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Cornerstone University
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Cornerstone University is a fundie school in Grand Rapids, Michigan that teaches creationism as fact. The university is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission to award Associates to Doctoral degrees.[1] The seminary is accredited through the Association of Theological Schools, a national accreditation agency for seminaries. The Social Work program is accredited through the Council on Social Work Education, an accreditation agency that accredits social work programs. The music program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
History[edit]
Founded in 1941, Cornerstone University started out as Baptist Bible Institute and classes were run out of the Wealthy Street Baptist Church. In 1944 the school built a campus offering two- and three-year degree programs in ministry. In 1945, seminary educated faculty were employed and the Pastoral Ministries program was formed. To be accepted into the program, a student had to have a two-year education including classes in Greek and philosophy. In 1955 the Institute required a bachelor's degree for admission to the Pastoral Ministry program; in 1963, the State of Michigan allowed the Institute to offer Bachelors' degrees in Religious Education and Music. Soon the school became a legal undergraduate degree-granting school, and in 1972 the school began to offer degrees in sciences and arts, and was recognized by the State of Michigan. By 1977 the school gained regional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission. In 1993 the Grand Rapids School of Bible and Music merged with Grand Rapids Baptist College and Seminary (the new name of Baptist Bible Institute) which would be named Cornerstone College. In 1993 the school of Professional and Graduate school was formed with programs in Bible, Ministry, Business and Accounting. In 1999 Cornerstone College and the separate Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary merged to form the current Cornerstone University In 2003 the Grand Rapids Theological Seminary was formed as a ministry graduate school.
Doctrine[edit]
Cornerstone's doctrine is known as the "University Confession".
| Doctrine statement excerpts | Rationalist translation |
|---|---|
| "We believe in one sovereign, omnipotent, and fully omniscient God who eternally exists in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who in love and for his glory created all things out of nothing and pronounced them good." | God is all knowing and somehow turned into three persons |
| "We believe that God has revealed himself in the sixty-six canonical books of Scripture, which are verbally inspired, truth without error, and serve as our final authority in faith and life. They lead us to Jesus Christ, who shows us the Father, and rightly interpreted, they enable us to understand God's revelation in humanity, nature, and history." | The Bible is literal and there is no questioning allowed (critical thinking is a no-no) |
| "We believe that God directly created Adam and Eve, the historical parents of the human race, distinct from the rest of creation in their bearing of God's image and their stewardship over creation. Their union as man and woman models God's design for marriage and perpetually stands as God's loving and righteous will for all sexual intimacy." | i.e Creationism is scientific fact, and none of that non-straight stuff is to be tolerated. |
External links[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Statement of Accreditation Status as of December 18, 2016: Cornerstone University Higher Learning Commission