GLORY, LAUD AND HONOR

“Behold, I am become a reproach to thy holy name, by serving any ambition and the sins of others; which though I did by the persuasion of other men, yet my own conscience did cheek and upbraid me in it."
-William Laud

Good evening, Toads and Toadettes,

The Toad is working on a double-header tonight. He received the e-mail below from astute reader Dr. Jonathan E. Larkin via the Toad’s Latvian ISP (their motto “servers for those who just don’t want to be found”). Dr. Larkin identifies himself as an “Adjunct Professor TLCGSM” at http://www.tlcgsm.com/ The link leads to a the site of “Trinity Learning Community Schools of Ministry”, “a non-profit educational institution located in Southern California that can help you find your place in the Bigger Story of God.” Whoa, there’s a big claim!

Apart from helping you know your place, TLCGSM, which appears to be attached to three “Vineyard” churches, offers a Bachelor of Christian Studies and a Master of Ministry through its website. A decidedly Protestant, evangelical operation, this seminary has more letters in its name than the average continuing church. It does, though, have a tie to St. Stephens University which is chartered by the Canadian province of New Brunswick to grant Bachelor's and Master's degrees. These guys actually appear to require some time on a real campus, and not just sitting round the big table at Ho-Jo’s on Clam Night. One problem: their faculty list doesn’t seem to include Dr. Larkin. Perhaps an oversight. Rawk!*

So, it goes, boys and girls. But Dr. Larkin does provide a defense of sorts (reprinted in its entirety below) for Laud Hall Seminary, the seminary of the United Anglican Church. Dr. Larkin identifies “Laud Hall as…simply a distance learning program that offers various degrees.” He goes on to note that Old Laud “is authorised by the State of Florida to grant their degrees, as you are probably aware State Licensing is the what makes a degree legally valid or not and in most states operating a school which grants degrees without state licensing is a criminal offense. State Licensing is also the prerequisite to becoming accredited, now Laud Hall it is not federally or regionally accredited which it emphasizes on the their web page but is allowed to grant degrees based on their State Authorization.”

Say who, say what? Ok—it ain’t accredited regionally or by the feds. The website of Old Laud actually admits that. And the Toad hates to differ, but state licensing does not “make a degree valid”. State licensing is just that-a ticket to do business in a state. (Oh, yeah-get over the British spellings, gang, they irritate the Toad’s spell check when he uses it.)
Ahhhh, but Old Laud’s “programs and degrees are theological and ministerial, not secular and academic. We wish to train ministers of the Gospel, which is our primary mission and task.” Very laudable. Just don’t try trading on that degree outside of your…well…denomination...sect….whatever…

Beyond a laudacious website, there’s not much on this one, gang. However, almost all of the warning lights on the “Seminary Fraudulizer” are blinking like Britney Spears in a cop’s flashlight. Rawk, rawk!

So, the Toad printed out the Laud Hall catalogue for a little perusal after reading this month’s issue of Amphibian Today. Let’s check ‘em off, boys and girls.

--Degrees can be purchased. (Seminarian to priest in five easy payments)-No proof of this here.

--There is a claim of accreditation when there is no evidence of this status.-At least these guys don’t make this claim or make a claim of accreditation from a questionable accrediting organization like, oh, say, the Confederazione Nazionale delle Università Popolari Italiane (CNUPI).

--The operation lacks state or federal licensure or authority to operate.-They laudably admit that.

--There is little if any attendance required of students, either online or in class. (Our school motto: “You never have to show up”.)—Well, they are, after all, a correspondence school.

--Few assignments required for students to earn credits.-No evidence either way here. Perhaps we can hear from an alum or two on the comments page.

--There is a very short period of time required to earn a degree. (“Our one-week M.Div. program allows for post office delays with your check.”)-Again, any of you Old Laud matriculators want to step up and be counted?

--Degrees are available based solely on experience or resume review. (“Siding salesman? You can have an S.T.L. in spirituality!”)-To their credit, no evidence of that.

--There are few requirements for graduation.-Well, they do have the catalogue…
--The operation fails to provide any information about a campus or business location or address and rely, e.g., only on a post office box?-There is an “Administrative Office” located at 1702 McKinley St., #9 Hollywood, FL 33020. Of course, as the website notes, Laud’s got legs, and has moved about a few times—even across state lines! Whoops!
--The operation fails to provide a list of its faculty and their qualifications.- Old Laud advertises, “Well qualified Faculty and Staff”. Other than the dean, there’s nary a prof in sight, much less a c.v.
--The operation makes claims in its publications for which there is no evidence.- Well, now, doesn’t this fit even a number of accredited institutions!

On the whole, toads and toadettes, there doesn’t seem to be much there, there. There’s the customary impressive big list o’courses, but the big board says that this one is another paper tiger.

Of course, the Barking Toad would love to hear from alums, faculty, neighbors with photos of the annual graduation barbecue, and such like. If they meet the Toad’s threshold (which is quite low), they’ll even get posted.

Meanwhile, the Toad is off for a little laudanum! (And maybe some blue vitriol Rawk, rawk, rawk!*

Yr. Obed Serv.,
Roy Aldous Toad, DD-VS (Very Specious), LSMFT, D.Phil. (Carolina Coast University); B.A. (summa cum laude)(Southern States University)

*The sound of one hyper-educated Toad barking

The Letter (Reprinted Without Change)

Hi Dr Toad,

I saw you list of seminaries, particularly Laud Hall Seminary.Laud Hall Seminary is the Seminary for the United Anglican Church which part of the continuing Anglican movement, as you are probably well aware the continuing Anglican Movement is rather fragmented and changes depending on splits and union etc. Laud Hall as it exists today is a simply a distance learning program that offers various degrees.

It is authorised by the State of Florida to grant their degrees,as you are probably aware State Licensing is the what makes a degree legally valid or not and in most states operating a school which grants degrees without state licensing is a criminal offense. State Licensing is also the prerequisite to becoming accredited, now Laud Hall it is not federally or regionally accredited which it emphasizes on the their web page but is allowed to grant degrees based on their State Authorization. There degree's are typically, three years for the MDiv or MTh with a prerequisite of Bachelors Degree or their own Licentiate program. There Doctoral program is generally 3-5 years with the appropriate prerequisites of an undergraduate qualification and a Masters Degree.

Below is a history of the Seminary

Laud Hall Seminary was chartered in 1962 to serve the Anglican Church as a vehicle for training Clergy and Laity. In the 1980s it was transferred to Texas in the Diocese of the Southwest of the Anglican Episcopal Church of North America. It was moved to Florida when the former President of the Seminary placed it under the direction of the Traditional Episcopal Church. In 1996, the Seminary was restructured, a Board of Regents was added, the schools and Faculty were expanded and the curriculum was completely revised, with the specific purpose of bringing the school into the 21st Century, placing it online, and making it a full degree-granting institution. This move was accomplished in early 1998 when all the final documents were signed and the State of Florida authorization was conferred. Following the union of the Traditional Episcopal Church with the Anglo-Catholic Church in the Americas, the Seminary came under the jurisdiction of the United Anglican Church in 2001.

I hope that this is of some use,

Regards,

Jonthan E Larkin

Dr Jonathan E Larkin

Adjunct Professor TLCGSM

http://www.tlcgsm.com/