Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Is Moving To Canada

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Bannockburn, Illinois, affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America, was one of the largest and most influential seminaries in America, but enrollment has taken a nosedive. Trinity International University was located at this site, but they have closed down all operations in Illinois, and moved the law school to Santa Ana, California. (These schools are not to be confused with Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois which is a school in the Reformed tradition). Anyway, Christian colleges all over are experiencing problems with finances and declining enrollment - not just the IFB schools.

"Ed Stetzer, dean of the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, said TEDS was often referred to as the 'Queen of the Seminaries' and was well respected for its influence in theological education. News of the move and the school’s troubles is unsettling, he said.

“'It’s a jarring moment in theological education, and a sign of the times,' he said. 'Seminary education is in trouble — and more closures and mergers are coming, unless seminaries and churches find new and innovative ways to partner.'”

Wow. That is huge.

They're moving to the campus of Trinity Western University in British Columbia, the largest Christian university in Canada. Could do worse. TWU is a pretty solid evangelical school, and they've got a satellite campus here in Ottawa that places student interns in some pretty influential places, including Parliament Hill.

Both schools were founded by the Evangelical Free Churches, so it's effectively a merger, I think.

More on the TEDS move.

"The move could also place TEDS in a potentially more hostile political and social environment in British Columbia, Canada, as TWU faced years of litigation over its previous policy of requiring students to agree to a 'Community Covenant' that prohibited any sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman. After the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the denial of accreditation to the university's proposed law school, TWU dropped its student requirements to sign the covenant.

"TEDS's current 'Community Standards' policy for its students includes a prohibition on 'dishonesty, theft, pre-marital sex, abortion, adultery, homosexual behavior, and use of pornography, profanity, gossip, racism, and infringement upon the rights of others.'

"It is unclear whether the divinity school will drop the requirement once the move to Canada is completed."


Gotta love the comment at the bottom - "I wonder if Canada will charge counter tariffs on this move?"