Saint Regis University

While learning about Saint Regis and the fake Liberian embassy situation referenced in this thread (https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/please-destroy-or-return-your-copy-of-my-book.9418/), I stumbled upon this article which is the most ridiculous defense of a diploma mill I've ever seen. https://johnkersey.org/2009/01/01/st-regis-university-liberia/

The school is/was called "radical" because it allowed students to be awarded a life experience degree (even though they go through pains not to call it that), based on peer evaluation, with whatever University's name the student wanted on it.

They include a defense for why degrees are back-dated, why they use the names of universities and other nonsense. It's not convincing but it does make an entertaining read in how mills justify themselves.

 

More than 20 years ago, John Bear wrote an article asking whether diploma mill customers were victims or villains. HIs conclusion was they could be either. Some people truly believe they deserve the degree they're purchasing. Others know better and are in on the scam.

 

Consider the source. Hon. Professor John Kersey, D.D., D.Litt. Ed.D., PhD., FRSA, FRGS, FSA Scot. MKN, GCSC, GCHMA, KSig., KG St.J., Hon. D. Mus, Prince and Patriarch of Everything. Marquess University, Claremont University, European American University.... We have about 20 threads in which Hon. Professor Dr. Prince Sir John is mentioned.

And please - don't ask me to translate all those postnominals!

 

Kersey's defense includes a letter of acceptance of the St. Regis degree from Florida Metropolitan University (later Everest University). The curious thing is that "Florida Metropolitan University St. Regis" has now been registered with the Florida Commission for Independent Education under religous exemption (https://web02.fldoe.org/CIE/Religious/ReligiousInstitutions.aspx) alongside Kersey's European-American University and Theological Seminary.

 

Thanks, tadj. It never ends, does it? Can't wait for the day when all this Florida nonsense implodes.

 

Thanks for posting this Dustin!

This whole thing is fascinating. The “university” itself is interesting, but the mental gymnastics that the author put into the justifications for the questionable contact is remarkable.

Fake names and fake credentials by the owner? Of course, she’s a woman and there weren’t many diploma mills owned by women.

List the name of an existing university, like the University of Maryland, on your diploma? Sure, most people would take the time to read the fine print to clearly see that you don’t have a degree from THE University of Maryland.

Backdated diplomas? Of course! You knew some stuff back in the day, so your diploma should reflect that.

 

John Doe, AA, AAS, BA, BS, MBA, PhD, DoSci, CPTD, PCC, SPHR, Capt (ret), GS-15 (ret)

Not even close. Sigh.

 

Way better than close -- those are real, Rich!

 

...and all earned!

 

Don't forget the Western Orthodox University, https://westernorthodox.university

 

Thanks! May be of some interest to @Messdiener and @Stanislav Check it out, guys!

 

I enjoy reading Prof. John Kersey's stuff (or should we call him "Mar Edmundus"?). It's so elaborate. The venerable Prince-Abbot-Patriarch-Professor has this unique MO where he finds colorful defunct efforts (that were questionable in their best time, usually) and kind of takes over. No one objects, as these things are defunct. He claims to head the old Rene Vilatte Orders AND one of the Bielorussian independent Church attempts AND Principality of Lomar AND several Old Catholic jurisdictions AND Western Orthodox ones - pretty much the Greatest Hits of "independent Apostolic Churches" (ecclesiastic LARPing or Episcopi Vagantes movement). He even claims involvement in some schemes where other people still claim to be heirs (like World Patriarchates). Everything he "runs" has anywhere between 60 and 600 year history, complete with archive photos and historic documents, and a detailed backstory (combining historical research and outright fabrication). The only unclear part is whether or not any of this plethora of stuff still exists (or existed in a first place).

 

Nice post, Stanislav. Looks like I knew who to call. Glad I did!

 

Thanks for the tag, @Johann. The Western Orthodox University is a new one on me, but a quick skim proved to be an interesting (or rather entertaining) read for sure!

Yet, as Stanislav has pointed out, it's so painfully obvious that he's LARPing as half of his remarks don't make sense or are clearly stretching the definitions of ordinary words. That's not to mention that the WOU is somehow both Anglican and Orthodox.

To each his own, I guess. Yet, one would hope that the poor fellow could just find some peace in a single community, not constantly trying to catch 'em all (a la Pokemon)...

...or worse, someday trying to pull a Beni, from the late 90s flick, The Mummy:

​

 

@Stanislav @Messdiener Thanks guys. Quite a show. You two deserve syndication. I enjoyed.

 

Yes, but you got to admit that he digs way deeper that your average mill operator. He did his homework.

You know what this reminds me of? The Bogdanov Affair in theoretical physics. This is when brothers Igor and Grishka Bogdanov (French TV celebrities) published 6 papers in legitimate physics journals, and got awarded PhDs from a real university, sparkling a big debate on whether their work was a deliberate hoax. This was never truly resolved, but the papers were found to have zero scientific merit. One physicist commented on how the papers "contain the right words in approximately right order" making them LOOK like a physics paper (and they in fact passed peer review AND two different dissertation committees!), but in reality the texts were meaningless. The same effect happens when Kersey makes the case for canonical status of his various churches: real words in plausible combinations that fall apart when you try to understand the logic of what he's saying. It takes real talent to generate gibberish like that.

Edit: to be fair, various micro-churches of the High Church Anglican and Old Catholic descent tried to describe themselves as "Western Orthodox". The reasoning is that they can do it because they acknowledge the Seven Ecumenical Councils and thus argue that they have the same faith as Eastern Orthodox Churches, plus the misguided belief that since Orthodoxy doesn't have the Pope no one can definitely state that they are not the "real" Orthodox (which is actually an argument in favor of the institute of Papacy). Kersey did not invent this notion. Plus, there really were some discussions between some Anglicans and some Orthodox about possible intercommunion in the early XX century.

 

Than your average mill, without a doubt. I'll give you that.

But if he's done any better than most other vagantes, I must insist that he has not. His charade is just so painfully obvious to anyone that knows even an iota about apostolic Christianity.

Precisely what I was going for, yes!

This is a very popular debate within modern Orthodoxy. Does one's Orthodoxy stem from his true belief & worship, his communion with other recognized groups, or both? Most Orthodox would argue that you require both: the truth faith and communion with the rest of Orthodoxy. Obviously, LARPers like Kersey would disagree, as would many Old Calendarists.

 

I had an old calendar that I finally replaced because it showed a bit of rust that imparted a nasty flavor to my linguini.

 

Let us never forget Dr. Chief Swift Eagle. I think Johann is one of a very few here who could recite the good Dr. Chief's long c/v without getting lost.

 

That's because Kersey is not just a vagante Bishop (does he even function in this capacity in any meaningful way?). He's so many other things. He builds an immersive universe, the MCU of pretend ecclesia/academia/nobility.

Well, leave it to the Orthodox community to find a way to keep most anyone outside of the Church. They're not wrong in this case though, not just about an obvious LARPer like Mar Edmundus here, but any "independent" umAnglicans. Just because one affirms the Seven Councils and nods along the Nicene Creed doesn't mean his faith is fully Orthodox/Catholic. The way to assure it is would be... entering into communion with the wider Church. The whole "Western Orthodox" gambit is actually what Kersey seeks: recognition without accountability. Does not exist.

BTW, real Orthodox Western Rite communities do exist. I believe that movement is languishing, though, and is not looked upon all that favorably by many in the Eastern Orthodox crowd.