The Association for Biblical Higher Education

The Association for Biblical Higher Education or ABHE (formerly the The Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges or AABC) is a nationally recognized accrediting agencies in the United States. It is recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. The ABHE started as Missionary Training Institute (Nyack College) in New York City in 1882 and helped start the Moody Bible Institute in 1886 and Toronto Bible School (Master’s University College & Seminary) in 1894. In 1947 the ABHE started the Accrediting Association of Bible Institutes and Bible Colleges in 1947, but this was shortened in 1957 to the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges. By 2004 the name organization changed to the Association for Biblical Higher Education "in order to reflect its expansion of scope with graduate education accreditation and programmatic accreditation." Currently, there are 140 bible schools with ties to the ABHE, which operates for the purpose of setting academic standards for seminaries and Bible colleges, and evaluates and monitors compliance among its candidate and member schools.