BIBLE COLLEGE
- + Add to Faves
- + Translate
- + Share
العربية
ä¸å›½
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिनà¥à¤¦à¥€
Italiano
日本語
Português
РуÑÑкий
Español
A 'bible college' is a college or university offering an undergraduate education in which the Bible is central.
Bible colleges are associated primarily with evangelical Protestant denominations. Their primary purpose is to prepare people for roles in the Christian ministry, including the ordained ministry, missionary service, and religious education. The Bible-centered curriculum (the Bible is, in fact, the textbook for many courses) is augmented by structured programs requiring students to participate regularly in Christian service.[1] Bible colleges produce a large percentage of North American evangelical missionaries and serve as a primary training center for local church leadership.
Bible colleges generally confer certificates or undergraduate degrees (i.e., associate and bachelor's degrees) in biblical studies and Christian ministry/mission. Increasingly they are expanding their missions to offer more general education curricula in addition to the core programs in Bible. Many Bible colleges offer supplementary training or degree programs in ministry-related areas that also have secular application, such as elementary and secondary education, business administration, and music. A few offer specialized programs in such areas as deaf ministries, social work, aviation, and other technology-oriented fields.
The Association for Biblical Higher Education, which accredits many bible colleges, traces the origins of the bible college movement to the late 19th century bible institute movement, when bible education programs were established to provide Biblical study and practical training to prepare people for work in overseas missions and other ministries.5 Institutions founded in that era included the interdenominational East London Institute for Home and Foreign Missions (later known as Harley House) in England, founded in 1873 by Henry Grattan Guinness; the Missionary Training Institute (now Nyack College) in Nyack, New York, started in 1882 by Rev. A. B. Simpson, founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance; Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, founded by evangelist and businessman Dwight L. Moody in 1886; the Boston Missionary Training School (now Gordon College) in 1889; Angas College (no longer in existence) in Adelaide, Australia, founded by Presbyterian minister Rev. W. Lockhart Morton in 1893; the School of the Evangelists (now Johnson Bible College) in Tennessee, founded in 1893 by Ashley S. Johnson; and Toronto Bible Training School (the forerunner of Tyndale University College and Seminary) in Toronto in 1894. 51[2][3]
Historically, many Bible colleges and institutes have operated without conventional educational accreditation or government licensing. These institutions typically claim exemption due to the purely religious nature of their programs. Also, some express concern that involving an outside agency in this capacity would compromise their missions. Dr. Paul Chappell, founder and president of West Coast Baptist College explained the basis for his refusal to seek accreditation for that school, writing: "The local church should have no approving agency over its ministry. I believe this position to be consistent with the Scriptures and with our Baptist distinctives... A study of history would reveal that educational institutions begin to waver when they become more interested in what the world thinks of them than what God insists upon. ...For the accredited college, the approval of an accrediting agency becomes its 'life’s blood.' ...It is my firm conviction that the 'life blood' of a Christian college should be nothing other than the living Word of God itself."[4] Increasingly, however, institutions out of the Bible college tradition are obtaining various forms of accreditation or have university recognized education. Some have established their own seminaries and graduate divisions.
The Association for Biblical Higher Education estimates that there are more than 1,200 Bible schools and colleges in the United States and Canada.[5] More than 120 Bible institutions have been established in Canada. In 1996 37 bible schools in Canada reported a total combined enrollment over 5,426.1
Many Bible schools and colleges have a direct denominational affiliation, but many others are interdenominational. Most of these institutions emphasize (or originally emphasized) biblical prophecy from a premillennial and dispensational point of view. Faith groups and denominations that operate or are affiliated with bible colleges include Mennonites, Pentecostalists, Holiness churches, Independent Baptists and other Baptist groups, Churches of Christ, Churches of God, the Missionary Church, and the Christian and Missionary Alliance. 1
Many bible colleges in the United States and Canada that offer intercollegiate athletic programs are members of the National Christian College Athletic Association or the Association of Christian College Athletics.
