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119-613: John M. Ellis, a Presbyterian missionary in the East, saw the need for a “seminary of learning” in the new state of Illinois. His plans drew the attention of Congregational students at Yale College , and seven of them, in one of the famous “Yale Bands,” came westward to help found the college. The first president of Illinois College was Edward Beecher who left his position at the Park Street Church in Boston and firmly imbued

238-513: A 2002 report by George C. Leef and Roxana D. Burris of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) argued that the system does not ensure or protect educational quality, while still imposing significant costs. In a 2006 "issue paper", Robert C. Dickeson wrote that a lack of transparency, low and lax standards, and outdated regionalization were among the problems with regional accreditation. Others, such as Edward M. Elmendorf of

357-515: A governing body. Initially, member congregations were located in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. Further growth led to the creation of the Synod of Philadelphia (known as the "General Synod") in 1717. The synod's membership consisted of all ministers and one lay elder from every congregation. The synod still had no official confessional statement. The Church of Scotland and

476-501: A religious viewpoint and may require students and/or faculty to subscribe to a statement of faith. Additionally, as of 2009, 20 U.S. states and Puerto Rico had some form of exemption provision under which religious institutions can grant religious degrees without accreditation or government oversight. Since 2001, the use of the top-level internet domain , .edu has been restricted to accredited institutions, but non-qualifying institutions can still use .edu domain names obtained before

595-552: A result, most of the local churches established by the organization were Presbyterian. Another major stimulus for growth was the Second Great Awakening (c. 1790 – 1840), which initially grew out of a 1787 student revival at Hampden–Sydney College , a Presbyterian institution in Virginia. From there, revivals spread to Presbyterian churches in Virginia and then to North Carolina and Kentucky. The Revival of 1800

714-534: A specific program of professional education or training, but in some cases they cover the whole institution. Best practices are shared and developed through affiliation with the Association of Professional and Specialized Accreditors. Both the US Department of Education and CHEA maintain lists of recognized US programmatic accreditors: For broad resources on how programmatic accreditation is managed in

833-642: A strong Presbyterian presence in the Middle Colonies , particularly Philadelphia . Before 1706, however, Presbyterian congregations were not yet organized into presbyteries or synods . In 1706, seven ministers led by Francis Makemie established the first presbytery in North America, the Presbytery of Philadelphia . The presbytery was primarily created to promote fellowship and discipline among its members and only gradually developed into

952-789: A work of God. In the early 1770s, American Presbyterians were initially reluctant to support American Independence, but in time many Presbyterians came to support the Revolutionary War . After the Battles of Lexington and Concord , the Synod of New York and Philadelphia published a letter in May 1775 urging Presbyterians to support the Second Continental Congress while remaining loyal to George III . In one sermon, John Witherspoon , president of Princeton, preached "that

1071-480: Is assured . It is coordinated by accreditation commissions made up of member institutions. It was first undertaken in the late 19th century by cooperating educational institutions, on a regional basis. The federal government began to play a limited role in higher education accreditation in 1952 with reauthorization of the G.I. Bill for Korean War veterans . The original GI Bill legislation had stimulated establishment of new colleges and universities to accommodate

1190-554: Is open to tours and visits by appointment. It was renovated in 2007 thanks to a donation by Mohammed Al Habtoor . The college is also home to the Khalaf Al Habtoor Archives which is located in Schewe Library. The collection is home to many documents and artifacts associated with Illinois College and its long history. This includes items attributed to Abraham Lincoln who had direct and indirect ties to

1309-469: Is that the traditional system is limited to measuring "input" factors, such as adequate facilities and properly credentialed faculty, rather than the quality of a school's educational output. In his 1996 book Crisis in the Academy , Christopher J. Lucas criticized the accreditation system as too expensive, onerously complicated, incestuous in its organization, and not properly tied to quality. Similarly,

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1428-409: Is the student governing body at Illinois College. The organization’s goal is to act as a representative for the student body and promote the best interests of the students. Illinois College is home to a number of Greek organizations. Along with the many academically affiliated Greek organizations, Illinois College also houses a number of national recognized Greek organizations such as Alpha Phi Omega ;

1547-509: The American Association of State Colleges and Universities , reject these claims, arguing that they are "picking around the edges" of a proven and necessary system for upholding standards. Thomas C. Reeves notes that some schools unable or unwilling to meet the standards of traditional, regional accrediting bodies are closely involved in creating national accrediting agencies with significantly lower standards. At various times

1666-928: The American Civil War . The women's athletic teams are known as the Lady Blues. They have been members of the Midwest Conference since 1982. They were members of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin from 1946 to 1953. Illinois College was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1910 to 1937. Twenty varsity sports are offered for men and women. Soccer, basketball, volleyball, baseball, Softball, indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Cross Country. Swimming, Tennis, Football, and golf. In addition to

1785-885: The American upper class , Harvard University ; and the Episcopal and the Presbyterian Church. Old money in the United States was typically associated with White Anglo-Saxon Protestant ("WASP") status, particularly with the Episcopal and Presbyterian Church. Briggs' heresy trial was a setback to the movement for confessional revision, which wanted to soften the Westminster Confession's Calvinistic doctrines of predestination and election . Nevertheless, overtures continued to come before

