ThirdMill Seminary

I think I mentioned ThirdMill some weeks ago.
https://thirdmill.org/mission/academic.asp

They partnered with City Vision to offer a Graduate Certificate. Since my last update, two things were added to their website that I thought were interesting:

1. Belhaven University (RA) is added, their degree program appears to be built around ThirdMill content entirely. $199/credit for an MA in Bible and Theological Studies. So add that to the list of reasonably priced theological masters degrees.

2. ThirdMill Seminary is added, currently unaccredited but offering an MA in Christian Studies. The website notes that they are pursuing accreditation through, what sounds from the description like, DEAC but without naming them.

Ordinarily I wouldn't bring up an unaccredited seminary as being so interesting. Especially since their content is also offered at other unaccredited schools like Birmingham Theological Seminary. But, their courses are accepted for credit at Southeastern Baptist, City Vision, Union Theological College in Belfast (Prebyterian) and through a few other schools via their partnership with BibleMesh.

So their coursework appears to be legitimately graduate level. We can never predict the outcome of accreditation since that process goes beyond the quality of coursework, but this might be an interesting school to watch.

 

In case people (like me) ask what happened to the First and Second Mills, perhaps it should be pointed out that "Thirdmill" is short for "Third Millennium." The school appears to have forged some pretty good connections and degree pathways to other schools. As Neuhaus says - an interesting school to watch.

 

I was wondering that, too. I was quite sure that this institute was not the third degree mill of the owner. Glad to see this confirmed!

 

Ha, hadn't even thought of that.

I discovered them when I was checking out the new Grad Cert that City Vision was offering which I learned about from the DEAC meeting that approved said Grad Cert. So I had stumbled upon them through accredited channels and, honestly, the "mill" didn't even trigger in my head until you guys mentioned it.

That would be a very efficient way of naming your diploma mills, though.

 

Yes, it would. If you wanted to give the things an old-world flavour, you could name them after successive bogus rulers / aristocrats:
Example:

Die Freie Universität von Johann I
Die Freie Universität von Johann II
Die Freie Universität von Johann III etc.

We're up to Johann VI now. Each diploma finely hand-crafted by Hans-Dieter, the master forger of Düsseldorf. Free membership in the Uni's Dueling Society with each degree. Dueling scar optional.

OK.... Back to our regular broadcast....

 

I like your style, Johann. Reminds me of Thunderwood College... http://thunderwoodcollege.com/

Fun fact: the founder did not only some free courses on critical thinking, but was convicted with wire fraud. A real expert, it seems.

 

Wire and mail fraud convictions are a common fate among mill operators in the U.S. I think it's the easiest way to get them in jail - not sure. Thunderwood is a great gag - but that .pdf diploma might put my guy, Hans-Dieter out of business permanently. He was already losing some business to Chinese diploma-forgers. Not as good, but cheaper.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2008/12/07/phony_degree_scam_exposed.html

Sadly, I've just learned that Hans-Dieter will be out of town, umm... on leave for the next 15 years or so... But Johann VI is still Landgraf of the (mythical) Principality of "Wurstburg."

I have to stop derailing these threads....

 

At least, they didn't call it Treadmill Seminary, as in "What Ordination? Nobody gets to leave here Ordained!"