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History
Philadelphia Biblical University enjoys a heritage that spans nearly one hundred years. Founded in 1913, it is the result of the merger of two separate institutions which formed Philadelphia Bible Institute in 1951, a school which offered only three-year diplomas and focused primarily on the training of lay people.
In 1958, PBI became Philadelphia College of Bible when the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania granted the institution approval to offer a four-year program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Bible degree. This established PCB as a school for training students for vocational ministry in the church and related organizations.
Strengthening its educational program by developing an academically rigorous core of biblical studies and liberal arts courses, PCB attained accreditation from the Middle States Association in 1967. In doing so, PCB became one of only a few Bible colleges in the nation to receive such regional accreditation. PCB then added the Bachelor of Music and the Bachelor of Social Work degrees, which began the development of a series of programs in various professional fields. This further distinguished PCB from traditional Bible colleges in America as graduates were being prepared for careers in fields other than vocational ministry within the church.
In 1979, the College relocated from Center City Philadelphia to the Bucks County suburb of Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Bachelor’s degrees in Education and Business Administration were developed as well as graduate level programs in Biblical Studies, Christian Counseling, Education, Educational Leadership and Administration, Organizational Leadership, Divinity, and Business Administration. In 2000, the Commonwealth granted approval for university status and the institution changed its name to Philadelphia Biblical University.
Today, with over forty academic programs and specializations listed in the catalog and the approval of such bodies as the Council on Social Work Education, the National Association of Schools of Music, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Association of Christian Schools International, and the Association for Biblical Higher Education, PBU is one of the most thoroughly accredited schools of its type.
PBU undergraduate students earn a Bachelor of Science in Bible degree but also have the opportunity to earn degrees in business, social work, education, and music. Graduate students earn master’s degrees that facilitate professional and intellectual development. Students also have the option of dual-level programs, earning a master’s degree at the same time as a bachelor’s degree. While its core commitments to preparing students for Christian service and teaching the Bible as a foundation for all of life and learning have remained central, PBU has emerged a private Christian university with a reputation for academic excellence and an ability to prepare students for professional service in the church and society.
Statement of Faith
Philadelphia Biblical University is a conservative, evangelical, non-charismatic, and denominationally unaffiliated academic institution within the dispensational, premillennial tradition. PBU maintains a central commitment to the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures, and upholds the basic orthodox doctrines of the historic Protestant Christian faith.
1. We believe that there is only one God, Creator of heaven and earth, who exists eternally in three equal persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2. We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures are the inspired Word of God, written under the guidance of the Holy Spirit without error in the words of the original documents and providentially preserved as the supreme authority for faith and life.
3. We believe that human beings were specially created by God to be perfect bearers of His image, but that through sin they alienated themselves from Him. Consequently, they have inherited a nature incapable of pleasing God and have incurred the certainty of physical death and the prospect of eternal punishment.
4. We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God and second person of the Godhead, added humanity to His deity when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He is therefore fully divine and fully human.
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, being without sin, died as the substitute for sinful humanity, and that His death is sufficient both to satisfy the justice of an offended holy God and to reconcile sinners to Him. We believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead bodily and ascended in that form into heaven, where He is presently interceding for His own as High Priest and Advocate.
6. We believe that sinners are forgiven, reconciled to God, kept by Him, and granted eternal life as a gift of His grace, which they receive by faith alone in the crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ. We believe that all who trust Him are born of the Holy Spirit and thereby become the children of God.
7. We believe that the Church, the spiritual body of Christ inaugurated by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, is distinct from God’s plan for Israel, and consists solely of those who have trusted Jesus Christ for salvation. We believe that its members are indwelt by the Holy Spirit from the moment of conversion and are enabled by Him to glorify the Lord Jesus by living godly lives, strengthening one another, and making disciples throughout all nations.
8. We believe that Jesus Christ will receive the Church into His presence at any time. Then follows a period of judgment climaxed by the personal and physical return of Christ to the earth to establish His sovereign rule of righteousness and peace for a thousand years.
9. We believe that both believers and unbelievers will be raised from the dead bodily, believers to conscious eternal blessedness in God’s presence and unbelievers to conscious eternal punishment and separation from Him.
Church Relations
The local church is God’s primary agency in this present age, and the University exists to serve the local church. For over 90 years, evangelical Christians of many denominations have looked to Philadelphia Biblical University for educational leadership. The constituency that the University serves has a philosophy based on a conservative interpretation of the Bible. The University, however, is denominationally unaffiliated. Students represent many denominations, large and small, as well as independent churches. Likewise, board members, faculty, and staff represent different ecclesiastical groups. The University assumes students have a home church and encourages them to continue their relationship with this church during their University experience.
Mission
Philadelphia Biblical University exists to educate students to serve Christ in the church, society, and the world as biblically minded, well-educated, and professionally competent men and women of character.