1904-679: The Associate Reformed Church , to form the United Foreign Missionary Society. The United Society was particularly focused on work among Native Americans and inhabitants of Central and South America. These denominations also established a United Domestic Missionary Society to station missionaries within the United States. In 1826, the Congregationalists joined these united efforts. The Congregational mission societies were merged with

2023-732: The Church of Scotland and Presbyterians from Ireland first immigrated to America. After the American Revolution , the PCUSA was organized in Philadelphia to provide national leadership for Presbyterians in the new nation. In 1861, Presbyterians in the Southern United States split from the denomination because of disputes over slavery, politics, and theology precipitated by the American Civil War . They established

2142-823: The Constitution and Federal Government of the United States . In response, representatives of Old School presbyteries in the South met in December at Augusta, Georgia, to form the Presbyterian Church in the Confederate States of America . The Presbyterian Church in the CSA absorbed the smaller United Synod in 1864. After the Confederacy's defeat in 1865, it was renamed the Presbyterian Church in

2261-468: The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) (a non-governmental organization ) both recognize reputable accrediting bodies for institutions of higher education and provide guidelines as well as resources and relevant data regarding these accreditors. Neither the U.S. Department of Education nor CHEA accredit individual institutions. With the creation of the U.S. Department of Education and under

2380-549: The Higher Learning Commission or its predecessor since 1913. The college's Epsilon Chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa national honor society is one of only eleven in the state; it was established in 1932. All degrees awarded by Illinois College are undergraduate bachelor's degrees with the exception of a newer Master of Arts in education. The M.A.Ed. is a 32-credit hour on-campus degree program which

2499-621: The Jacksonville Female Academy (founded 1830), and in 1906 IC awarded degrees to its first four female graduates. Illinois Conservatory of Music (founded 1871) was also absorbed in 1903. In 1932 the Phi Beta Kappa Society established a chapter at Illinois College, and it remains one of only 11 chapters in the state. Illinois College is a liberal arts college with an enrollment of 1,029 (2022) students. Over 80 different programs and majors are offered at

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2618-708: The National Register of Historic Places . The lower quad is the newer section of campus where many of the residence halls are located along with the Caine Student Center. Just south of the lower quad is the Bruner Fitness Center as well as the athletic fields for football, soccer, baseball, softball, and tennis. The upper and lower quads are separated by the Steuer Walkway. Originally, a section of Mound Avenue ran through

2737-820: The Orthodox Presbyterian Church in 1936. The origins of the Presbyterian Church is the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. The writings of French theologian and lawyer John Calvin (1509–64) solidified much of the Reformed thinking that came before him in the form of the sermons and writings of Huldrych Zwingli . John Knox , a former Catholic priest from Scotland who studied with Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland , took Calvin's teachings back to Scotland and led

2856-561: The Pentateuch was authored by Moses or that the book of Isaiah had a single author. In addition, he also denied that Biblical prophecy was a precise prediction of the future. In 1891, Briggs preached a sermon in which he claimed the Bible contained errors, a position many in the church considered contrary to the Westminster Confession's doctrines of verbal inspiration and Biblical inerrancy . In response, 63 presbyteries petitioned

2975-537: The Presbyterian Church in the United States , often called the "Southern Presbyterian Church". The PCUSA, in turn, was described as the Northern Presbyterian Church . Despite the PCUSA's designation as a "Northern church", it was once again a national denomination in its later years. Over time, traditional Calvinism played less of a role in shaping the church's doctrines and practices—it was influenced by Arminianism and revivalism early in

3094-519: The Scottish Reformation of 1560. As a result, the Church of Scotland embraced Reformed theology and presbyterian polity . The Ulster Scots brought their Presbyterian faith with them to Ireland, where they laid the foundation of what would become the Presbyterian Church of Ireland . By the second half of the 17th century, Presbyterians were immigrating to British North America . Scottish and Scotch-Irish immigrants contributed to

3213-624: The Synod of Ulster already required clergy to subscribe to the Westminster Confession . In 1729, the synod passed the Adopting Act , which required clergy to assent to the Westminster Confession and Larger and Shorter Catechisms . However, subscription was only required for those parts of the Confession deemed an "essential and necessary article of faith". Ministers could declare any scruples to their presbytery or

3332-723: The anxious bench , and prayer groups . Albert Baldwin Dod accused Finney of preaching Pelagianism and urged him to leave the Presbyterian Church. Finney did just that in 1836 when he joined the Congregational church as pastor of the Broadway Tabernacle in New York City. The Old School faction was convinced that the Plan of Union with the Congregational churches had undermined Presbyterian doctrine and order. At

3451-535: The free will teaching of Arminianism , thereby rejecting the Calvinist doctrines of predestination . Facing charges of heresy for their Arminian beliefs, Presbyterian ministers Richard McNemar and John Thompson, along with Barton W. Stone and two other ministers, chose to withdraw from the Kentucky Synod and form the independent Springfield Presbytery in 1803. These ministers would later dissolve

3570-514: The "New Side", and their conservative opponents, known as the "Old Side". While the Old Side and New Side disagreed over the possibility of immediate assurance of salvation , the controversy was not primarily theological. Both sides believed in justification by faith , predestination , and that regeneration occurred in stages. In 1738, the synod moved to restrict itinerant preaching and to tighten educational requirements for ministers, actions

