The campaign manager for Dr. Telisa Franklin, the Democratic nominee for Tennessee’s 96th State House district, did not respond to a Thursday request from The Tennessee Star to provide details about the date she received her doctorate in divinity, or a copy of any doctoral thesis she may have submitted in order to obtain the credential, which is the highest formal academic or professional degree one can obtain in any field.
On her website, Franklin states that she obtained “a doctorate in Divinity and a Ph.D. in Christian Counseling,” but does not name the institution that granted the credential. Notably, a doctorate in divinity is abbreviated as D.Div., while a doctor of philosophy in Christian counseling is a Ph.D.
However, in a profile on the professional networking website, LinkedIn, Franklin only lists a master’s degree in biblical studies from Victory University, and a second master’s degree in religion/religious studies from Brewster Theological Seminary, omitting her doctorate in divinity and Ph.D. in Christian Counseling.
Franklin did not respond to the request from The Star to clarify what year she received her credentials, nor does the Democratic nominee appear to reveal the year she obtained her degrees publicly. However, Franklin’s reference to Brewster Theological Seminary on LinkedIn appears to actually refer to the Brewster Theological Clinic and School of Religion in Memphis.
Unless exempt from the state’s requirements, Tennessee only allows educational institutions that are accredited by a federally recognized accreditation process, or are specifically authorized through a vote by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), to offer degrees to the public.
Brewster does not presently appear to be listed among institutions currently authorized by Tennessee to issue degrees. The school also does not purport to be accredited through a federally-recognized accreditation agency on its website, and The Star found no evidence Brewster is accredited by a recognized accreditation agency.
A federal government record, which listed educational institutions that were accredited or preaccredited by September 1, 1980, also does not include Brewster.
Despite this, a resolution submitted by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in December 2000 stated that Brewster once awarded an honorary doctorate in divinity to a retiring minister. More recently, a Tennessee State House Joint Resolution, submitted in 2023 to honor a reverend, stated that Brewster had awarded multiple honorary degrees.
On its website, Brewster states that it charges no tuition to students, but instead operates based on “free-will offerings from students, alumni, supporters, and friends of the ministry.” Records published by the IRS indicate that Brewster receives less than $50,000 annually.
The second institution named by Franklin on LinkedIn, Victory, was previously known as Crichton College until 2010. It has been permanently closed since 2014.
Neither Victory nor Crichton appear to have ever offered a doctorate in divinity, or a Ph.D. in Christian counseling, as Victory announced in 2010 that it would offer the institution’s first graduate degree program since its inception, including under its previous names. This program was a Master of Science in Professional Counseling.
The silence from Franklin’s campaign about the source of the Democrat’s academic credentials comes just days after she attended a speech by Ishmael Muhammad, a longtime assistant to Louis Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader who in 2018 declared he was not an antisemite, but an “anti-termite.”
The event was advertised by Mosque 55, which is affiliated with the Nation of Islam.
Franklin won her primary campaign against the incumbent, State Representative Gabby Salinas (D-Memphis), in a 10-point victory. The district is considered overwhelmingly Democratic, and Franklin does not have a Republican opponent for the general election.
– – –
Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Telisa Franklin” by Telisa Franklin.
