When Moore Theological College Got Into Bed With The World.

A revealing and lamentable Choices insert appeared in this month's issue of Southern Cross, the Sydney Episcopalian Diocesan Newspaper. Revealing and lamentable with respect to its article headed "Moore gets ACCREDITED". Notice the triumphalism expressed by the article writer with all capitals used for the word accredited. The implication being that to be seen as acceptable by the world is something to cheer about.

August 30, 2011 is given as the date Moore Theological College received a letter from the NSW Government Department of Education and Communities approving the college as an institution with self-accrediting authority (SAA). The article says:

"The college decided to seek SAA status for a number of reasons. It will provide the college with the flexibility to respond to changes among the churches and other constituencies that it serves and also the changes taking place in higher education. The college also believes that SAA will provide a cost-effective means to ensure continuous quality improvement in the courses that it offers. In order to achieve SAA Moore College was required to demonstrate a proven track record of higher education approvals. Approvals covered the college as a whole and each of its courses individually. It involved rigorous review by both state and federal accrediting agencies of the college's entire operations, of compliance with all higher education protocols and of the quality environment of excellence within the college. It involved presenting evidence, lots of evidence, that it met the standards or all the various accreditation regimes and at the standard of an Australian university."

and later: "The college welcomed and valued the input from many university academics who participated, and will continue to participate, in the quality reviews of college courses and operations."

Writers of the past have linked the declension of the church in Great Britain to theological institutions seeking after academic recognition. The same is on in Sydney. Christians are to enjoy the commendation of God - not the world. What are secular academics doing in a theological institution ensuring "compliance with all higher education protocols"?

To receive and retain accreditation Moore Theological College has to remove contention with the world on the subject of Origins. To do that it must reduce the clear conviction of Scripture, the affirming view of the majority of early Christian fathers and the reaffirming view of the Reformers on Origins to just another view alongside, even syncretising with worldly views. I cannot see students of Moore Theological College ever again receiving, with convicting authority, the message of Creation delivered and sustained by God through the generations (particularly the high periods of the Christian Church). An "accredited" Moore Theological College will be under pressure to compromise on other doctrine.

Christians are a peculiar people in this world. They are not obligated to the world. They "live not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). It ought not be the pursuit of any theological institution to get into bed with the tool of Satan viz. the world. Theological institutions are obligated to God through the Church and the Church should be assisting those who go through ministry training. Relying on government financial assistance toward students through enrolment in accredited institutions is not the way to go.

There is a price to pay for infidelity and it will be the scattering of that which purports to be the Church today.

Sam Drucker