3689-650: The 1837 General Assembly, the Old School majority successfully passed resolutions removing all judicatories found under the Plan from the Presbyterian Church. In total, three synods in New York and one synod in Ohio along with 28 presbyteries, 509 ministers, and 60 thousand church members (one-fifth of the PCUSA's membership) were excluded from the church. New School leaders reacted by meeting in Auburn, New York, and issuing

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3808-516: The 19th century, liberal theology late in the 19th century, and neo-orthodoxy by the mid-20th century. The theological tensions within the denomination were played out in the Fundamentalist–Modernist Controversy of the 1920s and 1930s, a conflict that led to the development of Christian fundamentalism and has historical importance to modern American evangelicalism . Conservatives dissatisfied with liberal trends left to form

3927-475: The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, a national accreditor, were occasionally sued for leading prospective students to believe, incorrectly, that they would have no problem transferring their credits to a regionally accredited school. The U.S. Department of Education recognizes the following organizations as institutional accreditors: These accreditors typically cover

4046-621: The Auburn Declaration, a 16-point defense of their Calvinist orthodoxy. When the General Assembly met in May 1838 at Philadelphia, the New School commissioners attempted to be seated but were forced to leave and convene their own General Assembly elsewhere in the city. The Old School and New School factions had finally split into two separate churches that were about equal in size. Both churches, however, claimed to be

4165-411: The Bible. At the forefront of the controversy in the PCUSA was Charles A. Briggs , a professor at PCUSA's Union Theological Seminary in New York. While Briggs held to traditional Christian teaching in many areas, such as his belief in the virgin birth of Jesus , conservatives were alarmed by his assertion that doctrines were historical constructs that had to change over time. He did not believe that

4284-514: The Carolinas. Compared to the Church of Scotland, the plan gave presbyteries more power and autonomy. Synods and the General Assembly were to be "agencies for unifying the life of the Church, considering appeals, and promoting the general welfare of the Church as a whole." The plan included provisions from the Church of Scotland's Barrier Act of 1697, which required the General Assembly to receive

4403-598: The Communication and Rhetorical Studies department. William Jennings Bryan carved his initials into a Whipple Hall banister while he was a student, and the initials can still be found on the building along with a commemorative plaque. Tanner Hall, built for the college's centennial, once housed the library. It now houses administrative offices including the Academic Dean’s Office, the Business Office,

4522-552: The Eastern Seaboard to settle further inland. One of the results was that the PCUSA signed a Plan of Union with the Congregationalists of New England in 1801, which formalized cooperation between the two bodies and attempted to provide adequate visitation and preaching for frontier congregations, along with eliminating rivalry between the two denominations. The large growth rate of the Presbyterian Church in

4641-567: The First Great Awakening, Presbyterian ministers were divided over their assessment of the fruits of the new wave of revivals. Many pointed to "excesses" displayed by some participants as signs that the revivals were theologically compromised, such as groans, laughter, convulsions and "jerks" (see religious ecstasy , holy laughter and slain in the Spirit ). There was also concern over the tendency of revivalist ministers to advocate

4760-410: The General Assembly to take action against Briggs. The 1891 General Assembly vetoed his appointment to Union Theological Seminary's chair of Biblical studies , and two years later Briggs was found guilty of heresy and suspended from the ministry. Ultimately, Union Theological Seminary refused to remove Briggs from his position and severed its ties to the Presbyterian Church. In 1892, conservatives in

4879-573: The General Assembly were successful in adopting the Portland Deliverance, a statement named for the assembly's meeting place, Portland, Oregon. The Deliverance reasserted the church's belief in biblical inerrancy and required any minister who could not affirm the Bible as "the only infallible rule of faith and practice" to withdraw from the Presbyterian ministry. The Portland Deliverance would be used to convict Briggs of heresy. In

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4998-410: The General Assembly's attempt to promote peace and unity, two distinct factions, the Old School and the New School, developed through the 1820s over the issues of confessional subscription , revivalism, and the spread of New England theology. The New School faction advocated revivalism and New England theology, while the Old School was opposed to the extremes of revivalism and desired strict conformity to

5117-442: The General Assembly. In 1903, two chapters on "The Holy Spirit " and "The Love of God and Missions" were added to the Confession and a reference to the pope being the anti-christ was deleted. Most objectionable to conservatives, a new " Declaratory Statement " was added to clarify the church's doctrine of election. Conservatives criticized the "Declaratory Statement" and claimed that it promoted Arminianism. The 1903 revision of

5236-643: The Illinois College community. SAB sponsored events include comedians, bands, community service projects, trips, lectures, dances, and more. Homecoming Committee: Homecoming has been a long-standing tradition at Illinois College. Each year, the Homecoming Committee helps plan the pep rally, Powder Puff Football games, parade, formal dance, and an event called Follies which features the talents of students. Class games are often held during Homecoming Week as well. Student Senate: Student Senate

5355-580: The Illinois College women's golf team won six consecutive Midwest Conference Championship titles. The Bruner Fitness Center was constructed in 2003 and is the primary location for athletic events at Illinois College. The building also houses the college swimming center and the Sherman Gymnasium which has seating for 1,600 spectators. The fieldhouse section of the building includes a 200-meter indoor track and four multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball, and tennis. The exterior of Bruner provides

