Fakin' It

The Barking Toad's campaign to uncover spurious seminaries and specious degrees proceeds apace. Several alert readers have sent in some names, but you haven't given sufficient information to distinguish the Potemkin institutions from authentic entities of the on-line or residential variety.

Dr. Toad does hate having to do his own research, so stand and deliver. If you want a post on your favorite suspected diploma mill, you have to give our crack team something more than the customary Angrican rant. In particular, we'd like to know physical addresses (if any), accreditation, faculty, and years in operation.

In the meantime, those of you who might have information on the following entities identified in your e-mails are welcome to send it along to info@planetanglican.com

Evangelical Episcopal Theological Seminary (no location listed)

The Saint Andrew's Institute of Theology, Scarborough, New York

Holy Trinity College and Seminary, New Port Richey, Florida

Laud Hall Seminary, York, Pennsylvania

Saint George's School of Theology, San Antonio, Texas

The Atlantic Orthodox and Anglican Seminary, Lothian, Maryland

St. Andrew's Theological College and Seminary, Lexington, North Carolina

Anglican Seminary of Virginia, Front Royal, Virginia

St. Elias School of Orthodox Theology, Seward, Nebraska

Confederazione Nazionale delle Università Popolari Italiane (a purported accrediting body)

Now, before you go carrying on or making threats, the fact that your alma mater is on the list above doesn't mean you are sporting a bit of spurious sheepskin. It just means that someone had a question. If you want to tell us about your seminary, the Toad would certainly like to hear it. What the hey...he might even buckle down and actually get a real degree for a change!

Be forewarned, you will be asked just how long you attended seminary and, if you are sporting a doctorate of any variety, the subject and length of your dissertation, and the location of the library where one might have a peek at it.

Just remember, Toads and Toadettes, you wouldn't want your doctor to have a fake degree--your lawyer, maybe, but not your doctor. Would you want the care and cure of your soul in the hands of someone who lacks education, formation and the basic moral foundation that might just make a questionable educational background a wee bit repellant to them?

Grist for the mill as you iron your Sunday best.

Yr. Obed. Serv.,


R. Toad, DD, LSMFT*

*One of these degrees is wholly specious, the other is an advertising slogan.