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Church & Ministry
Clarks Summit University
Christian Colleges and Seminaries

“Officials announced the university, previously named Baptist Bible College, would close last summer amid financial struggles and declining enrollment. It was listed on the market for $17.5 million in the fall.” - Yahoo News

Also: Sale of former Baptist Bible College is pending - Audacy

Discussion

Thu, 02/06/25

It will be interesting to see who the buyer is. Fewer people headed toward ministry and perhaps a swelling of self-taught pastors (and churches comfortable with that) are certainly factors.

"The Midrash Detective"

Thu, 02/06/25

It's been about 15 years since I've been on the campus, but $17 million for all those buildings and the property seems like a real bargain unless property values in that part of PA are FAR lower than where I live. Such a shame...

Thu, 02/06/25

Per Ed's comment, perhaps the days of residential seminaries are ending. I know that when I was at Fourth, almost all of the students at Central were renting apartments and working for FedEx, and even Central is struggling.

Part of it is economics; low wages do not generally allow high barriers to entry like a masters' degree in a residential college. Young people aren't content to nosh on mystery meat at a boarding house anymore, to draw a picture, so we've got to figure out a new model that will meet the necessary criteria (ancient languages, logic, exegesis, hermeneutics, counseling, with good evaluations, etc..) with a lower barrier to entry--at least a lower one financially.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.