5474-418: The Jacksonville community for part of the time and with current IC students on campus in residence halls for the remainder of their stay. Illinois College joined the Clinton Global Initiative University Network in 2014. The network was launched in 2007 by President Bill Clinton and is closely modeled after the Clinton Global Initiative . The network helps support the work of leaders on college campuses around

5593-461: The Native Americans. New Side Presbyterians were responsible for founding Princeton University (originally the College of New Jersey) primarily to train ministers in 1746. By 1758, both sides were ready for reconciliation. Over the years, New Side revivalism had become less radical. At the same time, Old Side Presbyterians were experiencing numerical decline and were eager to share in the New Side's vitality and growth. The two synods merged to become

5712-428: The New School Presbyterian Church. In 1858, Southern synods and presbyteries belonging to the New School withdrew and established the pro-slavery United Synod of the Presbyterian Church. Old School Presbyterians followed in 1861 after the start of hostilities in the American Civil War . In May, the Old School General Assembly passed the controversial Gardiner Spring Resolutions , which called for Presbyterians to support

5831-479: The New School dominated General Assembly of 1831 dismissed the charges. Lyman Beecher , famous revivalist, moral reformer and president of the newly established Lane Theological Seminary , was charged with heresy in 1835 but was also acquitted. The most radical figure in the New School faction was prominent evangelist Charles Grandison Finney . Finney's revivals were characterized by his "New Measures", which included protracted meetings , extemporaneous preaching ,

5950-430: The New Side resented. Tensions between the two sides continued to escalate until the Synod of May 1741, which ended with a definite split between the two factions. The Old Side retained control of the Synod of Philadelphia, and it immediately required unconditional subscription to the Westminster Confession with no option to state scruples. The New Side founded the Synod of New York . The new Synod required subscription to

6069-433: The North and a majority of their presbyteries approved the reunion in 1869 of the PCUSA. In the decades after the reunion of 1869, conservatives expressed fear over the threat of " broad churchism " and modernist theology . Such fears were prompted in part by heresy trials (such as the 1874 acquittal of popular Chicago preacher David Swing ) and a growing movement to revise the Westminster Confession. This liberal movement

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6188-431: The Northeast was accompanied by the creation of moral reform organizations, such as Sunday schools , temperance associations, tract and Bible societies , and orphanages. The proliferation of voluntary organizations was encouraged by postmillennialism , the belief that the Second Coming of Christ would occur at the end of an era of peace and prosperity fostered by human effort . The 1815 General Assembly recommended

6307-500: The Northeast was also accompanied by revivalism. While calmer and more reserved than those in the South, the revivals of the Second Great Awakening transformed religion in the Northeast, and they were often led by Presbyterians and Congregationalists. The Plan of Union led to the spread of New England theology (also known as the New Divinity and New Haven theology ), originally conceived by Congregationalists. The New England theology modified and softened traditional Calvinism, rejecting

6426-498: The Northeast was in part due to the adoption of Congregationalist settlers along the western frontier. Not unlike the circuit riders in the Episcopal and Methodist traditions, the presbyteries often sent out licentiates to minister in multiple congregations that were spread out over a wide area. To meet the need for educated clergy, Princeton Theological Seminary and Union Presbyterian Seminary were founded in 1812, followed by Auburn Theological Seminary in 1821. Growth in

6545-400: The Office of Business Affairs, and the Enrollment Offices. Beecher Hall , the first college building erected in Illinois, is named after the college's first president, Edward Beecher, sibling to Henry Ward Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe . The first floor of Beecher Hall is the home of Phi Alpha Literary Society . The second floor is the home to Sigma Pi Literary Society . It was named to

6664-423: The Old School's repudiation of its teaching against involving the church in political affairs. A majority of Old School leaders in the North were convinced of the orthodoxy of the New School. Some within the Old School, chiefly Princeton theologian Charles Hodge, claimed that there were still ministers within the New School who adhered to New Haven theology. Nevertheless, the Old and New School General Assemblies in

6783-438: The Presbyterian Church in the USA. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania decided that the Old School body was the legal successor of the undivided PCUSA. The Synod of Philadelphia and New York had expressed moderate abolitionist sentiments in 1787 when it recommended that all its members "use the most prudent measures consistent with the interests and state of civil society, in the countries where they live, to procure eventually

6902-424: The Springfield Presbytery and become the founders of the American Restoration Movement , from which the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and Churches of Christ denominations originate. Meanwhile, the Cumberland Presbytery , also within the Kentucky Synod, faced a shortage of ministers and decided to license clergy candidates who were less educated than was typical and who could not subscribe completely to

7021-415: The Synod of New York and Philadelphia. The united Synod was founded on New Side terms: subscription according to the terms of the Adopting Act; presbyteries were responsible for examining and licensing ordination candidates; candidates were to be examined for learning, orthodoxy and their "experimental acquaintance with religion" (i.e. their personal conversion experiences); and revivals were acknowledged as

7140-464: The U.S. government has investigated changes to the accreditation system. In 2002 the House of Representatives Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness criticized the system. Accreditation was a major topic of the Spellings Commission , which released its report on September 26, 2006. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognizes that there are criticisms, but has opposed these calls for reform, with President Judith S. Eaton arguing that

7259-419: The United Domestic Missionary Society to become the American Home Missionary Society . The Congregational American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) became the recognized missions agency of the General Assembly, and the United Foreign Missionary Society's operations were merged with the American Board. By 1831, the majority of board members and missionaries of the ABCFM were Presbyterians. As

