Curious about BJU

[Pastor Shaun]

What is the quality of education at BJU?

Do they accept ua degrees?

Are graduates looked upon in the same light as the school in regards to controversy?



Thanks!

 

[jaigner]

What is the quality of education at BJU?

Are graduates looked upon in the same light as the school in regards to controversy?

The quality is probably better than it has been, but it's still not even close to other evangelical institutions like Fuller or Wheaton, for instance.

And I wouldn't ever suggest anyone be associated with its reputation.

 

[preachinjesus]

I am reluctant to recommend Bob Jones due to their difficult history. They are not regionally accredited and many graduate schools will not accept their degrees.

From what I've discovered the graduates are usually well informed and prepared for whatever field they enter.

If you are planning on being in ministry in anything but an IFB or GARB church you will get black balled with a BJU degree in your CV. I am very wary of BJU grads who apply for positions at the church where I serve primarily due to many experiences with graduates who are less than charitable in ministry.

The rules are still pretty rigid imho. When I was at Liberty University in my undergrad days I had friends who transfered from BJU specifically because of the rules.

But I have friends who attended there and have good things to say about the school.

 

[Dr. Bob]

BJU is a good school, with commendable rep for academics (compared to many of the so-called "colleges" that pop up in fundamentalist circles and are a sham academically).

It has limited accreditation (and that is only recent, forced into a position that they regularly condemned as "evil"). Grads have little issue getting into graduate programs at major universities.

BJU is known for some distinct problems/issues:

1. A gazzilion petty rules
2. Non-Baptist
3. Racist past
4. No intercolleiate athletics or iunteraction
5. Location
6. Accreditation
7. Local church disputes
8. Attitude of grads in ministry as "elitist"

Trust this helps. Had my children opted to attend BJU I would have discussed each of these points with them, but NOT dissuade them from attending.

 

[mets65]

They only allow the kjv to be used. I remember when I went to baptist school when I was younger a lot of our text books came from there.

 

[Salty]

They only allow the kjv to be used. I remember when I went to baptist school when I was younger a lot of our text books came from there.

But they are NOT KJO

I know when my brother went there, Bible memorization was a requirement (and I assume it still is). With that in mind, I could understand why they would only want to use only one version.
I did visit the BJU bookstore a couple of years ago, and it seem that they did sell other versions.

 

[Jarthur001]

They only allow the kjv to be used. I remember when I went to baptist school when I was younger a lot of our text books came from there.

Not true. I had two girls with degrees from Bob Jones, and most students use the ESV. Before ESV they used NASV. In class they use KJ only to have all people on the same page.

I like Bob Jones. Its a good school. A lot of changes have taken place in the last 10 years making it even better.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Not true. I had two girls with degrees from Bob Jones, and most students use the ESV. Before ESV they used NASV. In class they use KJ only to have all people on the same page.

I like Bob Jones. Its a good school. A lot of changes have taken place in the last 10 years making it even better.

Yes but everything is perception my friend....they have yet to have shaken the "Fundi Lunatic" University perception of the past.

 

[tduncan]

I attended there in the late 70's/early 80's and my son graduated from there in 2008. I have many close ties to the school.

With regard to being KJVO, they are definitely not. The only requirement (and that may have changed) is that the KJV is to be used for preaching and memorization. My son used the ESV and I know of several who use the ESV, NASB, and others. The bookstore sells several of these versions also.

With regard to racism, the school did have a racist past....but many other Christian schools (and churches) in the south did also during that time. By the time I came there, we have several races represented (including African-Americans) and the school was actively recruiting for minorities. Mind you, this was before the Supreme Court case.

With regard to the quality of education, there are numerous law schools, med schools, engineering schools, etc. that recruit BJU grads. I have a friend that is now in a Ph.D program at Wake Forest in their medical school. The head of the Accounting department at Wake Forest is a BJU grad. I know of another two men who are currently working in DOJ as federal attorneys. Even back before they received TRACS, students had no problems.

I tell anyone who is even thinking about BJU to visit the school. Are there plenty of rules? Yes...but not as many as you think.

 

[jbh28]

They only allow the kjv to be used. I remember when I went to baptist school when I was younger a lot of our text books came from there.

I'm curious as to where you hear that from? It is true that the KJV is the version that has to be used for preaching and memorization but that's it. At one time we had to use the KJV for other official Bible studies(prayer group and society) but that changed while I was there. The ESV is a very popular translation there.

 

[jbh28]

I am reluctant to recommend Bob Jones due to their difficult history. They are not regionally accredited and many graduate schools will not accept their degrees.

