Mission
Crichton College educates students in a Christ-Centered, Liberal Arts community to Think Critically, Grow Spiritually, and Change Our World.
The History of Crichton College
In the spring of 1942 the Reverend Thomas McKinney, a recent graduate from Dallas Theological Seminary, established an evening Bible study class in Memphis, Tennessee. The response to the class was so encouraging that a group of Christian men began investigating the potential of establishing a permanent institution that would provide an opportunity for the study of the Bible and Bible-related subjects.
On December 13, 1944, a Board of Directors met to establish such an institution as allowed under the laws of the State of Tennessee. Dr. T. Stanley Soltau was the first Chairman of the Board and the Reverend Thomas McKinney was the Director of the Mid-South Bible Center. The MSBC received its charter of incorporation on December 19, 1944.
Reverend McKinney resigned in 1947 and was succeeded by Dr. J. Howard Goddard in 1948. Under Dr. Goddard’s direction the MSBC established a three-year Bible Institute and enrolled ten students in the fall semester of 1948. The State of Tennessee authorized an amendment to the Charter of the MSBC to change the name to Mid-South Bible Institute.
In May 1955 Dr. James B. Crichton was elected as the successor of Dr. Goddard. A non-credit Adult Education Program was established in September 1955 and, simultaneously, a one-year Basic Bible Course was introduced in the Day School curriculum.
Message From the President
Welcome to Crichton College!
Crichton is advantageously located in Memphis, Tennessee: an historic, distinctively urban, creative city. Crichton College is posed to lead higher education in progressive and exciting ways as we prepare to enter a new decade. As the only Christian college headquartered in Memphis our faculty and staff are committed to our faith, the spiritual growth of our students, and the city of Memphis.
Crichton College will prepare you to interact within a quickly changing, global economy through our education, resources, and through our distinct ethnic and cultural diversity on-campus. We also place a high value on the responsibility we have as individuals, and as an institution, to serve and care for our neighbors and city. You will impact lives, both on-campus and off-campus, even as professors and staff equip you.
History. Relevance. Creativity. Christ-Centered.
These values are integral in the academic preparation of our students. We are committed to not only the academic but the spiritual lives of our students. Every major and class curriculum places a high value on scholarly research yet our Christian worldview provides the lense through which all curriculum is written and taught.
Our city and the world are waiting for your unique skills and passions. We need leaders who will think both critically and from a Christian worldview. I look forward to you becoming a member of our community and joining us on this journey.
Sincerely,
John M. Borek, Ph.D.
