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Clarks Summit University
Christian Colleges and Seminaries
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“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

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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"

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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...

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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.

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