Biblical & Theological Studies Department Overview

At Bethel, biblical and theological studies form an essential part of a liberal arts education. They bring the student into contact with the historical foundations of the Christian faith in the Old and New Testaments, and introduce the central doctrines of Christianity that have been formulated in the Church and have been expounded and debated by theologians past and present. They also provide a forum in which the foundation and content of the student's faith can be examined. In addition, there are opportunities to understand the teachings of the most significant world religions and to experience the value of learning one or more of the languages (Greek and Hebrew) in which the Christian Scriptures were written.

Besides its service to students within the liberal arts curriculum, the Department of Biblical and Theological Studies aims to prepare students for seminary or other graduate studies in fields related to the bible and theology, to provide biblical and theological back-ground for other ministries that students may enter without a graduate degree, and to enrich the life and ministry of the Church by equipping educated laypeople with the tools for lifelong Bible study.