Biola UniversityRanked #1 for Faith in Action
Biola University is the most comprehensively Christian university in North America, scoring #1 overall — out of 562 Christian colleges and universities — for making faith central to its identity, curriculum, community and policies, according to research published in the book Christian Higher Education: An Empirical Guide.
A Distinctly Christian University
As a top-ranked Christian university, Biola is a place where students develop a brilliant mind and a resilient faith. How do we make faith central to the Biola experience?
All-Christian Community
Biola is one of the few national universities where all students, faculty and staff profess faith in Jesus Christ. And all faculty, staff and board members recommit to our Articles of Faith each year. Within this vibrant, all-Christian community, we’re connected by a shared understanding of what matters most in life.
Bible Classes for Everyone
At many Christian universities, students take two or three Bible courses as part of their degree. At Biola, most traditional undergraduate students take 10 Bible and theology courses (30 credits), qualifying for a minor in biblical and theological studies. All graduates leave with a firm foundation on God’s Word.
Faith Integration in Every Program
The God who created and sustains all things has something to teach us about how to approach every sphere of human life — not just the “spiritual” areas. That’s why Biola integrates a Christian perspective into the entire academic experience, helping you to connect your faith with your studies and career.
Chapel and Spiritual Development
Biola is intentional about helping students grow spiritually — including through chapels, pastoral care, student-led ministries, service opportunities and strong connections with local churches. Chapels are offered in a variety of formats throughout each week, allowing the community to worship and learn together.
Conferences and Special Events
Each semester, we take a three-day break from classes — for Torrey Memorial Bible Conference in the fall and Missions Conference in the spring — to focus on God’s work in our lives and in his world. Biola also regularly invites Christian thinkers and influencers to campus for guest lectures, debates and events.
Shared Values and Standards
As a Christ-centered community, we commit to living by a shared set of standards related to academic integrity, sexual ethics, alcohol and other areas of Christian living — some connected to specific biblical instruction, and others rooted in Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself.
Centers and Resources
Biola offers a wide range of free resources to help people from all ages and backgrounds deepen their thinking and grow in their faith — including the Think Biblically Podcast, the Center for Marriage and Relationships, the Center for Christianity, Culture and the Arts, the Winsome Conviction Project and more.
An Enduring Mission
Well over a century since its founding as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA), Biola University remains committed to a clear and consistent mission: biblically centered education, scholarship and service — equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.
The integration of my faith with everything that I do is the most valuable part of Biola. Whether in academics or extracurriculars, God is involved throughout it all.
The most important part of my life here at Biola is definitely the Word of God. I’m so grateful to be able to study the Bible academically and be formed spiritually with my peers.
The one aspect of Biola that I value the most is their commitment to fostering a community of believers who are active in their faith and pursue the Lord and his Word in everything that they do.
I love Biola's community that bolsters and encourages one another to love and pursue Christ. Specifically, I love the professors here who intentionally and so lovingly pour into the students.
About the Research
Biola University ranks #1 among all Christian universities in North America for putting its Christian mission into action, according to a study published in the book Christian Higher Education: An Empirical Guide. Led by Dr. Perry Glanzer, a professor at Baylor University and fellow at the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, the study introduces a comprehensive tool that identifies and evaluates how Christian colleges “operationalize” their Christian identity.
Essentially, the book aims to measure just how central faith really is to each school’s mission, and help families understand that not all Christian universities operate in the same ways. In the study’s evaluation of various markers of Christian identity — including mission statement, rhetoric, membership requirements, curriculum, co-curriculum, and governance — Biola scores 26 out of 27 possible points, the highest of the 562 Christian colleges and universities in North America.
The researchers’ methodology awarded schools points for the presence of:
- Christian identity in mission statement (up to 2 points)
- Christian identity prominently expressed on website (up to 2 points)
- Christian faith requirement for students, faculty, staff, president and board members (up to 5 points)
- Mission-focused position on president’s executive leadership team (up to 1 point)
- Specific Christian academic department (up to 1 point)
- Required Bible/theology classes (up to 10 points)
- Explicitly Christian centers or institutes (up to 1 point)
- Chapel or mass attendance requirement (up to 2 points)
- Only Christian student groups recognized on campus (up to 1 point)
- Code of conduct based on Christian reasoning (up to 2 points)
Learn more about the research by reading the Biola News article, “Biola Listed as Most Comprehensively Christian University in North America.”
Develop a Bold Faith for a Bright Future
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