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7378-421: The United States (PCUS) and was commonly nicknamed the "Southern Presbyterian Church" throughout its history, while the PCUSA was known as the "Northern Presbyterian Church". By the 1850s, New School Presbyterians in the North had moved to more moderate positions and reasserted a stronger Presbyterian identity. This was helped in 1852 when the Plan of Union between the New School Church and the Congregationalists

7497-731: The United States (and globally) see Accreditation.org which provides background on the process, accords, agreements, and accrediting bodies related to engineering and computing degrees. Several organizations exist that accredit institutions and which are not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or CHEA. These include: Although many schools related to religious organizations hold regional accreditation or secular national accreditation, there are four different agencies that specialize in accreditation of religious schools: These groups specialize in accrediting theological and religious schools including seminaries and graduate schools of theology, as well as broader-scope universities that teach from

7616-413: The United States of America ( PCUSA ) was a Presbyterian denomination existing from 1789 to 1958. In that year, the PCUSA merged with the United Presbyterian Church of North America . The new church was named the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America . It was a predecessor to the contemporary Presbyterian Church (USA) . The denomination originated in colonial times when members of

7735-409: The United States were overseen by seven regional accrediting agencies established in the late 19th and early 20th century to foster articulation between secondary schools and higher education institutions, particularly evaluation of prospective students by colleges and universities. These seven agencies were membership organizations of educational institutions within their geographic regions. Initially,

7854-408: The Upper Quad include Crampton Residence Hall, which was once the oldest continuously used dormitory in the state. It was closed as a residence hall in May 2006, and re-opened in August 2011 after renovations had been made. Whipple Hall, which was once a preparatory school, underwent renovations, and is now the home to the Al Habtoor Leadership Center, Congressman Paul Findley's Congressional Office, and

7973-507: The Westminster Confession eventually led a large number of congregations from the Arminian–leaning Cumberland Presbyterian Church to reunite with the PCUSA in 1906. While overwhelmingly approved, the reunion caused controversy within the PCUSA due to concerns over doctrinal compatibility and racial segregation in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Warfield was a strong critic of the merger on doctrinal grounds. Northern Presbyterians, such as Francis James Grimké and Herrick Johnson , objected to

8092-407: The Westminster Confession in accordance with the Adopting Act, but no college degrees were required for ordination. While the controversy raged, American Presbyterians were also concerned with expanding their influence. In 1740, a New York Board of the Society in Scotland for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge was established. Four years later, David Brainerd was assigned as a missionary to

8211-479: The Westminster Confession. In 1805, the synod suspended many of these ministers, even bringing heresy charges against a number of them, and by 1806 the synod had dissolved the presbytery. In 1810, ministers dissatisfied with the actions of the synod formed the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (CPC). The CPC subscribed to a modified form of the Westminster Confession that rejected the Calvinist doctrines of double predestination and limited atonement . Church growth in

8330-578: The Westminster Confession. The ideological center of Old School Presbyterianism was Princeton Theological Seminary, which under the leadership of Archibald Alexander and Charles Hodge became associated with a brand of Reformed scholasticism known as Princeton Theology . Heresy trials of prominent New School leaders further deepened the division within the denomination. Both the Presbytery and Synod of Philadelphia found Albert Barnes , pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, guilty of heresy. Old School Presbyterians, however, were outraged when

8449-495: The approval of a majority of presbyteries before making major changes to the church's constitution and doctrine. The constitution included the Westminster Confession of Faith, together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, as the church's subordinate standard (i.e. subordinate to the Bible ) in addition to the (substantially altered) Westminster Directory . The Westminster Confession was modified to bring its teaching on civil government in line with American practices. In 1787,

8568-480: The campus and provided the separation between the upper and lower quads. Eventually, the section of Mound Avenue running through campus was closed off and the Steuer Walkway was constructed to unify the campus and eliminate traffic concerns for students walking between the quads. Eight residential halls are located on the Illinois College campus: Ellis Hall, Pixley Hall, Gardner Hall, Lincoln Hall, Turner Hall, Mundinger Hall, Crampton Hall, and Greene Hall. In addition to

8687-479: The cause in which America is now in arms, is the cause of justice, of liberty, and of human nature". Witherspoon and 11 other Presbyterians were signatories to the Declaration of Independence . Even before the war, many Presbyterian felt that the single synod system was no longer adequate to meet the needs of a numerically and geographically expanding church. All clergy were supposed to attend annual meetings of

8806-545: The change was intended to allow students to be able to access the best school for their needs no matter what region they reside in. Four months after this change was made, the WASC Senior College and University Commission became the first accreditor to formally change its membership rules and requirements to allow institutions outside its historical geographic region to apply for membership and accreditation. Historically, educational accreditation activities in

8925-659: The co-ed service fraternity that is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States. Illinois College is one of the few campuses in the United States that still supports literary societies. These are Greek organizations whose purposes vary from society to society. Activities include but are not limited to: Literary Productions, intramural sports teams, service events, and social gatherings. There are four men’s literary societies at Illinois College. They are: Sigma Pi , Phi Alpha , Gamma Nu , and Pi Pi Rho. Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi are both located in Beecher Hall (Phi Alpha on

