Author: Peggy Bell Hendrickson, Transcript Research

Within the U.S., there are several national faith-related accrediting organizations recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA): the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), the Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS), the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries-Commission on Accreditation (ARTS-COA), the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), and the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS).

There are no regional accrediting bodies in the U.S. that specifically accredit faith-based institutions, though many nationally-accredited faith-based colleges and universities in the U.S. also hold regional accreditation. It is up to the receiving institution to determine if a national, faith-based accreditation body meets their requirements for accreditation when dealing with educational credentials awarded by a domestic higher education institution.

Within the field of international education, there are no standard recommendations regarding theological studies and their accrediting bodies. Many faith-based institutions are not recognized by the Ministry of Education or other higher education authorities in their home country because of the nature or number of religious courses or because the religion is not the dominant religion of the country.

In addition, faith-based institutions may have no desire to obtain academic recognition from the higher education authorities. They may seek only to be accredited by a single faith-based accrediting body specific to their region or religion, or they may seek a more global acceptance of their curriculum and degrees. Some pursue no accreditation at all while others may form their own accrediting body, often in association with similar faith-based institutions in their geographic region and/or from the same religious denomination.

Since there are no international or country-specific standards for theological education, it is up to the receiving institution to determine if a particular faith-based institution’s relationships with accrediting bodies meets their individual needs.

Accreditation by faith-based accrediting bodies is one strategy for acceptance. Some of the more well-known internationally-recognized, faith-related accrediting bodies worldwide include:

• International Council for Evangelical Theological Education, comprised of nine regional associations of theological schools:
  • Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa
  • Asia Theological Association
  • Caribbean Evangelical Theological Association
  • European Council for Theological Education (formerly, the European Evangelical Accrediting Association)
  • Euro-Asian Accrediting Association
  • Association for Evangelical Theological Education in Latin America
  • Association for Biblical Higher Education (national accrediting body in North America)
  • Middle East Association for Theological Education
  • South Pacific Association of Evangelical Colleges
• Association for Theological Education in South East Asia
• Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities

This is not an exhaustive list by any means, simply a list of the more well-known associations.

Beyond these international organizations, there exist a vast array of religious recognition authorities. This article seeks to briefly highlight some of the more common examples, but this is not intended to, nor could not, be a complete list of examples or religious oversight bodies.

Some parts of the world have their own regional recognition bodies. For example, the fastest growing segment of higher education in Africa is private, non-profit religious educational institutions. In some instances, large religious denominations have established universities in conjunction with the local higher education authority; in other cases, religious educational institutions have developed to cater to under-served religious community.

Africa offers numerous options for religious accreditation, validation, or registration of bible schools, theological colleges, seminaries, and other religious training institutions through other theological education associations, including:

• Africa Theological Training Service
• Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa
• Association for Pentecostal Theological Education in Africa and its affiliated Africa Theological Training Service for the Assemblies of God
• Association of Evangelicals in Africa
• General Council, Assemblies of God
• World Evangelical Alliance

The educational offerings at religiously-affiliated institutions vary from state-recognized religious research universities to practical training centers and seminaries for religious leaders. As a result, different countries or regions within Africa also have established other faith-related associations that might not be as well established as some of those mentioned above, including, but not limited to:

• Association of Southern African Theological Institutions
• Association of Theological Institutions in East Africa
• Association of Theological Institutions in Southern and Central Africa
• Association of Theology Institutions in Francophone Africa
• West Africa Association of Theological Institutions

Furthermore, some countries have such significant numbers of religiously-affiliated institutions that higher education accreditors or commissions may be established by or approved by the government after the fact or in concert with governmental bodies. The Philippines is one such example.

In the Philippines, higher education may be administered by a number of different agencies, though the Commission on Higher Education is the most widely accepted and thus is comparable to regional accreditation. Other government-approved educational authorities include the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines, the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation, the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities, and the Association of Local Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation.

Private higher education, likewise, is overseen by five educational associations: the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities; the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines; the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities; the Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges, and Universities; and the Technical-Vocational School Association of the Philippines. These five agencies combine to form the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations.

The Philippines Department of Education also established a set of policies based on the recommendations of its Bureau of Higher Education and Technical Committee on Theological Education. These regulations state specifically that only seminaries, bible colleges, and theological schools duly authorized by the Department of Education are eligible to offer Philosophy/Theology undergraduate programs or graduate programs in Theological Education.

Additional requirements are laid out regarding the curriculum, the education of instructors, the library and laboratory facilities, admissions requirements, and other elements of approved theological education. Similar regulations were also established for graduate theological education. Neither of these two institutions is approved by the Department of Education.

In addition, faith-based education is so prominent in the Philippines that a number of national religious accrediting bodies has been created. In addition to the faith-based accrediting bodies mentioned above, others include the Philippine Association of Bible and Theological Schools and the Alliance of Bible Christian Communities of the Philippines.

The World Alliance for Pentecostal Theological Education, the World Evangelical Alliance, the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Association of Theological Education in South East Asia, and the Asia Pacific Theological Association are lesser-known faith-based agencies that accredit higher education institutions in the Philippines. 

Different religions also have their own educational authorities, such as the Evangelical Training Directory of the World Evangelical Alliance; the Adventist Accrediting Association of Seventh-day Adventist Schools, Colleges, and Universities; and the Alliance for Assemblies of God Higher Education among many others.

There are also some unique circumstances surrounding some faith-based institutions. Two particular religions have vastly different acceptance in their home countries and world- wide: Catholicism and Baha’i.

Catholic education is unique on this list because it is the only religion established by and exclusively administered by its singular government. The Vatican City State is a sovereign entity within the city of Rome, Italy, and is the smallest sovereign state in the world. It is governed by the Holy See, or See of Rome, which is the central governing body of the Catholic Church.

Pontifical universities are universities established by and under the auspices of the Holy See. They are licensed to grant academic degrees in theology, canon law, philosophy, and other religious subjects. Pontifical universities have affiliations with approximately 125 seminaries and other religious-based educational institutions around the world.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are religions that are so persecuted, its members are not allowed to attend either public or private higher educational institutions in their own country much less obtain government recognition for their institutions.

The Baha’i Institute of Higher Education (BIHE) was recognized by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology of Iran from 1987 until 1998 when it was formally closed but operated in an underground fashion and in secret locations. Members of the Baha’i faith in Iran are not legally allowed to attend recognized higher educational institutions in Iran, so BIHE has continued to operate with volunteer professors and distance education methodologies.

As the only method for further education for the Baha’i community in Iran, BIHE now awards almost two dozen Associate and Bachelor degrees and another ten graduate degrees even though they are not recognized degrees by the higher education authorities or institutions in Iran.

Since the Baha’i Institute of Higher Education is a faith-based institution no longer recognized by the Ministry of Education in Iran due to the Islamic government’s mandate against those of the Baha’i faith, some evaluation companies recommend that BIHE be considered comparable to a private US college or university that holds religious, or faith-based, accreditation.

Summary

Some evaluation companies consider faith-based institutions recognized as comparable to a US college or university holding national accreditation from a recognized faith-based accrediting body if they are recognized by one of the well-known, established faith-related accrediting bodies. Other evaluation companies only evaluate those that are also recognized by the higher education authorities such as the Ministry of Higher Education or Commission on Higher Education. Still others will evaluate faith-based institutions but not recommend any academic credit, considering them professional training for employment purposes.

Because NACES member organizations are independent companies with different methodologies and philosophies, it may be useful to reach out to the evaluation company before applying to ask about their policies related to faith-based institutions in general and specific institutions in particular.