QUESTION 2:

Is Stan's doctorate an earned degree?

ANSWER 2:

On March 21, 2004, Stan spoke at Christ Community Church in Tampa, Florida.  In the introduction to the congregation, he was introduced three times as 'Dr. Stan Telchin' (source: audio recording from Christ Community Church, Tampa, Florida, March 21, 2004)  During his testimony, he told the congregation, "I don't know if I made this point crystal clear to you; I am extremely intelligent. People respect me all over the world. I have all kinds of degrees, with my advanced degrees and education."

Christ Community Church would later state in a telephone call, "We did not know Mr. Telchin's doctorate was an honorary one.  Our Pastor would not have allowed him to be presented in our church as 'Dr. Stan Telchin' without disclosing his degree was honorary."

On February 15, 2004, Stan spoke at Venice Bible Church, Venice, Florida, where he presented himself as 'Dr. Stan Telchin' without disclosing the doctorate was honorary.  When Venice Bible Church was told that indeed his doctorate was honorary, Venice Bible Church wrote and said, "He was presented to us as 'Dr. Stan Telchin,' so that is how we presented him to the body. We would not normally question that kind of thing, or ask for specific proof." (source: April 2, 2004 e-mail from Venice Bible Church)  In a follow up phone call, the church stated, "We were never told his doctorate was honorary."

In a May, 2001 newsletter he sent to his donors, he announced that he would be receiving an honorary doctorate in the next several weeks. In his July, 2001 newsletter (click here) he put a photograph of himself with his honorary doctorate but the caption reads "Stan receiving his doctorate." Given that my father is always soliciting new donors, I wonder how many new people on his mailing list received the newsletter from him with that photo and caption and assumed that he had received an earned doctorate degree. I assume it has been many as over the last few years, many people have expressed surprise to learn that his doctorate is honorary and not earned. Many people have said they thought it was an earned doctorate because he presented himself when speaking in various churches as "Dr. Stan Telchin" without revealing his doctorate was honorary.

Stan does not have "multiple advanced degrees."  He has a BA earned in 1949 in speech from George Washington University, in Washington, D.C., and a MA in drama earned in 1950 from Catholic University of America, in DC. (See more of Stan's bio here) His doctorate is an honorary doctorate given to him for serving as a commencement speaker at American Christian College and Seminary on May 12, 2001.

As far as I know, American Christian College and Seminary is not a degree mill. However, according to American Bible College and Seminary, "We have no relationship to American Christian College and Seminary, but have learned that ACCS recently lost their accreditation, and have relocated with the intent of continuing on as an unaccredited seminary, with a small staff of mostly volunteers." (source: www.abcs.edu)

At the time Stan spoke at American Christian College and Seminary and received his honorary doctorate, he was the subject of a criminal investigation that was being conducted by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and the Sarasota Florida Office of The FBI.  When Dr. Floyd M. Sheeley, President, American Christian College and Seminary, was informed of this fact on August 6, 2002, he stated without reservation that had he known, Stan would not have spoken there and would not have been given an honorary doctorate. (source: excerpts from Criminal Complaint Number 2, December 7, 2002, filed with the Detective Bud Johnson, Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Manatee County, Florida)

Stan's doctorate is honorary and not earned.  He does not have "multiple advanced degrees" as he claims as his only advanced earned degree is his MA in drama earned in 1950 from Catholic Univeristy of America, DC.  For Stan to present himself as 'Dr. Stan Telchin' without disclosing his doctorate is honorary is deceptive and for him to talk about "multiple advanced degrees" and "part of my Ph.D." is patently dishonest as he leads his audience to believe something that is not true. I call upon my father to demonstrate a greater public transparency and honesty regarding his credentials.

Related: see 'Question 1' which addresses Stan's Ph.D. claims and 'Question 3' which addresses the confusion regarding Stan's ordination claims.

*copies of all referenced sources available upon request at no charge.  Please request these sources by sending an email to atoxicfaith@aol.com and ask for Packet Q2.