9044-481: The college, including Combined Degree Programs in Biology with Medical Technology, Biology with Occupational Therapy, Nursing (Leading to Master’s), and Physics with Engineering. The most popular programs among students tend to be education, science, or business related. The student to faculty ratio is often around 13:1, with a current average class size of 16 (2013) students. Illinois College has been accredited by

9163-591: The creation of racially segregated presbyteries in the South, a concession demanded by the Cumberland Presbyterians as the price for reunion. Despite these objections, the merger was overwhelmingly approved. Higher education accreditation in the United States Higher education accreditation in the United States is a peer review process by which the validity of degrees and credits awarded by higher education institutions

9282-675: The creation of societies to promote morality. Organizations such as the American Bible Society , the American Sunday School Union , and the American Colonization Society , while theoretically interdenominational, were dominated by Presbyterians and considered unofficial agencies of the Presbyterian Church. The support of missionary work was also a priority in the 19th century. The first General Assembly requested that each of

9401-495: The current rules came into force. A prominent example of such a domain name registered before the current rules came into force is Academia.edu , a for-profit social networking site for academics. Various commenters have written about the role and effectiveness of the American accreditation system. It has drawn particular interest since the rise of e-learning classes and institutions. A frequent point of discussion and criticism

9520-499: The doctrine of imputation of Adam's sin , adopting the governmental theory of atonement , and embracing a greater emphasis on free will. It was essentially an attempt to construct a Calvinism conducive to revivalism. While the Synod of Philadelphia condemned the New Divinity as heretical in 1816, the General Assembly disagreed, concluding that New England theology did not conflict with the Westminster Confession. Notwithstanding

9639-611: The entire institution, specific programs, and distance education within an institution. Prior to 2020, there were regional and national accrediting agencies, both of which were accountable to the Department of Education . Regional bodies historically accredited institutions in a particular region of the country. National bodies were established to accredit institutions across the country, and sometimes beyond it. Within American higher education, regional bodies were considered more prestigious. (The regional bodies were older, and included

9758-871: The faculty set the academic policies. Regionally-accredited schools were required to have adequate library facilities. Except for some specific subject areas such as nursing, nationally accredited schools did not hire many full-time faculty, usually hiring faculty by the course, without benefits and with no influence on the school's academic policies, which were determined by non-academic administrators, and ultimately investors. Their library facilities, if they existed at all, were far inferior to those of regionally-accredited schools. While there were some legitimate and well-intentioned nationally accredited schools, similar to for-profit institutions with regional accreditation, some institutions existed with little educational rigor. Some critics considered national accreditation to be not as reputable as regional accreditation. Schools accredited by

9877-698: The familiar music to Robert Burns ’ poem “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton .” William Jennings Bryan , a member of the class of 1881, is one of the most prominent alumni of Illinois College. He was a United States Congressman from Nebraska, the US Secretary of State , and the Democratic Party's presidential nominee in 1896, 1900, and 1908. Many Illinois College graduates have gone on to have influential careers in public service. Two graduates became U.S. senators, 20 became congressmen, six were state governors and two currently serve as federal judges. Among

9996-464: The final abolition of slavery in America". At the same time, Presbyterians in the South were content to reinforce the status quo in their religious teaching, such as in "The Negro Catechism" written by North Carolina Presbyterian minister Henry Pattillo. In Pattillo's catechism , slaves were taught that their roles in life had been ordained by God. In 1795, the General Assembly ruled that slaveholding

10115-481: The first level and Sigma Pi on the second). Gamma Nu is located in lower Baxter Hall and Pi Pi Rho is currently in a temporary house. There are three women's societies at Illinois College. They are: Gamma Delta, Sigma Phi Epsilon , and Chi Beta. All three female societies are housed in the historic Smith House. Society pledging was suspended during 2012 after three "serious incidents” including what college officials described as "dangerous practices". One society pledge

10234-543: The foundation for England Stadium which holds 3,000 spectators. The Illinois College campus consists of 80 acres of land located centrally within the town of Jacksonville. The land the campus occupies is higher in elevation than many of the other areas in Jacksonville, and IC is therefore sometimes referred to as “On the Hilltop”, or “The Hilltop”. The primary section of campus is divided into two areas commonly called

10353-834: The four synods appoint and support two missionaries. Presbyterians took leading roles in creating early local and independent mission societies, including the New York Missionary Society (1796), the Northern Berkshire and Columbia Missionary Societies (1797), the Missionary Society of Connecticut (1798), the Massachusetts Missionary Society (1799), and the Boston Female Society for Missionary Purposes (1800). The first denominational missions agency

10472-442: The influx of new students, but some of these new institutions were of dubious quality. The 1952 legislation designated the existing peer review process as the basis for measuring institutional quality; GI Bill eligibility was limited to students enrolled at accredited institutions included on a list of federally recognized accredited institutions published by the U.S. Commissioner of Education . The U.S. Department of Education and

10591-453: The largest US for-profit universities (e.g., University of Phoenix , Grand Canyon University ) achieved regional accreditation. Regionally accredited schools were usually academically oriented and most were non-profit. Nationally accredited schools, a large number of which are for-profit , typically offered specific vocational, career, or technical programs. Regionally accredited institutions employed large numbers of full-time faculty, and

