Bible Institute of South Africa
The Bible Institute of South Africa is an evangelical Bible college located in Kalk Bay, a suburb of Cape Town on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. The college has students from all over Africa, as well as from Europe, Asia and North America.
BISA is a non-denominational bible training college. Staff and students are drawn from a range of church affiliations in SA and internationally, rather than one single denomination, as would be expected in a Seminary. The method and content of study is Christocentric and employs a historic Protestant and Reformational hermeneutic in the interpretation of the Bible. The teaching ethos is two-fold, not only to impart knowledge, but to take that knowledge and use it in the development of the skills and character needed by the student to be effective in life and service.
The outcome for each student is to be able to think creatively and critically about issues to be faced in the context of service, doing so in a way that is biblical and sustainable in a multi-faith, multi-cultural and international community.
Since its founding in 1923 BISA has trained over two thousand men and women in a variety of subjects including Hermeneutics, Biblical and Systematic Theology, the Doctrines of Scripture, Old and New Testament Studies, Ontology, Christian Thinking and Hebrew & Greek bible languages.
Courses and accreditation
The college has 300 students who are involved in a selection of courses including the correspondence-based Distance Learning Programme, a part-time Christian Leadership Programme, and an LTh. The residential courses also include a Christian Foundations Gap-Year with practical ministry experience, a 3-year programme in Licentiate in Theology accredited by the Association for Christian Theological Education in Africa.
History and Principalship
In the early part of the 20th century formal theological education in South Africa was only available in the universities. In the 1920s three church leaders, the Rev. Marsh, Rev.Douglas and Dr. Kingon, were concerned with the commitment to bible teaching in the theological departments of the time. With this in mind they proposed to endow a theological professorship at one of the South African universities, but because of the prevailing liberal theological influence, their wish was frustrated. They subsequently planned to establish a college where the evangelical doctrines of the bible would be taught. In 1923, they founded the Bible Institute of South Africa in Mowbray in the Cape Peninsula. Their intention was to create academic training of a high quality – at a degree level – in order to provide Churches in South Africa with men and women equipped to meet the challenge of a post-war world. Immediately prior to World War II the Institute moved to Kalk Bay, and has developed into the present campus where the LTh programme has international academic recognition through ACTEA.
Since inception, the Bible Institute has appointed eleven Principals – Alfred Daintree (1923-38); Joseph Ward (1939); Arthur Taylor (1940-45); Stuart Law (1945-53); Sandy Gilfillan(1953-1959); Murdo Gordon (1960-81); Clive Tyler (1981-1994); Bryan Williams (1995-1999); Tom Austin (2000-04); Raymond Potgieter (2006-11); Daniel Simango (2014 - ) supported by full-time, and part-time lecturers from diverse nations. In 1997, the Institute entered into a partnership agreement with Mission to the World (MTW) – the missionary sending agency of the Presbyterian Church in America – in terms of which a number of MTW teachers have joined the Faculty.
The Bible Institute of South Africa partners with several Missions Agencies giving students both pre and post-graduation opportunities to work cross culturally in society.
The Principal, Zimbabwe born Dr Daniel Simango, holds a Licentiate in Theology (LTh) from the Bible Institute of South Africa (2000), a BA in Theology (Cum Laude), a BA Honours in Theology from Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (2002), and a MA in Old Testament from North West University (2006). In 2011, Daniel completed a PhD in Old Testament at North-West University. He lectures Old Testament and Hebrew courses to under-graduate students and supervises post-graduate students in Old Testament studies.
College Motto
The Bible Institute motto is "To know Christ and to make Him known".
External links
- http://www.nwu.ac.za/
- Bible Institute of South Africa
- http://www.theoledafrica.org/ACTEA/
- http://www.sim.org/
- Mission Aviation Fellowship
- Mission to the World
Coordinates: 34°07′49″S 18°26′50″E / 34.1302°S 18.4473°E