OCU to Voluntarily Relinquish Accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools

OCU has voluntarily relinquished its accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools. At present, the ATS website does not show the school as having an active membership. The OCU Accreditation Page has not yet reflected the change in status. It currently states that “The Chapman Seminary is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS).” It further says, “Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada has approved Oakland City University to offer the Master of Divinity (MDiv) and the Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership (MAPL) degrees.” 

In its Abstracted Summary of Final Actions for July-August 2026, ATS details that “On August 13, 2026, the Board of Commissioners received notification of the school’s intent to voluntarily withdraw from accredited membership in the ATS Commission on Accrediting due to the closure of the school, effective August 15, 2026. No students are currently enrolled in the school’s Commission-approved programs. According to Commission Policies and Procedures, this withdrawal will be reviewed and formally acted on by the ATS Board of Commissioners at the next meeting (February 2027).” In the Commission’s Statement of Accredited Status, the school’s current status is listed as Accredited in Good Standing. This could be updated, pending the board’s acceptance of the withdrawal.