India-based Distance Seminary

There was a discussion in another thread about India-based Distance Seminary known as Calvin School of Apologetics And Seminary [http://www.CalvinSchool.Info].

Since the school is India-based, it presents information in a way that is totally acceptable and sufficient for Indians. However, the way information is presented [or is demanded] varies from country to country.

Since the internet has dissolved national boundaries, Calvin finds itself in a totally new arena. Here the expectations are totally different. Even the lingo used varies from country to country.

For example, in Hollad a person with a masters degree is given the title Drs. which is not even understood by people in many other countries.

What is ThD in most countries is DTh in many others.

We at Calvin invite feedback from potential students and well-wishers of distance-education.

Kindly visit

http://www.CalvinSchool.Info

and give us your analysis. Please tell us what essential information is missing and in what manner we ought to present that information.

We at Calvin wish to offer the best possible quality of instruction, and a little help from you can go a long way to make us a quality theological seminary

Dr. Johnson C. Philip
Founder

 

Why do Indians need Biblical studies when they have a very rich and diverse culture. Hinduism/buddhism has so much to offer compared to other belief's worldwide. Moreover christian population is <5%.

 

Well, aren't we a bigot! There have been many Christians in southern India for almost 2000 years, with a rich and varied theological tradition. Since Buddhists and Hindus are less than 5% of the US population, would you propose that Buddhist and Hindu educational institutions (many fine ones have been mentioned on this board) not function in the United States, not to mention Jewish, Muslim, or Zarathushtrian schools? Durak!

 

Calvin is there because some Indians felt a need for it. And when there is a need let us not negate it.


Kindly help me by answering my original question

 

One thing which Western students (and evaluating faculty) look for is a listing of the schools from which the faculty received their degrees, next to the listing of the degree itself. There is a tendency to view faculties without the listing of the professors' schools as substandard.

 

Not to mention the Malabar Christians (AKA St. Thomas Christians).

 

According to the latest census report, there are 24 million (!) Christians in India (2.34 percent of the population) -- up from 2.32 percent in the 1991 census. The Christian population grew by over 22% since the previous census. Christians have a disproportionately high number of females -- compared to other religions -- probably because they do not practice female infanticide (that's just one thing they bring to the table).

Christianity has been in India since St Thomas took it there in the first century AD.

 

Any other suggestion for Calvin School ?

 

We are missing a point here. I have been to India and studied their culture (i do not follow "any" religion). Female infanticide has reduced to a large extent nowadays. India is a growing economy. Many of the leading Project managers in our outsourcing company in India are women and do a great job. Their education levels are uncomparable to many women of their age here in USA. Looking at the quality of work these people do, i should admire their education system. It has definitely produced a lot of quality professionals.
Last word, India is changing and we need to change our views about it . I am really impressed with what they have achieved in last 10 yrs or so in the Hi-tech world.

 

India has some of the oldest churchs in the world. As a matter of fact there is historical evidence that Christianity has been followed in India since 1 AD. Also the major religions of the world (Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Jews, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist ) are folowed in India. The female infanticide is more related to economics rather than religion. As far as I can understand, a son is ( was ? ) considered to carry out the family's name, take care of the parents in the old age etc. Many of frieinds who are Indians tell me that since 1991 things have changed rapidly including the economic situation and people's thinking.

 

Would you friends kindly allow the main thrust of this thread to dominate the discussions ?

I think nobody will prevent you from starting a new thread where you discuss india ?

 

I think this is a very legitimate request. Many on the fora have been highly critical of unaccredited theological schools. Many have called a number of these "degree mills."

We have someone associated with a school that has been questioned and he is more than willing to discuss his school and answer any questions.

This is an excellent opportunity to have a wonderful dialogue and clear the air about Calvin. Let's "git 'er done!"

I will begin. Dr. Philip, is Calvin strictly an Internet school or does it have a campus with classroom instruction? Secondly, how can we verify its legal status in India and its degree-granting authority there? Thanks!

 

Is there a website for ICAATS? Also can you please post a link on the Indian Dept of Education site where this (ICAATS)is being recognised as a legitimate accreditation granting org.

Its not listed anywhere on
http://www.education.nic.in/htmlweb/main.htm

 

Dr Philip: Don't lecture. It's unbecoming. Janko the Mad Priest

 

===

drjcp:

I apologize for being busy today.

I promise you , however, that within a couple of days I will visit the Calvin website and opine on what I see there.

While I am not an educational expert, I have several USA RA/ATS grad degees in Theology and a "foreign" one soon to be awarded. I've also "attended" three UA schools of Theology, two by distance, and I have also completed two grad programs at two USA RA accredited universities.

I'll use that experience to offer my opinions.

Thanks for being willing to ask for opinions.

 

Hello All,

Im my opinion, the university grants commission(UGC) is the ultimate accredition one can get for any college/University in India. For MBA degree's, AICTE or All India Council for technical education are the accreditting bodies.

 

Re: Re: India-based Distance Seminary

There is also a tendency to view some schools that do list the professors' schools as substandard.

 

Thanks friends Billl, dl_mba, and jimmy for coming to the point and trying to help us here at Calvin.

ICAATS is a new agency and it has no website. Nor has it started to grant full accreditation.

To the best of my information, no internet government listing is available yet.

India with its 1020 million has a massive job at hand listing everything, and you need not expect to find everything on the net overnight. Only two or three states even have started such listing here.

Jimmy has asked

I will begin. Dr. Philip, is Calvin strictly an Internet school or does it have a campus with classroom instruction?

Calvin is strictly an internet school, and has no campuses. However, it works in close association with Rehoboth Theological Institute, where I am the Principal. It has a 50-acre campus, which is very large by Indian standards.

There is a residential school, an orphanage, and an old age home on the campus. A hospital and other ministries are being planned.

RTI does not have a website because the trustees are totally opposed to any kind of publicity. [Please remember, not all countries are similar to USA, and not all people think the way people of USA think].

RTI has a very large faculty, and the same group functions as the [India-based] faculty of Calvin. All operations of Calvin are also carried on from the same campus and the same office.

 

Thre is no online method at present for you to verify Calvin's legal status. As I reminded India is not USA, and thus if you use criteria used there you will find it difficult to judge, or might come up with wrong deductions.

The best you can do is to ask a lawyer frind to go through our papers and report to you.

Meanwhile you should remember that India is one cuntry where both the government as well as the judiciary take a very hostile stand against degree mills.

Hundreds of people have been arrested over the years [usually, no bail] for attempting to do such things. Even people who sport such fake degrees have had to pay heavily for it.

 

Thanks for trying to help us.

We are open to questions, criticisms, and suggestions. We will only gain from it.

At the same time, please keep one thing in mind -- India is not USA. And USA is not the whole world.

Just because boundaries have dissiolved, it does not mean that the net has made the world a homogenious place.

Thus some of our answers will frustrate you, for what you take for granted there is simply not the common practice here [such as online listings by government agencies].

Kindly keep helping Calvin by posting more questions and suggestions.