10710-505: The main focus of the organizations was to accredit secondary schools and to establish uniform college entrance requirements. Accreditation of colleges and universities followed later, with each of the accrediting agencies splitting into separate organizations with one or more of those organizations focused exclusively on accrediting colleges and universities. The higher education institutions holding regional accreditation were primarily non-profit institutions, with significant exceptions, as

10829-611: The mid-1800s, a group of students at the college were indicted by a grand jury for harboring runaway slaves. Two campus buildings also have ties to the abolitionist movement; Beecher Hall is believed to have been part of the Underground Railroad, and a campus house, the Gillett House, has attained the prestigious National Park Service certification as a “National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom” site. The college became co-educational in 1903 by incorporating

10948-626: The most well established institutions.) In February 2020, the Department of Education eliminated the distinction between regional and national accrediting agencies, creating one unified set of institutional accreditors. The department claimed that the change was intended to encourage cooperation between accredited schools to improve student experiences, uphold quality standards, and reduce the cost of higher education by encouraging transparent transfer of credits and mutual recognition of degrees between schools with common standards. It also claimed that

11067-431: The necessity of a conscious conversion experience and the need for higher moral standards among the clergy. Other Presbyterians were concerned that revivalism presented a threat to church order. In particular, the practice of itinerant preaching across presbytery boundaries and the tendency of revivalists to doubt the conversion experiences of other ministers caused controversy between supporters of revivalism, known as

11186-431: The new college with New England traditions and academic foundations. His sister, Harriet Beecher Stowe , was later the author of the influential anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin and a visitor to the campus. His brother, Henry Ward Beecher , preached and lectured at the college as well. Beecher Hall , named in honor of president Beecher, was the first building constructed on the Illinois College campus, and remains

11305-497: The oldest college building in the state of Illinois. The first two college graduates in the state of Illinois, Richard Yates and Jonathan E. Spilman , received their degrees from Illinois College in 1835. Yates became the Civil War governor of Illinois and later a U.S. senator. A program at Illinois College for first generation college students was named The Yates Fellowship Program in his honor. Jonathan Edwards Spilman composed

11424-974: The partnership, Starhill has been a location for Illinois College students to visit, study, and participate in internships. The Whipple Hall on the college campus houses the Paul Findley Congressional Office Museum , dedicated to former congressman and alumnus, Paul Findley . Findley graduated from Illinois College in 1943 and served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1961 to 1983. It contains artifacts related to Findley's political career, his interest in Abraham Lincoln, and his involvement in human rights and Middle East issues. Items currently on display include Lincoln's 1837 law office sofa, Findley's congressional desk, WWI and campaign memorabilia, and gifts from seven U.S. presidents and international leaders. The museum

11543-415: The plan was sent to the presbyteries for ratification. The synod held its last meeting in May 1788. The first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America met in Philadelphia in May 1789. At that time, the church had four synods, 16 presbyteries, 177 ministers, 419 congregations and an estimated membership of 18,000. The late 18th and early 19th centuries saw Americans leaving

11662-438: The residence halls, Illinois College owns and maintains an apartment building close to campus which serves as housing for upperclassmen. There are over 80 different clubs and organizations established at Illinois College. Of those, there are three main organizations which help provide campus wide programming and governing: Student Activities Board (SAB): Consists of six student-run committees dedicated to providing programming to

11781-570: The school. Both of the archives were largely funded by the Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation . Khalaf Al Habtoor was first introduced to Illinois College by Paul Findley. The college participates in an Intercultural Exchange program with Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto , Japan. Each spring 25 Japanese students come to Illinois College to live and study for four weeks. During this time, students live with families in

11900-402: The synod, but some years attendance was less than thirty percent. In 1785, a proposal for the creation of a General Assembly went before the synod, and a special committee was formed to draw up a plan of government. Under the plan, the old synod was divided into four new synods all under the authority of the General Assembly. The synods were New York and New Jersey, Philadelphia, Virginia, and

12019-665: The synod, which would then decide if the minister's views were acceptable. While crafted as a compromise, the Adopting Act was opposed by those who favored strict adherence to the Confession. Christianity • Protestantism During the 1730s and 1740s, the Presbyterian Church was divided over the impact of the First Great Awakening . Drawing from the Scotch-Irish revivalist tradition, evangelical ministers such as William and Gilbert Tennent emphasized

12138-543: The system is successful and needs to remain flexible to accommodate differences between schools and disciplines. In 2013, President Barack Obama proposed changes in the accreditation system to hold "colleges accountable for cost, value, and quality". He requested Congress change the Higher Education Act so that affordability and value are considered in determining which institutions are accredited and allow students access to federal financial aid; his criticism

12257-643: The terms of the Higher Education Act of 1965 , as amended, the U.S. Secretary of Education is required by law to publish a list of nationally recognized accrediting agencies that the secretary has determined to be reliable authorities on the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit. Professional schools, which are often graduate schools, have separate organizations for accreditation, e.g. American Board of Higher Education (ABHEC). Institutional accreditation applies to

12376-436: The twentieth century, Presbyterian and Episcopalians tended to be wealthier and more educated (having more graduate and postgraduate degrees per capita) than most other religious groups in the United States, and were disproportionately represented in the upper reaches of American business , law, and politics. The Boston Brahmins , who were regarded as the nation's social and cultural elites, were often associated with

