Educational Institutions
The CME Church has a long and proud tradition of supporting a number of excellent institutions of higher education. Davis Chapel CME is honored to be part of the CME Church’s commitment to providing the highest quality Christian education to our leaders of tomorrow.
Lane College
Lane College, located in Jackson, Tennessee. is a small, private, co-educational, church-related institution which provides a liberal arts curriculum leading to baccalaureate degrees in the Arts and Sciences. The College admits persons regardless of color, sex, religion or national origin. The future of Lane is intimately tied to its historic past. The College was founded by individuals who were committed to assuring that newly freed slaves would be able to "read, write, and speak correctly." The vocational goals of the first students to enroll at the College were in the areas of teaching and preaching. It was the view of the founders that neither group would be able to influence the more learned individuals in [Library and Learning Center] society unless they had academic, spiritual, cultural, and economic qualifications that were equal to their counterparts. Additional information about Lane College is available here.
Miles College
In 1896, Miles College was founded by the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, now the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (C.M.E.) and chartered by the State of Alabama in 1905 as Miles Memorial College to educate African-American young people. The college is still supported by and affiliated with the C.M.E. Church, although the faculty and student body represent many religions and cultures, national and international. For over 100 years of survival in a difficult environment, Miles College has held steadfast in its goal of providing a quality college education while challenging and molding the minds of future leaders. The centennial celebration observed their rich heritage as Metropolitan Birmingham’s only senior Historically Black College and the impact it has made in the lives of more than 8,000 alumni of Miles College including two mayors of Birmingham, judges, physicians, business leaders, legislators and teachers. Additional information about Miles College is available here.
Paine College
Paine College is a beautiful 57-acre campus located in the heart of Augusta, Georgia with access to important cultural and economic centers. The campus is located one hour away from Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, and it is an easy two-hour drive from Atlanta, the capital of Georgia. The Mission of Paine College, a church-related private institution, is to provide a liberal arts education of the highest quality that emphasizes academic excellence, ethical and spiritual values, social responsibility, and personal development to prepare men and women for positions of leadership and service in the African American community, the nation, and the world. Over the next five years, Paine College shall build on its achievements and legacy to be regionally recognized as a premier liberal arts institution of higher education. Additional information about Paine College is here
Texas College
Texas College, a Historically Black College providing a liberal arts education for 114 years, exists to help people succeed by assisting them in developing their skills and their self-confidence, as well as enlarging their perspectives on life. We are dedicated to providing citizens of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds with the opportunity for life-long learning. Texas College believes in motivating our students, urging them to be active in setting and achieving their goals. Students are encouraged to utilize all of our facilities; to seek extra help from our faculty; and to converse with our counselors and other dedicated staff members. Additional information about Texas College is here.
Phillips School of Theology
The Phillips School of Theology was founded on May 30, 1944, by the action of the Lane College Board of Trustees in Jackson, Tennessee, under the leadership of Bishop J. Arthur Hamlett and Bishop C. H. Phillips. While the formal Founders' Day Service was on December 12, 1944, the school's academic program began on January 2, 1945, with the enrollment of eighteen (18) students and seven professors. The purpose of the school was to train ministers and other religious workers for the Christian (then known as Colored) Methodist Episcopal Church and other religious bodies. Dr. Joseph A. Johnson, Jr. (elected in 1966 as the 34th Bishop of the C.M.E. Church was elected dean of the school in 1945 and served until 1954. The 1950 General Conference of the C.M.E. Church decided to make Phillips School of Theology, a Connectional school. This placed Phillips with the other five (5) C.M.E. schools in the sharing of the general Church's educational financial appropriations. Additional information about Phillips School of Theology is here.