The California Graduate School of Theology is an institution of higher learning in Garden Grove,

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

History

The California Graduate School of Theology was founded and chartered in the state of California in 1969 by William S. McBirnie, an ordained

Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The word ...

pastor, author, and educator. Joining with McBirnie in this effort were psychologist and syndicated columnist and prominent Methodist layman Dr George Crane and Dr Robert Grant. It opened its doors one year later on the campus of the United Community Church in Glendale, CA. Classroom facilities and a beautiful library were built on the site. Past presidents have included Drs. W. S. McBirnie, Holland London, Donald Ellis, and Lawrence Wilkes. CGSOT was one of the first schools to offer extension classes in other states, including AZ, TX, MI, NY, ME, and HI. Since its inception over 6,000 students have become alums. Under the presidency of Lawrence Wilkes, the school relocated to the campus of The Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA before moving to its present location. Kang Won Lee is the current president.

Logo

The California Graduate School of Theology logo is the iconic image of Saint George of the Cross delivering a mortal blow to the head of a dragon, symbolizing Christ's defeat of Satan on the cross.

Degrees offered

In 2012, the

California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education The California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) is a unit of the California Department of Consumer Affairs charged with regulation of private postsecondary educational institutions operating in the state of California. The BPPE is ...

(BPPE) reapproved the school to offer degrees ranging from the Bachelor of Arts/Theology, Master of Arts (MA), Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Theology (Th.M.), Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.), Doctor of Theology (Th.D.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).

Accreditation

CGSOT is fully accredited by the

Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools The Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) is a U.S. based institutional accreditation organization that focuses on Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries seeking collegiate accreditation in the United Sta ...

(TRACS), an accrediting agency authorized by the U. S Department of Education (DOE), to grant bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees. In 2020, the undergraduate school took the name Haven University with the Graduate theology division retaining the name California Graduate School of Theology.

References

Unaccredited Christian universities and colleges in the United States Unaccredited institutions of higher learning in California Educational institutions established in 1969 Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools Seminaries and theological colleges in California {{California-university-stub