Columbia International University

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"Columbia Bible College" redirects here. For the Mennonite college, see Columbia Bible College (Abbotsford, British Columbia).

Columbia International University

Motto	To know Him and to make Him known.
Established	1923
Type	Private
Religious affiliation	Multidenominational Christian
President	Dr. William H. Jones
Students	1,250
Undergraduates	620
Postgraduates	630
Location	Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Campus	Suburban, 400 acres (162 ha)
Former names	Columbia Bible School Columbia Bible College
Colors	Blue and Gold
Mascot	Rams
Website	www.ciu.edu

Columbia International University is a Christian institution of higher education located in Columbia, South Carolina. The university is recognized for its emphasis upon spiritual formation, biblical authority and world evangelization.

History

CIU began from modest beginnings in 1923 when it was founded as Columbia Bible School. The original purpose was to provide a two year course of study in biblical studies for local mill workers. By 1927, the decision was made to convert the school into a college and begin offering bachelor’s degrees in Bible. A location in downtown Columbia was established and the first dean (later president) of the college was chosen. The school continued to grow and eventually required a new campus. The college was relocated in 1960 to its present facility on Monticello Road. It was during the 1960s that the institution’s longest serving president, Robertson McQuilkin, son of the first dean of Columbia Bible College, was inaugurated. During this period, the institution also changed its name to Columbia Bible College and Seminary. The name was changed yet again in 1994 to Columbia International University to highlight the growing educational mission as well as to demonstrate a commitment to preparing students from all parts of the world for global Christian service.

Presidents

President	Term of Office
Rev. Robert McQuilkin	1927-1952
Rev. G. Allen Fleece	1952-1966
Rev. Robertson C. McQuilkin	1968-1990
Dr. Terry C. Hulbert (Interim)	1990-1991
Dr. Johnny V. Miller	1991-1999
Dr. George W. Murray	2000-June 30, 2007
Dr. William H. Jones	July 1, 2007-Present

Divisions

CIU Seal

CIU has five colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Counseling, the College of Education, the College of Intercultural Studies, and the Seminary & School of Ministry. Because of the closely knit nature of the institution and the emphasis on Christian education and biblical studies regardless of major, many of the colleges share faculty members.^[1]

Undergraduate

The undergraduate division of CIU (formerly known as the Bible College) is the oldest constituent division of the university. The college is headed by a Dean and possesses faculty from a variety of academic competencies, including English, humanities, music, foreign and ancient languages, philosophy, psychology, communications, and various others. While it offers majors in various disciplines, all students must take several core competency courses in biblical studies as a part of general education requirements.

Graduate School

The Graduate School primarily exists as a complement to the undergraduate programs available. At this time, the main focus of the school is offering courses leading to degrees in education, though there is a large postgraduate counseling program. The Graduate School also offers a doctoral degree in education.

Seminary

The CIU seminary (known as Columbia International University Seminary & School of Ministry) exists for the purpose of training students who desire to pursue a vocation in full or part-time Christian ministry either in a congregational setting, in parachurch organizations or as a missionary. Students at the seminary are not required to hold a particular denominational affiliation to attend, though they must meet all the other requirements for attendance at CIU. Students must assent to CIU's doctrinal standard for admission and candidacy for a degree. In addition to two master’s degree programs, the seminary also offers a doctoral degree and a certificate of graduate study.

Academics

As an institution of higher education, CIU’s primary emphasis is on its academic programs. Like most other Christian colleges, the traditional academic emphasis has been placed on the humanities and liberal arts rather than natural sciences, in addition to strong emphasis on ministerial and biblical studies, even at the undergraduate level. This is evidenced by the fact that there are undergraduate majors relating directly to ministerial skills but no programs in the sciences. A Business & Organizational Leadership major was added in 2012.