Institutional Objectives
In the fulfillment of its mission, PBU endeavors to accomplish three institutional objectives.
1. As an academic institution committed to intellectual development, the idea that all truth is God’s truth, and the biblical truth that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, the University purposes to impart to its students a knowledge of God, themselves, and the world in which they live.
2. As an academic institution committed to spiritual maturation, the University purposes to develop the character of its students according to the teaching and example of the Lord Jesus Christ, as set forth in Holy Scripture.
3. As an academic institution committed to Christian ministry, the University purposes to prepare students to the highest degree of professional competency and to instill in them a commitment to an intentional and obedient life of service to Christ in the church, society, and the world.
Distinctives
Philadelphia Biblical University’s graduate programs are designed to challenge students professionally while remaining centered on Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Each program is engaging and purposeful, changing the way students think and serve amid all the changes of life. To that end, every student in each graduate program takes a core of biblical and theological courses that facilitates the cultivation of wisdom and the integration of biblical truth and Christian faith.
The logo of Philadelphia Biblical University reflects the educational commitment of the institution. It consists of two symbols merged to convey two important concepts. The first symbol is that of the shield, which has historically represented university education. The second symbol represents the triune God who has revealed Himself in the Bible. Merged together, they symbolize the University’s commitment to ensure that God and His truth remain inextricably linked to all University programs.
Accreditation
Institutional
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (1967) (Commission on Higher Education, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104; Telephone: 267-284-5000; Web Site: www.msche.org).
- Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on Accreditation (1950) (Association for Biblical Higher Education, 5850 T. G. Lee Blvd. Suite 130, Orlando, FL 32822; Telephone: 407-207-0808; Web Site: www.abhe.org).
Programmatic
- Council on Social Work Education (1974) (Council on Social Work Education, 1725 Duke Street, Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22314-3457; Telephone: 703-683-8080; Web Site: www.cswe.org).
- National Association of Schools of Music (1979) (National Association of Schools of Music, 11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21, Reston, VA 20190; Telephone: 703-437-0700; Web Site: nasm.arts-accredit.org).
- Association of Christian Schools International (1981) (Association of Christian Schools International, P.O. Box 65130, Colorado Springs, CO 80962-5130; Telephone: 719-528-6906; Web Site: www.acsi.org).
- International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (2000) (International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, P. O. Box 3960, Olathe, KS 66063; Telephone: 913-631-3009; Web Site: www.iacbe.org).
Philadelphia Biblical University has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) located in Olathe, KS. The business programs in the following degrees are accredited by IACBE: Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Science in Organizational Leadership. View the assessment plan and results here on PBU’s main site.
Approved Degrees
PBU is approved by the Department of Education, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, to award the following degrees:
- Bachelor of Science in Bible (B.S. in Bible) - 1958
- Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.) - 1967
- Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) - 1974
- Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) - 1987
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) - 1999
- Master of Science in Bible (M.S. in Bible) - 1992
- Master of Science in Christian Counseling (M.S. in Christian Counseling) - 1992
- Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.) - 1992
- Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (M.S. in Organizational Leadership) - 1996
- Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Administration (M.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration) - 1999
- Master of Divinity (M.Div.) - 2002
- Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) - 2010
All documents describing the institution’s accreditation approval or licensing may be reviewed in the University President’s office.
The University is recognized officially by all appropriate federal agencies and listed in publications of the United States Office of Education, the Office of Chief of Chaplains, and the Justice Department (by which it is approved for attendance of nonimmigrant alien students under the Immigration and Nationality Act), and is approved for veterans’ education.
The University maintains appropriate relationships with the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
Location
PBU’s main campus is ideally located in Langhorne Manor, a suburban community in Lower Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Just four miles from the northeast boundary of Philadelphia, PBU is also just a short drive from some of America’s prime farm, forest, and resort areas.
PBU is strategically located in the center of the world’s largest and most densely populated urban strip that stretches from Boston to Richmond. The campus’s location offers students diverse and varied opportunities for work and ministry within an easy distance, north into New York, east into New Jersey, south into Philadelphia, and west into the populous Philadelphia suburbs.
PBU is at a center of transportation. U.S. Highway 1 and Interstate 95 intersect near the campus. There is easy access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Pennsylvania Routes 13, 213, 413, and 513. Center City Philadelphia is 30 minutes away by car. The Langhorne station of the railroad line between West Trenton and Philadelphia is within two blocks of the campus. Bus transportation to Philadelphia and neighboring communities is also available.
PBU is in a center of industry, commerce, and business. Nearby Bristol, Pennsylvania, is part of the Greater Philadelphia area port facility, the nation’s largest industrial port. Large shopping centers, numerous factories and many businesses, including restaurants, stores, and banks, provide employment and shopping opportunities.
PBU is located in a center of Christian activity. Numerous evangelical churches in the area provide worship and Christian service opportunities. Christian radio stations, missionary agencies, and other parachurch organizations are located in Greater Philadelphia and provide additional service opportunities.
