Providence Christian College
Encyclopedia
Providence Christian College is a four-year liberal arts
college in Pasadena, California
. Founded in 2005, it is an independent, confessionally Reformed college with no formal denominational ties.
The official website states, "The mission of Providence Christian College as a Reformed Christian institution is to equip students to be firmly grounded in biblical truth, thoroughly educated in the liberal arts, and fully engaged in their church, their community, and the world for the glory of God and for service to humanity."
Providence offers majors in Biblical Studies
, Business Administration, Communication Studies
, Primary
and Secondary Education
, English Studies
, History
, and Liberal Studies. Minors are offered in those disciplines, as well as in Biblical Languages
, Church Education Leadership, Cultural Studies
, Mathematics
, Music
, and Social Science.
J. Derek Halvorson was inaugurated the second president of Providence in October 2009. He succeeded founding president James Den Ouden (2005–2009). Historian Russ Reeves has been academic dean since 2007.
to consider the feasibility of such a college, and unanimously agreed to establish a quality four-year liberal arts program that would in all aspects of its life and learning seek to reflect a Reformed Biblical perspective.
The group also agreed that the college should be governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Directors drawn from various Reformed and Presbyterian churches. The college has no denominational affiliation, but does hold to Presbyterian and Reformed confessional standards (the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, the Belgic Confession
, the Heidelberg Catechism
, and the Canons of Dort
).
Providence Christian College was incorporated in the state of California
on November 12, 2002, and the first board meeting was held on January 18, 2003. On January 1, 2004 Providence took full possession of a campus in Ontario, California
, and began renovating its five main buildings into classrooms, dorms, a library, a dining hall, and administrative offices. Providence Christian College was granted permission to operate as a degree granting institution in the state of California on December 9, 2004 by the Bureau for Private Post-Secondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). Immediately following approval by the BPPVE, Providence Christian College began the process of seeking eligibility by Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC).
The college is a member of the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education and has applied for accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
. In February 2009, the college was recognized by the WASC commission as a Candidate for Accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.
In August 2010, Providence moved from Ontario, California
to Pasadena, California
.
The college resides on the campus of William Carey International University, which it also shares with the U.S. Center for World Mission
. The 17.5-acre residential college campus sits in the East Washington Village neighborhood on the north side of Pasadena, California
, in close proximity to the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains
and the Angeles National Forest
.
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
college in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. Founded in 2005, it is an independent, confessionally Reformed college with no formal denominational ties.
The official website states, "The mission of Providence Christian College as a Reformed Christian institution is to equip students to be firmly grounded in biblical truth, thoroughly educated in the liberal arts, and fully engaged in their church, their community, and the world for the glory of God and for service to humanity."
Providence offers majors in Biblical Studies
Biblical studies
Biblical studies is the academic study of the Judeo-Christian Bible and related texts. For Christianity, the Bible traditionally comprises the New Testament and Old Testament, which together are sometimes called the "Scriptures." Judaism recognizes as scripture only the Hebrew Bible, also known as...
, Business Administration, Communication Studies
Communication studies
Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass...
, Primary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and Secondary Education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
, English Studies
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
, History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, and Liberal Studies. Minors are offered in those disciplines, as well as in Biblical Languages
Biblical languages
Biblical languages are any of the languages employed in the original writings of the Bible. Partially owing to the significance of the Bible in society, Biblical languages are studied more widely than many other dead languages...
, Church Education Leadership, Cultural Studies
Cultural studies
Cultural studies is an academic field grounded in critical theory and literary criticism. It generally concerns the political nature of contemporary culture, as well as its historical foundations, conflicts, and defining traits. It is, to this extent, largely distinguished from cultural...
, Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, Music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, and Social Science.
J. Derek Halvorson was inaugurated the second president of Providence in October 2009. He succeeded founding president James Den Ouden (2005–2009). Historian Russ Reeves has been academic dean since 2007.
History
On several occasions, as early as the 1960s, discussions were held about establishing a Reformed Christian College on the West Coast. In November 2001 a small group met in Chino, CaliforniaChino, California
Chino is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is located in the western end of the Riverside-San Bernardino Area and it is easily accessible via the Chino Valley and Pomona freeways....
to consider the feasibility of such a college, and unanimously agreed to establish a quality four-year liberal arts program that would in all aspects of its life and learning seek to reflect a Reformed Biblical perspective.
The group also agreed that the college should be governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Directors drawn from various Reformed and Presbyterian churches. The college has no denominational affiliation, but does hold to Presbyterian and Reformed confessional standards (the Westminster Confession and Catechisms, the Belgic Confession
Belgic Confession
The Confession of Faith, popularly known as the Belgic Confession, is a doctrinal standard document to which many of the Reformed churches subscribe. The Confession forms part of the Reformed Three Forms of Unity...
, the Heidelberg Catechism
Heidelberg Catechism
The Heidelberg Catechism is a Protestant confessional document taking the form of a series of questions and answers, for use in teaching Reformed Christian doctrine...
, and the Canons of Dort
Canons of Dort
The Canons of Dort, or Canons of Dordrecht, formally titled The Decision of the Synod of Dort on the Five Main Points of Doctrine in Dispute in the Netherlands, is the judgment of the National Synod held in the Dutch city of Dordrecht in 1618–19...
).
Providence Christian College was incorporated in the state of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on November 12, 2002, and the first board meeting was held on January 18, 2003. On January 1, 2004 Providence took full possession of a campus in Ontario, California
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
, and began renovating its five main buildings into classrooms, dorms, a library, a dining hall, and administrative offices. Providence Christian College was granted permission to operate as a degree granting institution in the state of California on December 9, 2004 by the Bureau for Private Post-Secondary and Vocational Education (BPPVE). Immediately following approval by the BPPVE, Providence Christian College began the process of seeking eligibility by Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
(WASC).
The college is a member of the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education and has applied for accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Western Association of Schools and Colleges
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges is one of six official academic bodies responsible for the accreditation of public and private universities, colleges, secondary and elementary schools in the United States and foreign institutions of American origin. The Western Association of...
. In February 2009, the college was recognized by the WASC commission as a Candidate for Accreditation by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities.
In August 2010, Providence moved from Ontario, California
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
to Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
.
Facilities
The Providence Christian College library holds approximately 12,000 volumes and 100 periodical subscriptions, with student access to an additional 5,500 online periodicals (many full text), 2,500 electronic books, 52 other scholarly databases through online subscriptions.The college resides on the campus of William Carey International University, which it also shares with the U.S. Center for World Mission
U.S. Center for World Mission
The United States Center for World Mission is a place where mission agencies work together to strategize, research and promote ideas that will help to complete the unfinished task of reaching every people group with the Gospel. It has been described as a missions think tank or “missions...
. The 17.5-acre residential college campus sits in the East Washington Village neighborhood on the north side of Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, in close proximity to the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains
San Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
and the Angeles National Forest
Angeles National Forest
The Angeles National Forest of the U.S. National Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, southern California. It was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel...
.