General lnforniation Carrying on a tradition of educational excel lence that dates back 78 years , Biola University now encompasses four schools: The School of Arts, Sciences and Profes sions, Rosemead School of Psychology, Tal bot Theological Seminary and School of Theology, and The School of lntercultural Stud ies and World Missions. Offering three baccalaureate degrees in 24 majors, 14 masters and four doctoral degrees, Biola's commitment to academic excel lence is firmly rooted in its adherence to an in depth, knowledgeable and alive Christian ity. Each year, over 3 I00 students find Biola's unique blend of faith and learning conducive to their academic and vocational goals. Historical Sketch The cornerstone of the or igi nal Bible In st itute building in Los Angeles - and the future university - was laid on May 3 I , 1913, and dedicated with these words: For the teaching of the truths for which the Institute stands, its doors are to be open every day of the year, and all peo ple, w ithout reference to race, color, class or creed will ever be welcome to its privileges. Spoken by Lyman Stewart president of the Institute and founder of the Union Oil Company, the words captured the vision of Biola's founders. Stewart together with TC Horton, had init iat ed the Bible Insti tute. with the first permanent organization taking shape in I 908. By 191 2, the school had grown in its outreach and constituency sufficiently to call R. A Torrey, a leader in the field of Christian education, as the first dean. The next seven decades have witnessed tremendous growth in the development and outreach of the school. Under the leadership of Dr. Louis T Talbot president from 1932 to 1952, the Bible Institute pro gram became a four year course, leadi ng 2
derstanding which are generated by stu dents and faculty in the disciplines and in integration with the biblical Christian world view. The other consists of publ ic services as students, faculty and staff make their professional and personal expertise avail able to the Christian community and to so ciety at large t hroughout the wo r ld. In brief, the mission of Biola University is to equip Christians to impact the world for Jesus Christ primarily through the ongoing lives of its graduates but also through the in-service work of its present students, fac ulty and staff Doctrinal Statement Inasmuch as the university is interde nominational and yet theologically conser vative, the Articles of Incorporation con tain a doctrinal statement which is given below: The Bible, consisting of al l the books of the Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God, a supernaturally given revelation from God Himsel f, concerning Himself, His being, nature, character, w il l and purposes; and concerning man. his nature, need and duty and destiny. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are without error or misstatement in their moral and spiritual teaching and record of historical facts. They are without error or defect of any kind. There is one God, eternally existing and manifesting Himself to us in three Persons - Father. Son and Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus was supernaturally con ceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin - Mary, a li neal descen dant of David. He lived and taught and wrought mighty works and wonders and signs exactly as is recorded in the fou r Gospels. He was put t o death by crucifix ion under Pontius Pilate. God raised from the dead the body that had been nailed to the cross. The Lord Jesus after His crucifix ion showed Himself to be alive to His disci ples, appearing unto them by the space of forty days. After this the Lord Jesus as cended into heaven, and the Father caused Him to sit at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in t his wor ld, but also in
is a Christian institution of higher education without any denominat ional affiliation. From an institute to a university, Biola's real cornerstone has remained the same: commitment to Jesus Christ and biblical Christianity (wi thin the evangelical Protes tant framework) as well as to the spiritual, academic and holistic growth of those who are personally committed to Him. The Mission of Biola University The mission of Biola Universit y is to be a Christian university, providing education at the baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate levels in biblical studies and theology. in the liberal arts and sciences . and in selected applied and professional fields. It is to be Christian in the sense that the biblical Christian world view serves as the all-en compassi ng framework and integrati ng ba sis for t he entire content and conduct of the institution. It is to be a university in the full traditional meaning of the term, with knowledge and understanding bei ng gen erated and disseminated, with students and faculty continually developing to high levels their cognitive and affective poten tial, and with society being served benefi cially thereby. In combining the two terms. Christ ian and university, considerable em phasis is placed upon the scholarly integra t ion of biblical faith with all of the fields of learning, and also upon the practical interrelationships and interdependencies of faith, learning and livi ng as they are de veloped throughout the curriculum, the co-curriculum and the li fe-style. The mission of the university is to produce graduates who are (a) competent in their fields of study. (b) knowledgeable in biblical studies, and (c) earnest Christians equipped to serve the Christian communi ty and society at large. An expanded ver sion of this statement is pr inted in the cata log, for the institution as a whole and also for some of the specific programs. There are two additional "products" of the university. both of which are to be viewed as outgrowths of the task of pro ducing graduates of its baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate programs and not as sepMate from it. One consists of the schol ar ly contribut ions to knowledge and un -
to degrees in theology, Christian education and sacred music. The School of Mission ary Medicine came into being in 1945, lay ing the foundation for Biola's current bac calau reate nursi ng program. In 1949, the Bible Institute was renamed Biola College. Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland became presi dent in 1952 and with his leadership, the col lege obtained regional and professional accreditation. Additionally, many new pro grams of study were introduced, includi ng Talbot Theological Seminary. The demands imposed by the growing student body and the enlarged curriculum prompted the purchase of a sevent y-five acre site in La Mirada. Biola moved to the new site in 1959. Dr. Suther land retired as president in 1970, but continues to lend leadership as a member of Biola's board of trustees. That same year, Dr. J. Richard Chase became Biola's sixth president. In the fall of 198 1, the undergraduate programs in psychology were merged with Rosemead's graduate programs, forming the present Rosemead School of Psychol ogy. Dr. Clyde Cook became the seventh president of Biola on June I, 1982. Under his leadership, the School of lntercu ltural Studies and World Missions was instituted as part of the university, beginning in the fall of 1983. Talbot Theological Seminary and School of Theology also began in the fall of 1983 as the resu lt of a merger be tween appropriate undergraduate pro grams and the graduate programs of Tal bot Theological Seminary. Because of the university's heritage and commitment. its academic basis is broader than that of the standard college of arts and sciences. Terminal and preparatory programs lead to service in both church related vocations and the many other vo cations and professions embraced by the present curr icu la. In addition, the university
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