One of the primary reasons I decided to attend Biola was because of the Bible-based education. Biola not only requires their students to attend a certain amount of chapels and conferences per year, but also requires that each student take at least thirty units of Bible courses so that everyone graduates with an built-in minor in Bible! This means that even if you are a biology major or a political science major, you will hopefully graduate with a deeper understanding of the Word of God and be equipped for a life of ministry no matter the field in which you are serving. The chapels and Bible classes are not the only area in which students are immersed in Biblical truth. Most classes, whether it is an astronomy class or an anthropology class, opens in prayer, and the material is more often than not dripping with rich Biblical truth and filtered through a Christian worldview.

Each Biola student that I have talked with has praised the Biblical aspect of their education. I talked with Katie, my roommate at Biola! She is also a freshman and said that she has already been personally impacted by the Biblical education she’s begun to receive! She explained that the essays in her Spanish class have been oriented around Biblical truth and that her professors integrate their faith into each class. I asked my other friend, Jenna, about her experience so far as a Journalism major. She said, “I used to think journalism and my faith were two separate things, but my professors are making it clear that they are helplessly intertwined. I’m so grateful to have professors who push me towards truth and Christ when it comes to media, which is the opposite of how the rest of the world looks at media.”

Something that I’ve loved about being at Biola this semester is that I am learning so much more about the Lord and His Word through my classes, core Bible requirements or not! It amazes me that my “homework” is quite often Bible reading. And I love that half of my astronomy class is conversation about the God who created the universe. Last week in astronomy, we were talking about light. My professor asked us to head into break out rooms (#zoom) and discuss the Biblical truths of what light is and what it does, then relate that to what we were learning from our textbook. The individuals in my breakout room shared in a rich conversation about the properties of light and how these are actually characteristics of God. It encouraged me and quite honestly surprised me that these were the conversations we were asked to have in a science class!

Overall, the benefits of a Bible-based education are numerous and evident. While being educated in the sciences and the arts, students are also educated in the Word of God and are equipped to live a life of ministering to those around them in whatever capacity or career the Lord places them!


Molly