The Legacy: Biblical & Theological Studies at Wheaton College
The School of Biblical and Theological Studies is one of the legacy parts of Wheaton College. While instruction in scripture and theology was central from the very beginning of the college’s history (its presidents who were pastors taught these subjects in the 19th century), the then department began to develop a faculty roster devoted to formal instruction in the early 20th century. Our first teacher in Bible was Edith Torrey who joined the faculty in 1919 (You can listen to hear an audio clip describing her.)
Increasingly the department began to gather into its ranks many professors who were devoted to academic efforts. Among conservative Christian colleges like Wheaton this was rare in the middle of the 20th century. It was not long before the department was home to scholars who were giving evangelical voice to biblical studies, theology, and even archaeology. Many of their books are still in print and in addition to their enduring value, they are often used to chart for us today the growing engagement of evangelical scholarship.
By the second half of the 20th century, evangelicals were sending many of their best students to major universities in the United States and Europe for graduate education. This post-war era saw the birth of both new seminaries (Fuller, 1947) and rebuilt older ones (Gordon-Conwell, 1969; Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1960) or like a variety of seminaries, launched entirely new graduate-level programs. Evangelicals began to enter the mainstream of national academic conversations, take leadership in national societies, and write books with every major academic publisher. Wheaton College’s developing theology curriculum was a part of this important national trend.
Now the school has almost 30 full-time faculty members. When this roster is added to the faculty in practical theology and ancient languages, the resources now available to students is unparalleled. The school offers a full curriculum for students pursuing a BA, MA or PhD. An archaeology lab provides hands-on research into a remarkable collection of ancient artifacts. And a summer program leads over 40 students each year on a six week tour of the Holy Land, Turkey, Greece and Italy. Hosted lectures and conferences are a regular part of the school's life.
This legacy has been built by a number of faculty members who have served the school's goals faithfully across generations. Old Testament and New Testament scholars produced distinguished commentaries, student introductions and monographs. Theologians and historians published respected contributions that today are read internationally. Archaeologists have worked on sites in Israel and Egypt and have been at the forefront of scientific method. These scholars engaged in issues of their day that were both controversial and prophetic: the defense of historic orthodoxy, the role of women in church leadership, the importance of justice (racial, political, economic) in many contemporary issues, and the reclamation of ancient forms of worship and liturgy. These voices at Wheaton have contributed richly to where the evangelical church is going today.
The following faculty members served the School of Biblical & Theological Studies for ten years or more. Our efforts today are built on their contributions. We are grateful for their excellence in service and scholarship.
- Edith C. Torrey 1919-1958
- Alice K. Spaulding 1926-1952
- Henry C. Thiessen 1934-1946
- Joseph P. Free 1935-1965
- Merrill C. Tenney 1941-1977
- Kenneth S. Kantzer 1945-1963
- Carl R. Ludwigson 1945-1969
- E. Myers Harrison 1946-1964
- Carl Armerding 1948-1962
- John E. Luchies 1949-1962
- Steven Barabas 1949-1974
- Samuel J. Schultz 1949-1980
- A. Berkeley Michelsen 1950-1965
- Kenneth C. Kennard 1954-1966
- Evan D. Welsh 1955-1971
- J. Barton Payne 1958-1972
- Morris A. Inch 1962-1986
- G. Henry Waterman 1966-1977
- Charles M. Horne 1966-1979
- Herb M. Wolf 1967-2002
- Herbert K. Jacobsen 1967-1988
- Alfred J. Hoerth 1968-1997
- Robert E. Webber 1968-2000
- Alan F. Johnson 1969-2000
- Donald M. Lake 1970-2000
- Hassell C. Bullock 1973-2009
- Walter A. Elwell 1975-2004
- Norman R. Ericson 1977-2000
- James Julius Scott 1977-2000
- Mark Noll, 1979-2006
- John McRay 1980-2002
- James K. Hoffmeier 1981-2000
- Timothy Phillips 1982-2000
- Philip Comfort 1986-1996
- Dennis Okholm 1989-2003
- Christopher Mitchell 1993-2013
- John M. Monson 1997-2008
- Lynn Cohick 2000-2018
- Karen Jobes 2005-2015
- Nick Perrin 2005-2019
- Beth Felker Jones 2008-2021