Degrees Offered

Undergraduate Certificates in:

Bible

Associate of Arts

Undergraduate Minors in:

International Community Development
Philosophy
Teaching English as a Foreign Language
Teacher Education (Five-year program leading to a master's degree)

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with majors in:

General Studies
Applied English
Bible Teaching
Biblical Languages
Business & Organizational Leadership
Communication
Church Ministry
Digital Media & Cinema
English
Family & Church Education
Humanities
Intercultural Studies
Media Arts
Middle Eastern Studies
Music
Pastoral Ministries
Psychology
Teacher Education
Youth Ministry, Family, & Culture

Graduate Certificates in:

Bible and Theology
Biblical Ministry
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

Master of Arts (M.A.) with majors in:

Bible Exposition
Bible Teaching
Chaplaincy
Counseling
Global Studies
Intercultural Studies
Ministry Care
Ministry Leadership
Muslim Studies
Teaching
Teaching English as a Foreign Language/Intercultural Studies
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Theological Studies
Youth Ministry Leadership

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Curriculum and Instruction
Educational Administration

Master of Divinity (M.Div.)

Academic Ministries
Bible Exposition
Chaplaincy
Global Studies
Ministry Care
Ministry Leadership
Youth Ministry Leadership

Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)

Ministry Leadership
Member Care
Military Chaplaincy
Global Studies
Preaching

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Christian Higher Education Leadership
Christian School Leadership
Curricular and Instructional Leadership

Postgraduate

Education Specialist
Postgraduate Certificate in Marriage & Family Counseling

Accreditation

CIU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for its undergraduate and graduate programs and is listed as a Level V school, meaning that it offers three or fewer doctoral degrees. Columbia International University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges; however on December 8, 2008, following its decennial review, the institution's accreditation was continued while it was denied its ten year reaffirmation and placed on warning for twelve months to bring into compliance issues noted below.

"The Commission determined that it failed to demonstrate compliance with Core Requirement 2.11.1 (Financial Resources), Core Requirement 2.12 (Quality Enhancement Plan), Comprehensive Standard 3.2.8 (Qualified Academic/Administrative Officers), Comprehensive Standard 3.4.7 (Consortial Relationships), Comprehensive Standard 3.7.1 (Faculty Competence), and Comprehensive Standard 3.10.1 (Financial Stability) of the Principles of Accreditation."

In the December, 2009 meeting of SACS, the commission determined that Columbia International University had resolved four of the five areas of non-compliance, but CIU was again denied reaffirmation of its ten year accreditation, and given twelve months to resolve the on-going problem with Comprehensive Standard 3.10.1 (Financial Stability).^[2]

On December 6, 2010, SACS reaffirmed their ten year accreditation for Columbia International University for resolving its problems involving Comprehensive Standard 3.10.1 (Financial Stability).^[3]

CIU is also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education with its next ten year review in 2019.^[4] The seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada to award the Master of Divinity, the Master of Arts and the Doctor of Ministry.^[5] The Graduate School is also accredited by the South Carolina Department of Education to offer graduate degrees in early childhood and elementary education leading to certification as a teacher in State of South Carolina.^[6]

Online Education

CIU also offers online degrees and other degrees that are a hybrid of on-campus and online courses. The structure of this program has the clear advantage of permitting the student to obtain a degree but without relocating closer to the campus or leaving full-time employment. One obvious disadvantage would be that the student only has limited interaction with other students and the faculty. Some courses are offered on-campus as one-week intensives at CIU's main campus in Columbia or at CIU's extension sites in Atlanta and Korntal, Germany. Degrees that can be earned completely online include:

Undergraduate Bible Certificate
Graduate Bible and Theology Certificate
Graduate Biblical Ministry Certificate
Master of Arts (Intercultural Studies)
Master of Arts (Muslim Studies)
Master of Arts (Theological Studies)
Master of Education (Curriculum and Instruction)
Master of Education (Educational Administration)

Student life

Like most evangelical schools and many seminaries, CIU does have doctrinal affirmations and lifestyle standards which all students (regardless of degree sought) are expected to affirm as a part of admission.

Doctrinal Standards

There are seven doctrinal points which students must assent to as a part of their admission to and candidacy for a degree from CIU. These are biblical inspiration, natural separation of humanity from God, salvation by grace through faith in Christ, the historical doctrine of the Trinity, the bodily resurrection of Christ from the dead, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer, and the evangelical mandate to witness to the gospel of Christ. Additionally, the doctrine of Premillennialism is officially held by the school, but students are not required to adhere to this doctrine. CIU requires all teaching faculty to affirm Premillennialism. ^[7]

Lifestyle Standards

CIU holds to a goal of spiritual formation in preparation for life after college. Students are required to sign a covenant form agreeing to keep various lifestyle standards established by the university. Some of the standards include prohibition from alcohol and tobacco. Students are required to complete a Spiritual Growth and Self Assessment – a narrative of a student’s spiritual journey during the year. Though not required during summer and winter breaks, students are expected to maintain CIU lifestyle standards.

