading material were questionable in terms of academic value. Faculty not impressive (unaccredited degrees, etc).

    I have not looked at them in a while so I certainly stand to be corrected.
     
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    In several fora, people from the school have embroiled themselves in multi-page posts, mostly full of circumlocutious, sometimes belligerent arguments and self-praise, claiming that ICAATE accreditation is meaningful and gold-standard - when it isn't.

    A certain amount of windbaggery, self-praise and belligerence may be almost tolerable from an old git like Johann, who has nothing to sell anyone -- but you don't want it in a school. :smile:

    Johann
     
  6. RAM PhD

    RAM PhD Member

    Indeed it doesn't. In elementary school I remember doing lots of writing, pages too many to number with only one sentence written continuously--"I must not talk during class." The only rigor involved was a tired hand.
     
  7. cmin

    cmin New Member

    It amazes me why people don't take their time to research about things before blowing trumpets! Now,why on earth would someone say Trinity is unaccredited? like me some years back,heavily went into researches,contacted students of Trinity Graduate School of Apologetics and Theology for their views because of the arrays of misinformation,criticisms about Trinity;my findings came out positive! That Trinity is a legitimate degree granting university/serminary. Trinity graduates here in Nigeria are all doing well in ministry and secular fields. It is accepted by nigerian universities for further studies. Couple of my friends are running P.HD programs at South African Universities. If you are in doubt,pls contact SATS(South African Theological Serminary-GOVT ACCREDITED) about Trinity Degree Recognition. Oh, you don't have Trinity degree,so what are going to show them for assessment? I suggest you join many others and thank Trinity for the great work. Glad am a student too!
     
  8. cmin

    cmin New Member

    You can contact university of pretoria about Trinity Degree Recognition. Am sure their response shall be: yes, Trinity Degrees are accredited by ICAATS and very rich and well accepted for taking other programs. If you care to know, South African universities are well respected globally,let alone UNIPRETORIA! No matter what you critics of the Gospel will say shall change the impart Trinity is making globally for God and humanity! Am grateful to Dr. J.c.Philip for this wonderful blessing. Am pasting links to ICAATS site for those complaining not being able to find it on net.
     
  9. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Ahem...

    http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/Education_Degree_Scams_Unaccreddited.php

    Maybe you should ask these people to remove it from their "unaccredited" list, then. :smile:

    Their site says" If you believe a school is identified as unaccredited in error, or you believe a school should be added to this list, please contact us, with your reasons why." :smile:

    Johann
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 27, 2014
  10. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    post removed - j
     
  11. RAM PhD

    RAM PhD Member

    Because it isn't accredited by a recognized accrediting agency.
     
  12. cmin

    cmin New Member

    Answer this question:why wud nigerian univ regulated by nuc accept trinity degrees and program? Why wud south african govt-univ accepts trinity degrees if its not legitimate and accredited? Do your home work well... Trinity graduate school is real!
     
  13. RAM PhD

    RAM PhD Member

    The schools you cite that supposedly accepted Trinity degrees/credits did so based on one of two possibilities:

    1. The school didn't do its homework (which is doubtful, but a possibility).
    2. The school, like many US RA schools, allows for a limited amount of credits to be transferred in from an unaccredited school. I know personally of cases where a student was allowed into an RA master's program with an unaccredited bachelor's degree. Entrance was via academic probation. After one year, if the student's work was adequate, they were able to (and did) continue and finish the program. This is probably not the norm, but it has happened. This in no way implied that the RA school recognized the unaccredited school as being accredited.
     
  14. cesmith78

    cesmith78 Member

  15. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    Did Easter come early this year? Because there are an awful lot of old thread resurrections happening today.

    Religious schools and degrees are sometimes tricky to pin down. Heck, Jerry Falwell started Liberty and he never actually earned a degree at all. So it is possible that a person is just such a popular theologian/minister that they would get the job even if they didn't claim any degree. It does happen, though usually well before that point, some institution sees fit to award them an honorary degree.

    A week or so ago I showed examples of graduates of Trinity College and Seminary (Indiana) who were employed by accredited schools. That doesn't make TCS accredited. It can indicate that those schools, accreditation aside, accept TSC's coursework as being substantively equivalent. Or, it can indicate that those schools suck at vetting faculty. A third possibility would be that those individuals were qualified for the job WITHOUT a the unaccredited degree and the school is just sort of letting the BS credential slide.

    When I made the argument with graduates of Trinity College and Seminary, my point was to show that Trinity had at least some positive reputation in evangelical circles. It doesn't prove that claim, but it supports it somewhat.

    So you can argue that Trinity Graduate School is respected in Christian circles, but it appears quite clear that they are not actually accredited (according to the evidence in this thread, which admittedly could be out of date. Laziness prevails).
     
  16. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    Also, upon closer review, he also seems to have two other doctorates (must be nice to have all that cash lying around). A Ph.D. From UNISA and a D.Min. From Westminster Theological Seminary.

    At this point in the guy's career he could probably claim a fourth doctorate from Breyer State without it adversely impacting him.
     
  17. RAM PhD

    RAM PhD Member

    Are you 100% sure that the Trinity he lists in his bio is Trinity Graduate School of Apologetics and Theology in India??
     
  18. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    I'm not 100% sure. However, it doesn't matter if he did or didn't. My original point stands.

    If he has an unaccredited doctorate (from any school) being employed by an accredited seminary doesn't mean his doctorate is now accredited. It could indicate that the school is well received in religious circles. Or, it could be that the man's other two doctorates, publication history and ministry experience got him the job.

    So even if we, for purposes of discussing Trinity Graduate School, assume he has a degree from there, it doesn't prove anything about Trinity.
     
  19. courtellis

    courtellis New Member

    That old accredition game

    I saw that and even ran it through a couple of sites and it came to Trinity every time, but the gentleman is entitled to seek education from other sources. I used Tripp Bible Institute as a source of education and development; simply for the enrichment of it. ::popworm::haha:
     
  20. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Yes, but definitely NOT the "Trinity" in India. Dr. Hindson's educational background is listed here:

    Ed Hindson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The Trinity where he earned his doctorate is in Deerfield IL not India - or Indiana, either:

    Trinity Evangelical Divinity School - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The Deerfield IL school is accredited by ATS in U.S. and Canada. The Indian school -- and the Indiana one -- well, they're not, of course. :smile:

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 23, 2015

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