★ Association for Biblical Higher Education
★ Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
★ South Pacific Association of Bible Colleges
1. Bible Schools in The Canadian Encyclopedia
2. What is Dispensationalism? By Michael J. Vlach, Ph.D.
3. South Pacific Association of Bible Colleges
4. WCBC website page on Accreditation: Liberal Arts Studies and the Local Church Bible College
5. ABHE: Our History (Accessed June 21, 2007)
★ American Association of Christian Colleges and Seminaries
★ Association for Biblical Higher Education (also see http://www.bible-college.org/)
★ South Pacific Association of Bible Colleges
Bible colleges are associated primarily with evangelical Protestant denominations. Their primary purpose is to prepare people for roles in the Christian ministry, including the ordained ministry, missionary service, and religious education. The Bible-centered curriculum (the Bible is, in fact, the textbook for many courses) is augmented by structured programs requiring students to participate regularly in Christian service.[1] Bible colleges produce a large percentage of North American evangelical missionaries and serve as a primary training center for local church leadership.
Bible colleges generally confer certificates or undergraduate degrees (i.e., associate and bachelor's degrees) in biblical studies and Christian ministry/mission. Increasingly they are expanding their missions to offer more general education curricula in addition to the core programs in Bible. Many Bible colleges offer supplementary training or degree programs in ministry-related areas that also have secular application, such as elementary and secondary education, business administration, and music. A few offer specialized programs in such areas as deaf ministries, social work, aviation, and other technology-oriented fields.
The Association for Biblical Higher Education, which accredits many bible colleges, traces the origins of the bible college movement to the late 19th century bible institute movement, when bible education programs were established to provide Biblical study and practical training to prepare people for work in overseas missions and other ministries.5 Institutions founded in that era included the interdenominational East London Institute for Home and Foreign Missions (later known as Harley House) in England, founded in 1873 by Henry Grattan Guinness; the Missionary Training Institute (now Nyack College) in Nyack, New York, started in 1882 by Rev. A. B. Simpson, founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance; Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, founded by evangelist and businessman Dwight L. Moody in 1886; the Boston Missionary Training School (now Gordon College) in 1889; Angas College (no longer in existence) in Adelaide, Australia, founded by Presbyterian minister Rev. W. Lockhart Morton in 1893; the School of the Evangelists (now Johnson Bible College) in Tennessee, founded in 1893 by Ashley S. Johnson; and Toronto Bible Training School (the forerunner of Tyndale University College and Seminary) in Toronto in 1894. 51[2][3]
Historically, many Bible colleges and institutes have operated without conventional educational accreditation or government licensing. These institutions typically claim exemption due to the purely religious nature of their programs. Also, some express concern that involving an outside agency in this capacity would compromise their missions. Dr. Paul Chappell, founder and president of West Coast Baptist College explained the basis for his refusal to seek accreditation for that school, writing: "The local church should have no approving agency over its ministry. I believe this position to be consistent with the Scriptures and with our Baptist distinctives... A study of history would reveal that educational institutions begin to waver when they become more interested in what the world thinks of them than what God insists upon. ...For the accredited college, the approval of an accrediting agency becomes its 'life’s blood.' ...It is my firm conviction that the 'life blood' of a Christian college should be nothing other than the living Word of God itself."[4] Increasingly, however, institutions out of the Bible college tradition are obtaining various forms of accreditation or have university recognized education. Some have established their own seminaries and graduate divisions.
The Association for Biblical Higher Education estimates that there are more than 1,200 Bible schools and colleges in the United States and Canada.[5] More than 120 Bible institutions have been established in Canada. In 1996 37 bible schools in Canada reported a total combined enrollment over 5,426.1
Many Bible schools and colleges have a direct denominational affiliation, but many others are interdenominational. Most of these institutions emphasize (or originally emphasized) biblical prophecy from a premillennial and dispensational point of view. Faith groups and denominations that operate or are affiliated with bible colleges include Mennonites, Pentecostalists, Holiness churches, Independent Baptists and other Baptist groups, Churches of Christ, Churches of God, the Missionary Church, and the Christian and Missionary Alliance. 1
Many bible colleges in the United States and Canada that offer intercollegiate athletic programs are members of the National Christian College Athletic Association or the Association of Christian College Athletics.
| Contents |
| See also |
| References |
| External links |
See also
★ Association for Biblical Higher Education
★ Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
★ South Pacific Association of Bible Colleges
References
1. Bible Schools in The Canadian Encyclopedia
2. What is Dispensationalism? By Michael J. Vlach, Ph.D.
3. South Pacific Association of Bible Colleges
4. WCBC website page on Accreditation: Liberal Arts Studies and the Local Church Bible College
5. ABHE: Our History (Accessed June 21, 2007)
External links
★ American Association of Christian Colleges and Seminaries
★ Association for Biblical Higher Education (also see http://www.bible-college.org/)
★ South Pacific Association of Bible Colleges
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
