Biola is consistently
ranked among the Christian universities, and was
recently recognized as one of America’s top “up and coming” national
universities by World Report. Biola’s six schools offer
more than 150 academic programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral
levels, enrolling more than 6,000 students at the La Mirada campus,
online and in distance programs throughout the world.
Biola University is a nationally ranked Christian university in the
heart of Southern California. Founded in 1908, Biola offers biblically
centered education, intentional spiritual development and vocational
preparation within a unique learning community where all faculty, staff
and students are professing Christians.Biola’s on-campus and online programs enroll 6,222 students from around
the world, including 4,225 undergraduates and 1,997 graduate students.
U.S.ranks Biola as a first-tier
national university — one of only two schools in the Council for
Christian Colleges & Universities to hold this distinction. The
Princeton Review includes Biola on its list of “Best Western Colleges.”
Biola’s esteemed professors hold doctorates from some of the world’s
leading research universities, such as Cambridge, MIT, Cornell, Stanford
and Oxford. A 16-to-1 student-faculty ratio allows students to receive
personal attention and mentoring.
Biola University was founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute Of Los Angeles by Lyman Stewart, president of the Union Oil Company of California (subsequently known as Unocal and later purchased by the Chevron Corporation), Thomas C. Horton, a Presbyterianminister and Christian author, and Augustus B. Prichard, also a Presbyterian minister
In 1912, the school appointed R. A. Torrey as dean, and in 1913 began construction on a new building at the corner of Sixth and Hope St., in downtown Los Angeles, which included a 3,500-seat auditorium, two large neon signs on top of the building proclaiming "Jesus Saves", and a set of eleven bells on which hymns were played three times each day. These early leaders wanted the school to focus on the training of students in the Bible and missions, rather than a broad approach to Christian education that was typical of most Christian liberal arts colleges. The Institute offered a diploma after completion of a two-year curriculum. This model was based largely on the Moody Bible Institute. Beginning in the 1920s, attempts were made to broaden the curriculum, but it was not until 1949 that the institution took the name "Biola College" and 1981 when it was renamed "Biola University". Biola re-located to La Mirada, California in 1959.
In 1915 Torrey announced plans to organize an independent church that would meet in Biola's auditorium called the Church of the Open Door. This decision proved controversial with local Presbyterian and Baptist clergy.
In 1917, the Institute published a four-volume version of The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth (a series of essays affirming conservative Protestant beliefs), edited by Torrey and others, with funds donated by Lyman Stewart and his brother Milton
Lyman Stewart died on September 28, 1923, and ten months later, Reuben Torrey resigned as dean. The school appointed Joseph Irvine as President, and on April 3, 1925, appointed John Murdoch MacInnis as the school's second dean. MacInnis was a Presbyterian minister who had only been an instructor at the school for about two years. MacInnis served as dean until his forced resignation on December 31, 1928. His administration was turbulent and suffered from leadership conflicts and religious controversy. In 1927, Biola published a book by MacInnis entitled "Peter the Fisherman Philosopher". This book became the focus of an intense national controversy, in which MacInnis was accused by Fundamentalists of advocating liberal theological positions contrary to Biola's standards Eventually MacInnis was forced to resign effective December 31, 1928, and all the remaining copies of the book along with the printing plates were destroyed.
In 1929 Charles E. Fuller a businessman and evangelist and graduate of Biola, was drafted as vice president to find a new dean and a president. Elbert McCreery and William P. White, both associated with Moody Bible Institute, were chosen to fill these posts.
During the Great Depression, the Institute suffered serious financial difficulties.In 1932, Louis T. Talbot, pastor of the Church of the Open Door, assumed the presidency and helped raise much-needed funds. During the next two decades, Talbot led a shift away from missions, instead concentrating on academic programs. Talbot Theological Seminary became Biola's first graduate school, and in 1977, Biola acquired the graduate programs of Rosemead Graduate School of Professional Psychology and relocated them to the La Mirada campus.Biola added a School of Intercultural Studies in 1983,a School of Business in 1993, and a School of Education in 2007
Theology
Biola University is officially non-denominational, but the most represented denominations at the university are Baptist and Evangelical Free. Biola is well known for its conservative evangelical doctrine, while many other evangelical schools identify as either moderate or liberal. The vast majority of students and faculty identify themselves as evangelical, but Biola students and faculty hold to myriad perspectives within the overall schema of Protestant orthodoxy. Biola holds to the key doctrine of Biblical inerrancy, the idea that the original writings of the Bible were without error with regard to both theological and non-theological matters. As a final guarantee of strict adherence to its theological worldview, the university requires every faculty member, when first hired and again upon application for tenure, to submit their understanding of and complete agreement with each item of the doctrinal and teaching statements to the Talbot School of Theology for evaluation.
Messianic Jewish Studies
On October 8, 2007, Biola opened the Charles Feinberg Center for Messianic Jewish Studies in Manhattan. The Center offers a Masters in Divinity in Messianic Jewish Studies. The program, which is in cooperation with Chosen People Ministries, focuses on the education and training of leaders in the Messianic Jewish community. The program is approved by the New York State Board of Regents and the Association of Theological Schools
Colleges and schools
Biola offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and 80 concentrations and 145 professional fields of study, as well as master's, doctoral, and professional degrees. Degrees include B.A., B.S., B.M., B.F.A, M.A., M.B.A., M.Div., Th.M., D.Min., D.Miss., Psy.D., Ed.D., and Ph.D. All are regionally and professionally accredited and are integrated with evangelical Christian doctrine.
Crowell School of BusinessThe schools are:
- Rosemead School of Psychology
- School of Arts and Sciences
- School of Education
- Cook School of Intercultural Studies
- Talbot School of Theology
Torrey Honors Institute is a Christian great books program started by Dr. John Mark Reynolds in 1995 and named after Reuben Archer Torrey.Classes in the department are used to meet most of the general education requirements at Biola University in four years (the program does not offer a major or minor). The Torrey Honors Institute is patterned after Oxford's tutorial system, employing reading, discussion, writing, mentoring, and lectures among other opportunities.[31] The goal of the department is to "equip men and women to pursue truth, goodness and beauty in intellectual and spiritual community, enabling them to be strong Christian leaders"
All undergraduate students are required to take 30 units of Bible classes, regardless of their major, resulting in a minor in theological and Biblical studies. The mission of Biola University is "biblically centered education, scholarship, and service—equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.
In its 2014 college rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Biola in its "Best National Universities" category ranking Biola 177 out of 281 national universities Biola was one of only two national universities in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) to be included in the first tier In 2013 Biola had been listed as one of America's 19 "up and coming" national universities by U.S. News.[36] In 2014 Niche ranked Biola as #3 in its Friendliest Students category.