PBU is accessible to major educational centers. Numerous public and private libraries, research facilities, colleges, and universities are found in the Greater Philadelphia area.
PBU is located in a historical center. Bucks County has a rich heritage dating back to pre-Revolutionary times when William Penn made his home at Pennsbury. During the American Revolution both Langhorne and Newtown served as centers of operation for the American Army. Also in Bucks County is the site where George Washington crossed the Delaware to win the Battle of Trenton. In nearby Philadelphia, the Continental Congress first met; the Declaration of Independence was written and signed; the first flag was made; and the Constitution was adopted.
PBU is in an unusually rich cultural center. Lower Bucks County abounds with cultural sites and museums that graphically depict peoples and events of the past and present. Cultural institutions second to none in the country are found in Philadelphia. Included among these are the National Constitution Center, the Kimmel Center with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Institute, and numerous other museums representing many areas of interest.
PBU is in a major sports center. From the University there is easy access to the sports center in Philadelphia where major league baseball, football, ice hockey, basketball, and soccer are played. In the Lower Bucks area, there are abundant opportunities for swimming, boating, fishing, jogging, hiking, bicycling, bowling, horseback riding, tennis, racquetball, and skateboarding.
Facilities
The University’s main campus is located on a 120-acre wooded campus. The educational buildings are clustered on a hill, which overlooks a two-acre pond. The University’s main entrance ties together many of these buildings and houses the Stearns Missions Center.
Directly tied to the University’s main entrance area is the Smith Administration Building, which houses the majority of the administrative offices of the University along with other key campus facilities:
- The hexagonal Chatlos Memorial Chapel has a dual function. It is used for chapel services and also for activities such as organ lessons, instrumental group rehearsals, recitals, concerts, dramatic productions, and lecture series.
- The Administrative Wing of the Smith Administration Building houses the Presidential and Provost’s Offices, Finance and Administration, Human Resources, Research, and Communications and Marketing Department, as well as the Office of Student Life, University Ministry Center, Academic Resource Center, and the Oasis Counseling Center.
- The Educational Wing of the Smith Administration Building contains the Welcome Center; Financial Aid, Admissions, Business Services, and Registrar’s Offices; a Student Lounge; and faculty offices for each of the academic Schools and Departments of the University, in addition to smart classrooms and a computer lab for course use.
Also connected to the Stearns Missions Center is the Masland Library. Dedicated in 1992, the 32,000-square-foot facility houses a collection of more than 150,000 volumes, 40,000 e-books, a curriculum lab, two computer labs, conference and teaching rooms, private study areas, the Writing Lab, and an archival collection.
The Cook Biblical Learning Center, connected to the back of the Smith Administration Building, houses the bulk of the University’s classroom space. Each of the 19 classrooms is equipped with wireless computer network access for faculty and students, and most are equipped as smart classrooms. Special display areas; a museum; and the Holmes Recital Hall, a large recital and lecture hall, enhance students’ educational experiences.
Equipped for the needs of PBU’s music students, the nearby Music Building houses two large classrooms along with a special keyboard instruction room and an electronic music lab. The building contains 20 private practice rooms equipped with pianos or organs, faculty studios where private lessons are held, and a central office area.
Across the campus walkway from the administrative and educational buildings is the Mason Activity Center. The lower level houses a gymnasium that features two basketball courts, the athletic training and treatment rooms, a fitness center, Department of Athletics offices, and the University’s Bookstore. On the upper level are the Furman Dining Commons, the Eagle’s Nest Grille and Café, and more instruction classrooms. PBU’s campus also has a variety of outdoor athletic facilities, including tennis courts and numerous playing fields.
The University’s residential facilities can be described in three distinct groupings. Centrally located on campus are five residence halls, each designed to accommodate 40 students, which comprise Manor Campus. These residence halls feature suite-style living and are occupied primarily by entering students. Each suite houses four students living in two bedrooms joined by a common bath. The newest residence facility, Heritage Hall, features six wings, three on each side of a central Great Room. Female students occupy one side and male students occupy the other side. Rooms are a mix of both suite-style and traditional rooms equipped with private baths. The Penndel Apartments, a 66-unit apartment complex located approximately one quarter mile from the main campus, have a mix of 2-bedroom and 1-bedroom units. Some buildings are used as single, undergraduate student residences, but the remaining apartments may be available for rental by nontraditional, graduate, and/or married students.
Equal Opportunity Admissions Policy
Philadelphia Biblical University admits students of any race, gender, color, age, handicap, and national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the University. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, age, handicap, or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Philadelphia Biblical University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any person because of race, gender, color, age, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, or known physical disability in the administration of its educational, employment, or admissions policies.
Disability Compliance
Philadelphia Biblical University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973). Facilities of Philadelphia Biblical University conform to current regulations for existing buildings for the disabled. The Academic Resource Center provides academic support to students who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including making some resources available for visual and hearing impaired students.
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