ACCREDITATION
State Authorization, Accreditation, and 501c3 Status
- Faith Theological Seminary of Catonsville is a religious educational institution operating in the State of Maryland pursuant to a Religious Exemption granted by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), without a Certificate of Approval from the Commission, as specified in the Code of Maryland Regulations 13B.02.04. Under this exemption originally granted July 21, 2021, Faith Theological Seminary of Catonsville can offer religious education and the granting of the following six religious educational degrees (with concentrations): Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies; Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies; Master of Arts in Biblical Studies, Master of Divinity; Doctor of Ministry; Doctor of Philosophy. FTS makes no representation to any applicant or student enrolled within its religiously exempt degree programs that it will receive full state approval or accreditation eligibility before the graduation of any matriculated student. There is also no guarantee that credits from the religiously exempt degree programs will be transferable to potentially accredited programs in the future or to other institutions.
- FTS is in Candidate Status with the Association of Reformed Theological Seminaries (ARTS). As an accrediting agency, ARTS achieved recognition in 2024 by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) for the following scope of accreditation: ARTS Commission on Accreditation accredits United States-based institutions and other locations as determined by the Commission on Accreditation, which offer baccalaureate, graduate, and postgraduate degrees in fields aimed at preparing students for Christian service and ministry through biblical and theological studies of Reformed traditions.
- Faith Theological Seminary recognizes the serious threat that diploma mills pose to the credibility of Christian higher education and to the integrity of academic and vocational preparation. For this reason, we willingly engage in the rigorous process of accreditation to demonstrate our commitment to academic quality and institutional accountability. As the U.S. Department of Education explains, “Accreditation in the United States is a voluntary, nongovernmental process, in which an institution and its programs are evaluated against standards for measuring quality.” By participating in this process, FTS affirms its dedication to providing students with a legitimate, high-quality theological education that meets nationally recognized standards.
- Faith Theological Seminary (FTS) is incorporated under the 501(c)(3) nonprofit registration of Grace Bible Baptist Church (GBBC). GBBC has been a non-profit incorporation since 1973 as a member of the Independent Fundamentalist Churches of America (IFCA) 501(c)(3) which operates under the Internal Revenue Service code of 1986, as amended, section 501(c)(3) and section 170 of the code.
