The Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), formerly The Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC) is an evangelical Christian organization of bible colleges in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. It is a member of the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education. The ABHE is interdenominational but requires annual affirmation of a common statement of beliefs. It is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.
| Formation | 1947 (not-for-profit corporation in 1954) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Orlando, FL |
| Location |
|
President | Philip E. Dearborn[1] |
Key people | William Blocker, DMCE, Board Chairman |
| Staff | 12 |
| Website | https://www.abhe.org |
History
editThe organization was founded in 1947 as the Accrediting Association of Bible Institutes and Bible Colleges.[2] The name was shortened in 1957 to the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges. From 1973 to 1994 the organization was called the American Association of Bible Colleges, but the name Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges was restored in 1994. In 2004 the name of the organization changed to the Association for Biblical Higher Education "in order to reflect its expansion of scope with graduate education accreditation and programmatic accreditation."[3][4]
Statistics
editThe ABHE has 161 member institutions.[5] Over 63,000+ students are reported to be enrolled in ABHE Member institutions.[6]
Affiliations
editThe ABHE is a member of the International Council for Evangelical Theological Education.[7]
Accreditation
editThe ABHE is incorporated in the State of Illinois as a not-for-profit corporation and exempt from income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.[8][9] It is a recognized accrediting agency in the United States.[10] It is recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Standards for accreditation
editTo achieve or retain accreditation from ABHE, a school must demonstrate that it is accomplishing its mission and goals through a comprehensive system of assessment and planning.[11] It also requires that the school annually affirm its tenets of faith; the tenets also include a position statement that supports conservative Biblical views on sexuality with which the school must agree.[12]
Honor society
editThe ABHE sponsors the Delta Epsilon Chi honor society for students at its accredited institutions.[13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Association Staff". 23 November 2016. Retrieved Oct 13, 2020.
- ^ George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christian Education, Volume 3, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2015, p. 86
- ^ George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 241
- ^ History Archived July 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, ABHE website
- ^ "Member Directory". abhe-dir.weaveeducation.com. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
- ^ ABHE, About ABHE, abhe.org, USA, retrieved June 8, 2021
- ^ International Council for Evangelical Theological Education, Members, abhe.org, USA, retrieved June 8, 2021
- ^ ABHE Facts, ABHE website, accessed 2 December 2011
- ^ Ralph E. Enlow (2011), President's 2011 Annual Report Archived 2011-12-11 at the Wayback Machine, ABHE, accessed 2 December 2011
- ^ "Agency list". Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. U.S. Department of Education. Archived from the original on 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2011-12-02.
- ^ "Comprehensive Standards" (PDF). ABHE. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ "Tenets of Faith" (PDF). The Association for Biblical Higher Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2020.
- ^ "Honor Society". Association for Biblical Higher Education. 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2024-02-05.