The standards have been a point of contention for many years. While not actively publicized, a complete handbook is available for viewing at.

In the spring semester of 2007, one of the most contentious standards, the "physical expression of affection" standard (dating couples may not hold hands or kiss, but may only hug briefly) was revised to allow for more freedom of physical expressions (couples dating seriously are now allowed to hold hands and kiss briefly).

Student organizations

Student Senate: organization that serves as the go-between with the students and faculty/administration; all presidents of the other organizations sit on Senate
Student Union: organization which plans and hosts fun activities for all students.
Graduate Life Council
Married Students Association
The Finial: yearbook
Credo: theological/philosophical magazine with articles written by its staff members and students
The Pilgrim's Protest: student newspaper that accepts submissions from the student body or the free, confessional and respectful exchange of all ideas.
Mu Kappa: an organization for Missionary Kids (MK's) and Third Culture Kids who are enrolled at CIU.
African American Student Association
Student Mission Connection: student group which prays for current missionary activities and helps members seek their role in global missions.
International Student Association
Military Veterans Fellowship
Married Student Association^[8]

Denominational Relationships

CIU prides itself on being a multidenominational institution. It is not directly affiliated or sponsored by any single denomination though welcomes all students from any number of evangelical Christian denominations and somewhat more loosely, any Protestant denomination.

While CIU does have enrolled students and faculty who are members of Christian communities which would not typically be identified as evangelical Protestant, it does require that all faculty and staff belong to a local Protestant church. This policy was enforced some years ago when one faculty member, Dr. Edward Rommen, was removed from his seminary teaching post upon his conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy and reception into the Orthodox Church in America. Prior to his removal from the faculty, Dr. Rommen was a prominent member of the Evangelical Free Church of America.

The following affiliations are typically represented on campus:

African Methodist Episcopal
African Methodist Episcopal Zion
Alliance des Eglises Evangéliques Interdépendantes
American Baptist
Anglican Church in America
Assemblies of God
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Synod
Christian and Missionary Alliance
Church of God in Christ
Church of the Nazarene
Conservative Baptist Association
Episcopal
Evangelical Free Church of America
Freewill Baptist
Independent Baptist Churches
Independent Churches
National Baptist Convention
Pentecostal
Presbyterian Church in America
Presbyterian Church, various denominations
Southern Baptist Convention
United Methodist Church ^[9]

Controversy

CIU has been the center of some notable theological, political and philosophical controversies.

Theological Controversies

Founding President Robert C. McQuilkin temporarily lost his membership in the American Keswick Society (headed by the Rev. W. Griffith Thomas) in the early part of the 20th century, due to theological conflicts over differing views of human nature and remaining sin in the Christian person. Griffith-Thomas and the American Keswick group were convinced that McQuilkin adopted a sinless perfection theology, which they opposed. During the last part of the twentieth century, Dr. Miller, as president, refrained from using the classic Keswick phrase "Victorious Christian Life", and substituted "Authentic Christian Life." This substitution never caught on, however.

Princeton theologian Benjamin B. Warfield wrote a scathing theological attack on the Keswick movement, which continues to be read in Reformed circles today.^[10]

Political Controversies

In the early 1960s, as the federal government began to mandate the integration of Southern public colleges, the CIU Board of Trustees was already grappling with the issue in March 1963. According the book, “This Side of Heaven – Race, Ethnicity, and Christian Faith” by Robert J. Priest and Alvaro L. Nieves, the board voted that “in the future no one be refused admission to the Bible College on the basis of race solely,” becoming the first white institution of higher education in South Carolina to voluntarily desegregate.

In the 1990s, President Johnny Miller voiced editorials on WMHK Radio commending South Carolina legislators for restricting partial birth abortions and called for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina state house dome.