12495-434: The upper and lower quads. The upper quad is on the northern part of the campus, and is higher in elevation than the lower quad which is located on the southern part of the campus. The upper quad is the location of many of the academic buildings. This includes the notable Sturtevant Hall which is often featured in pictures because of its unique towers and windows which are currently found in the college logo. Other buildings on

12614-668: The varsity teams, there are two non-competitive spirit squads. Illinois College student Missy Norville won nine NCAA Division III National Champion titles for indoor/outdoor Track and Field while at the school. In 2010, student Dillon Binkley became the High Jump National Champion for NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field. Before Binkley, Illinois College student J.R. Dugan also became the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field National High Jump Champion in 1989. From 2003 to 2008,

12733-643: The visitors and lecturers on campus during the early years were Ralph Waldo Emerson , Amos Bronson Alcott , Mark Twain , Horace Greeley , Oscar Wilde and Wendell Phillips . Many speakers, including Abraham Lincoln, were sponsored by the college’s literary societies which still exist today. Illinois College was a center of the abolitionist movement due to its Northern location near the Mississippi River and outspoken campus leaders such as President Edward Beecher and Professor Jonathan Baldwin Turner . In

12852-565: The world. As a member of the network, Illinois College pledges a minimum of $ 10,000 in funding to students of the campus who become Clinton Global Initiative University student commitment-makers. As of 2015, Illinois College is one of only 70 schools to be a member of the CGI University Network. Illinois College's men's athletic teams are known as the Blueboys which is a reference to the uniforms worn by Union soldiers during

12971-413: Was designed to specifically accommodate the professional development needs of in-service teachers. It established a nursing program after the closure of MacMurray College , which had a nursing program. Starhill Forest Arboretum is located 45 miles northeast of the Illinois College campus in the town of Petersburg. In 2008, Illinois College officially entered into a partnership with the arboretum. Since

13090-457: Was directed at for-profit institutions. An article published by "University World News" on 2 February 2018 stated that the higher education accreditation community, which confers the quality-assurance seal of approval that allows United States colleges and universities access to billions of dollars of federal student aid, must do a better job of explaining itself to the public if it wants to reverse waning public confidence in higher education. That

13209-634: Was discontinued. Northern Presbyterians of both the Old and New School participated in the Christian Commission that provided religious and social services to Union soldiers during the Civil War. Furthermore, both schools boldly proclaimed the righteousness of the Union cause and engaged in speculation about the role of a newly restored America in ushering in the millennium . This was, in effect,

13328-405: Was evident in its increasing identification with the abolitionist movement. The Old School, however, was convinced that the General Assembly and the larger church should not legislate on moral issues that were not explicitly addressed in the Bible. This effectively drove the majority of Southern Presbyterians to support the Old School faction. The first definitive split over slavery occurred within

13447-482: Was increasingly reluctant to address the issue, preferring to take a moderate stance in the debate, but by the 1830s, tensions over slavery were increasing at the same time the church was dividing over the Old School–New School Controversy. The conflict between Old School and New School factions merged with the slavery controversy. The New School's enthusiasm for moral reform and voluntary societies

13566-503: Was not grounds for excommunication but also expressed support for the eventual abolition of slavery. Later, the General Assembly called slavery "a gross violation of the most precious and sacred rights of human nature; as utterly inconsistent with the law of God". Nevertheless, in 1818, George Bourne , an abolitionist and Presbyterian minister serving in Virginia, was defrocked by his Southern presbytery in retaliation for his strong criticisms of Christian slaveholders. The General Assembly

13685-658: Was one such revival that first grew out of meetings led by Presbyterian minister James McGready . The most famous camp meeting of the Second Great Awakening, the Cane Ridge Revival in Kentucky, occurred during a traditional Scottish communion season under the leadership of local Presbyterian minister Barton W. Stone . Over 10 thousand people came to Cane Ridge to hear sermons from Presbyterian as well as Methodist and Baptist preachers. Like

13804-544: Was opposed by Princeton theologians A. A. Hodge and B. B. Warfield . While Darwinian evolution never became an issue for northern Presbyterians as most accommodated themselves to some form of theistic evolution , the new discipline of biblical interpretation known as higher criticism would become highly controversial. Utilizing comparative linguistics, archaeology, and literary analysis, German proponents of high criticism, such as Julius Wellhausen and David Friedrich Strauss , began questioning long-held assumptions about

13923-608: Was sent to a hospital after receiving life-threatening injuries. The Illinois College campus and alumni shared many connections with Abraham Lincoln during his life. While Lincoln never received a formal college education, it is documented that he was tutored by William and Lynn Greene who were brothers and students at Illinois College. The brothers would share with Lincoln, through books and notes, what they had learned from Illinois College professor Jonathan Baldwin Turner. Lincoln later practiced law in Springfield, Illinois where he

14042-719: Was the Standing Committee on Mission, which was created in 1802 to coordinate efforts with individual presbyteries and the European missionary societies. The work of the committee was expanded in 1816, becoming the Board of Missions. In 1817, the General Assembly joined with two other Reformed denominations, the American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church (now the Reformed Church in America ) and

14161-536: Was the partner and mentor of Illinois College alumnus William Herndon . The law office they shared together can still be seen in the Central Springfield Historic District of the city. In 2009, a statue of Abraham Lincoln was dedicated on the Illinois College campus, and he was posthumously awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from the school. Presbyterian Church in the United States of America The Presbyterian Church in

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