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.HistoryIn 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 Rev. Dr J. R. L. Kingon FRSE, 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.