Academic/Philosophical Controversies

In the 1990s, Dr. Ed Rommen was removed from his faculty position in the seminary due to his conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy. Dr. Rommen claimed that he could still subscribe to the school's statement of faith. However, since CIU was founded by evangelical Protestants, and is a longtime member of the AABC (American Association of Bible Colleges), the administration took the position that the school's statement of faith was a Protestant symbol despite the absence of explicit anti-Catholic/Orthodox language.^[11]

On May 7, 2007, board chairman Harold Weaver announced that George Murray was being transitioned to the new position of Chancellor, and Dr. Bill Jones, who had briefly occupied the position of Provost, would become the school's next president on July 1, 2007. Jones has publicly stated that his presidency will focus on changing some fundamental elements which, in some cases, negatively stigmatize CIU and its graduates.

Additional Programs

While the primary mission of CIU is to provide an evangelical higher education to its students, the corporate entity also encompasses two other major educational and evangelistic entities.

Ben Lippen School

Ben Lippen is a private, interdenominational Christian school located on the CIU campus. It was originally founded as a boarding school in Asheville, North Carolina in the 1940s, but was moved to its current location in 1988, offering middle and high school programs. An elementary school away from the main CIU campus was begun in 1989, and in 2006 a main elementary school campus was completed on CIU grounds and classes began there in August. The schools are co-educational and feature a mix of commuting and resident students. The curriculum mirrors most public institutions with the exception of teaching subject from an evangelical Christian worldview and the inclusion of Bible classes and chapel for students, faculty, and staff. In 2013, there were nearly 800 students enrolled at the school.

Christian Radio Stations

Two commercial-free, listener supported radio stations playing Contemporary Christian Music are supported by CIU. The first, 89.7 WMHK-FM, is located on the CIU campus and broadcasts in the Columbia metro area. It received the Station of the Year Award in 1996 from the National Association of Broadcasters for religious/gospel programming, is the 2006 recipient of the CMB/GMA Station of The Year "Dove Award" and is ranked #2 nationally for religiously oriented radio stations. A sister station in Charlotte, North Carolina, 91.9 WRCM-FM, began broadcasting in 1993. Both stations feature a mix of music and preaching and sponsor concerts in their listening areas by CCM artists.

References

↑ Columbia International University 2013-2014 Academic Catalog
↑ SACS 2009 December Actions and Disclosure Statements – Columbia International University
↑ "Actions taken by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees". Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges. December 6, 2010. p. 2. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
↑ "ABHE Commission on Accreditation". Association for Biblical Higher Education. 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011. "Reaffirm Accredited Status – Columbia International University (SC) until 2019"
↑ "ATS – Member Schools". The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
↑ "Approved Educator Preparation Programs". scteachers.org. April 28, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
↑ CIU 2013-2014 Academic Catalog
↑ CIU Undergraduate Viewbook
↑ CIU 2013-2014 Academic Catalog
↑ See The Princeton Theological Review, Vol. XVII, no.2, c. 1919.
↑ Scott A. Swanson, "Universities Question Orthodox Conversions," Christianity Today 42 (10 August 1998) 18, 21.

External links

v t e Colleges and universities in South Carolina

Public institutions	The Citadel Clemson Coastal Carolina College of Charleston Francis Marion Lander South Carolina State USC Aiken USC Beaufort USC Columbia USC Lancaster USC Salkehatchie USC Sumter USC Union USC Upstate Winthrop

Private institutions	Allen Anderson Benedict Bob Jones Charleston Southern Claflin Columbia Columbia International Coker Converse Erskine Furman Limestone Morris Newberry North Greenville Presbyterian Sherman Southern Wesleyan Spartanburg Methodist Voorhees Wofford

Technical Colleges	Aiken TC Central Carolina TC Denmark TC Florence-Darlington TC Greenville TC Horry-Georgetown TC Midlands TC Northeastern TC Orangeburg-Calhoun TC Piedmont TC Spartanburg CC Technical College of the Lowcountry Tri-County TC Trident TC Williamsburg TC York TC

Seminaries, graduate, and professional institutions	Charleston School of Law Erskine Theological Seminary Geneva Reformed Seminary Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary Medical University of South Carolina USC School of Law

Coordinates: 34°04′33″N 81°04′31″W / 34.075768°N 81.075314°W / 34.075768; -81.075314

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