BJU is accredited now. They have apologized for the racism in the past. One thing to note is almost all universities have racism in their past. BJU is usually slow in changing policies(though it should have never been a policy in the first place).

From what I've discovered the graduates are usually well informed and prepared for whatever field they enter.

Agreed

If you are planning on being in ministry in anything but an IFB or GARB church you will get black balled with a BJU degree in your CV. I am very wary of BJU grads who apply for positions at the church where I serve primarily due to many experiences with graduates who are less than charitable in ministry.

It's sad about how some that have graduated from the university have given the School a reputation such as this. Not all are this way and I believe it is changing for the better.

The rules are still pretty rigid imho. When I was at Liberty University in my undergrad days I had friends who transfered from BJU specifically because of the rules.

True, but they are actually getting better.

But I have friends who attended there and have good things to say about the school.

Overall I liked the school. I wasn't a huge fan of the rules there, but the education was good.

 

[jbh28]

I tell anyone who is even thinking about BJU to visit the school. Are there plenty of rules? Yes...but not as many as you think.

They got rid of the pink and blue sidewalks my sophomore year. :laugh:



and just in case someone doesn't understand it, it's a joke.

 

[tduncan]

I told my son that there were 3 kinds of rules at BJU....

The first group is because, depending on the day and time, you may have anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 people going from point A to point B. So there are rules to facilitate moving people.

The second group is because you have males and females close together in an environment in which love can blossom. Given the ages of many of the students, some common-sense rules apply.

The third group of rules are the ones I think most people have the problems with. They seem picky, illogical, and make you wonder why do they have that rule. I call those the "because" rules. They are in place because someone did something stupid, crazy, dangerous, etc. and used the reason "There is no rule saying I can't." I can point to a rule still enforced by Public Safety that should have my name on it as it was created because of something I did repeatedly. There is even a rule for morning dress for the men that relates to something my son did.

 

[mets65]

I'm curious as to where you hear that from? It is true that the KJV is the version that has to be used for preaching and memorization but that's it. At one time we had to use the KJV for other official Bible studies(prayer group and society) but that changed while I was there. The ESV is a very popular translation there.

That's what I had heard and I was going off that. I must apologize, it was hasty on my part to make that comment.


Also Tduncan I see there's yet another fellow christian on the board that calls Winston-Salem home!

 

[jbh28]

name on it as it was created because of something I did repeatedly. There is even a rule for morning dress for the men that relates to something my son did.

Ah, so now I know who to blame for that! LOL

 

[John of Japan]

But they are NOT KJO

I know when my brother went there, Bible memorization was a requirement (and I assume it still is). With that in mind, I could understand why they would only want to use only one version.
I did visit the BJU bookstore a couple of years ago, and it seem that they did sell other versions.

I bought a first edition NASV NT in the bookstore when I went there in '70-'72. :type:

The Greek text used then and probably now was the USB--not at all KJVO.

 

[John of Japan]

There are quite a few majors at BJU that you can take at very few Christian colleges, fundamental or evangelical. Compare their list of majors to Wheaton's, for example.​

When I attended there from '70 to '72, I worked on the stage crew. They have a professonal stage, bought in New York when a Broadway stage went bankrupt. They have Shakespeare plays and other plays every year, and a top drawer opera yearly, with big name opera stars imported. I know of no other Christian college where this is true.​

They also have a great art program. The BJU art museum is known worldwide, with Rembrandts and the like. However, I won't mention the lack of clothes seen occasionally in those medeival paintings! I made the mistake of taking my wife there once when we were dating. ​

 

[asterisktom]

The quality is probably better than it has been, but it's still not even close to other evangelical institutions like Fuller or Wheaton, for instance.

And I wouldn't ever suggest anyone be associated with its reputation.

I don't mind being associated with its reputation. Although I have had my disagreements with BJU I cannot fault them for my education there. I have a BA in Bible from them.

I had many knowledgeable and encouraging teachers when I attended there, 1978-1983: Dr. Beale, Dr. Wisdom, Smith, Dr. Panosian, Dr. Salter for German .. too many to mention, in fact.

I did have to unlearn some things I was taught there, but that goes with almost all Bible schools, I imagine. Although I wasn't Reformed at the time I had a number of good Reformed friends, as well as plenty others who basically had their Bibles right-side up.

If I had to recommend sending someone to any Bible school - an open and separate topic - and if I believed the same way I would have no problem recommending this school.

For the record, after graduating here I went on to work at the Winston-Salem Rescue Mission as mission manager.

I need to add this: It was at BJU that I learned the very important dictum that all truth is God's truth. One can further grow in the knowledge of God by careful studying of the times and cultures of this world - in due proportion, of course.