Last month, “TheBestSchools.org” ranked Biola University first out of 15 schools to study the Bible, citing many distinctives including Christian apologetics, philosophy and the Torrey Honors Institute.
Senior Bible major Andre Murillo is pleased with the ranking. “I think it’s well-deserved, and I’ve been proud of being a Biolan now for the last year-and-a half, especially being part of the Bible department,” Murillo said.
TheBestSchools.org also mentioned Biola’s commitment to the integration of faith and discipline.
“The university is one of the world’s best at framing all of its departments within a biblical-Christian worldview,” according to the article.
Effort to integrate begins during Chase's tenure as president
It has not always been this way at Biola, according to David Peters, who has been a professor of political science at Biola since the 1960s. A real effort toward integration began during J. Richard Chase’s tenure as president of the university, according to Peters.
“We go back several decades now with the specific and intentional focus on faith and learning,” Peters said.
One such work that was published while Chase was president was the 1979 book “The Integration of Psychology and Theology,” co-authored by Rosemead School of Psychology professor Bruce Narramore.
Following in that tradition, Talbot School of Theology professor J.P. Moreland has recently edited the Christian Worldview Integration Series. Each book in the series seeks to integrate Christianity with a particular discipline, like business, psychology or communication. Peters said that has used the political science volume from the series as a supplementary book in his public policy class.
"That's what we want to be recognized for."
Erik Thoennes, a professor in the biblical studies department, loves the way Biola integrates its Christianity with the liberal arts, which he believes to be a very healthy approach.
“The truth is found in God’s word, but [we also believe] that God created reason; God created the universal realm that provides what we call general revelation,” Thoennes said.
Murillo is especially thankful for Biola’s commitment to biblical fidelity.
“I recently read a proverb that says, ‘Where prophetic vision fails, the people cast off restraint’ … [Biola] is all about the prophetic vision — the Word of God, the Bible revealed. If anything, that’s what we want to be recognized for,” Murillo said.
A connection between academics and the Great Commission
Academics is not Biola’s sole distinctive, however, according to TheBestSchools.org. The website also mentions Biola’s focus on Christian missions, which is especially seen at the Missions Conference held every spring. Thoennes sees a connection between the academics and Biola’s commitment to spreading the gospel.
“You can feel the Great Commission here. You can feel a strong sense of wanting to do something with all of this knowledge we’re acquiring for the sake of the gospel,” Thoennes said.
The Best Schools is an independent organization, according to its website. Although it is not a Christian organization, it has written about Christian academia in several articles. For instance, the website has interviewed Christian scholars like Houston Baptist University professor Michael Licona, Talbot’s own William Lane Craig and intelligent design advocate William Dembski. It has also compiled a list titled “50 Smartest People of Faith.”
