I am thinking of going to Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta, Canada. I know that this school is Biblically-based, though I don't believe that they would be considered to be a part of the reformed persuasion. I know that they are very well known for equiping missionaries and for their missionary aviation program. The latter is what I was thinking about joining.

Has anyone been to Prairie before? What is your opinion of this school? If you know anything about Prairie I would very much appreciate your input.

(by the way, this is my very first post on puritanboard!)

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Brady Shaffer
Currently looking for a church
St. Paul, MN

"Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You."
Psalm 73:25

My dad and grandfather both went to Prairie (and my grandparents were good friends of the Maxwell's), so I grew up hearing how wonderful it was, but neither were reformed. If you are looking for something reformed it probably isn't the school for you. I do know of someone in missions who went there that I could probably put you in contact with, but he also is not reformed. If you are looking for a Reformed mission group you would like to be involved with you may want to contact them and get their recommendation for schools.

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Anne Severson
Wife of Patrick Severson
Member of Hope Presbyterian Church (OPC) Grayslake, IL
Associate Member of St. Paul Presbyterian Church (PCA) Jackson, MS
Currently living in Clinton, MS

My recollection is that PBI had a strongly dispensational and fundamentalist roots. That goes back a couple of decades and things may have changed.

I don't know that it has a great academic reputation, but I am aware of the work of one of their profs who did his PhD on William Ames and has written on Cocceius as well.

If you're looking for a strong liberal arts background, it may not be the the best place to go.

We've had a number of students at WSC who've attended Bible colleges and they've later come to regret it. I had lunch last week with two who attended small "Bible Colleges" where they learned theology and Biblical languages but they didn't learn to read or write very well. They really wish they had a better undergraduate education.

Ideally, from a liberal arts pov, college isn't really a place to get a "technical" education. College is a place to learn the Western tradition ("the greats"), a place to learn to read, write, and think well. I realize that there's a place for science depts, engineering etc, but college should not be a glorified vo-tech school.

FWIW,

rsc

[Edited on 6-10-2006 by R. Scott Clark]

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R. Scott Clark, D.Phil
Professor of Church History and Historical Theology

"For Christ, His Gospel, and His Church"
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Oceanside URC
The Heidelblog

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Nathan Olaf Brandal
First Baptist Church of Kirkland

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That's funny, I was really thinking of going to Westminster California after attending Prairie! I will definitely consider your advice. Thanks!

As a third generation PBI alumnus I could not recommend it. It has moved from a slightly left of centre, to the far left. When Maxwell and Rendal were there PBI was quite sound (If you think a Moody/Fuller emphasis can fall into the sound camp), but it is nothing of what it once was. When I was there in the B. A (Theology) programme, there were only a handful of Calvinists among the student body, and Dr. Stewart, who is now at Covenant College?

Anyway, I'd stay away.

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Pastor Jerrold H. Lewis. (Dipl. IT; Assc. A; B.Th; M.Th Candidate, PRTS)
Lacombe Free Reformed Church
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JOHN FLAVEL

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Brady,

If you're thinking of WSC, and you should! , then you should also plan on getting a good liberal arts background.

Missionary Aviation is terrific, but after you land the plane, what will you say, why? and how well? A strong liberal arts background will prepare you to fulfill your vocation well.

Too many of our students come to us after getting a technical education for 4 years. They're bright and intelligent, but they aren't as well educated as they should be. They don't know how to read and write as well as they should -- and from what we can tell get some of the best sem students in the country and beyond.

If you think now that you'll go to sem after college, you have an opportunity to learn the languages (grammar) you'll need (Greek, maybe Hebrew) and perhaps another (European?) language and world and western history.

You have an opportunity to take courses that will help you learn to think well. I find students who've had a course in symbolic logic do better than those who haven't. You have a chance to learn to write well, to find a prof who will help you learn the discipline of being clear, concise, and cogent.

If you can test out of Greek and some Hebrew and the intro writing course, you will have more time to spend at sem on other things (such as history and theology!).

Blessings on your studies,

rsc

I'd like to give a moderately enthusiastic to Scott's comments above.

I certainly don't think that attending a Bible College is the worst thing I could have done (and I don't believe Dr. Clark would suggest that sentiment either).... I simply believe that it wasn't the best course of study in which I could have engaged. When I came to seminary I experienced a lot of redundancy and repetition. On the other hand, I was given a lot of flexibility to do my own reading and and I was able to take a number of electives that otherwise would have been impossible. So having attended Bible College came with its ups as well as its downs at Seminary.

But in the final analysis... I wish that I'd gone to a decent state school and majored in Classics. Having served as a grader I can attest that the papers of those who majored in the hard sciences (i.e., Engineering) tend to reflect a "way" of thinking that is different from those who majored in the soft sciences (i.e., Philosophy)... I am quite convinced that a degree in Classics or Philosophy or History or English would prepare someone to think, read, and write at a level that will place them in the top 10 or 20% of their peers at Seminary.


[Edited on 6-10-2006 by SolaScriptura]

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Ben
Sanford, NC
TE Ohio Valley Presbytery, PCA