BYU College of Religious Education
Encyclopedia
The BYU College of Religious Education runs the various programs related to teaching Mormonism at Brigham Young University
(BYU). In the past it has granted various masters degrees and Doctor of Religious Education degrees. Currently its only degree program are a MA in religious education primarily aimed at fulltime Church Educational System
employees and an MA program for military chaplains, while most students who take courses with Religious Education are studying other topics. Undergraduate BYU students have to take the equivalent of one religion course per semester.
The BYU College of Religious consists of two department, Church History and Doctrine and Ancient Scripture. Church History and Doctrine focuses on courses related to the Doctrine and Covenants
, missionary work, the religious history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and LDS Temples. These courses focus primarily on doctrines and theology and are largely devotional in nature. BYU also offers more historically oriented courses related to LDS Church history through its history department, some of which are taught by faculty members whose main appointment is with the religion department.
The department of Ancient Scripture teaches courses related to the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon
and the Pearl of Great Price.
The work of faculty members of the BYU College of Religious Education is often published by the Colleges publication are, the Religious Studies Center
, pr through the various operations of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
Prior to 1929 religion related instruction at BYU was termed theology. In that year it was renamed religious education. George H. Brimhall
, who was the president emeritus was the only full-time religion instructor before 1930. Other classes in religion were taught by faculty from other fields. Having faculty with their main expertise in other fields teach religion is still done at BYU, but the full-time religion faculty is now much more numerous.
Guy C. Wilson, an alumnus of BYU, the University of Chicago
and Columbia University
was hired as the director of BYU's religious education program in 1930. Wilson had also been the first seminary teacher ever. In the early 1930s Sidney B. Sperry
and Russel Swensen, also Universityof Chicago alumni, were added as full time religion faculty.
In 1932 the department of religious education was made part of the BYU College of Education. In 1940 the department was split off and made the Division of Religious Instruction, a college-level entity, with J. Wyley Sessions
as its first head. The division was divided into four sections, Bible and Modern Scripture (Sperry as head), Church Organization and Administration (Wesley Lloyd as head), Church History (Swensen as head) and Theology (Sessions as head).
In 1946 the BYU Department of Archeology was organized as part of the Division of Religious Instruction. In About 1953 that department was moved to the BYU College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The section or department of theology was renamed in 1952 to the Department of Theology and Religious Philosophy. Its name was shortened to Department of Theology and Philosophy.
In 1959 the Division of Religious Instruction was renamed to the College of Religious Instruction. David H. Yarn, an alumnus of BYU and Columbia University
was chosen as the first dean. All the departments were reformatted or renamed at this point. The Bible and Modern Scripture Department retained its name, but a new Biblical Languages department was formed that absorbed some of that departments old components. The Theology and Philosophy and the Church History departments were merged into the History and Philosophy of Religions Department. The Church Organization and Administration Department was renamed the LDS Theology, Church Organizations and Administration Department. This last was the shortest lived of the changes, it was renamed in 1961 to the Theology and Church Administration Department. In 1964 the college was reduced to two departments. Biblical Literature was moved to the BYU College of Humanities
. The remaining departments were re-organized into the Undergraduate Studies in Religious Instruction and the Graduate Studies in Religious Instruction Departments. This organization persisted until 1973 when the College was again renamed to being the Department of Ancient Scripture and the Department of Church History and Doctrine. In 1969 BYU created a philosophy department outside of the College of Religious Instruction.
The 1973 organization of the current departments also saw the program designated as Religious Instruction with no other modifiers.
It appears that the current official name is Religious Education and it is not technically designated a college. The current dean is Terry Ball
. His most recent predecessors were Andrew Skinner and Robert L. Millet
.
The college has approximately 70 full time faculty members.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU). In the past it has granted various masters degrees and Doctor of Religious Education degrees. Currently its only degree program are a MA in religious education primarily aimed at fulltime Church Educational System
Church Educational System
The Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consists of several institutions that provide religious and secular education for both Latter-day Saint and non-Latter-day Saint elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students and adult learners...
employees and an MA program for military chaplains, while most students who take courses with Religious Education are studying other topics. Undergraduate BYU students have to take the equivalent of one religion course per semester.
The BYU College of Religious consists of two department, Church History and Doctrine and Ancient Scripture. Church History and Doctrine focuses on courses related to the Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants
The Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
, missionary work, the religious history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and LDS Temples. These courses focus primarily on doctrines and theology and are largely devotional in nature. BYU also offers more historically oriented courses related to LDS Church history through its history department, some of which are taught by faculty members whose main appointment is with the religion department.
The department of Ancient Scripture teaches courses related to the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
and the Pearl of Great Price.
The work of faculty members of the BYU College of Religious Education is often published by the Colleges publication are, the Religious Studies Center
Religious Studies Center
The Religious Studies Center is the research and publishing arm of the Religious Education program at Brigham Young University , sponsoring scholarship on Latter-day Saint culture, history, scripture, and doctrine.-History:...
, pr through the various operations of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute.
Prior to 1929 religion related instruction at BYU was termed theology. In that year it was renamed religious education. George H. Brimhall
George H. Brimhall
George Henry Brimhall was President of Brigham Young University. After graduating from Brigham Young Academy, Brimhall served as principal of Spanish Fork schools and then as district superintendent of Utah County schools, finally returning to Brigham Young Academy...
, who was the president emeritus was the only full-time religion instructor before 1930. Other classes in religion were taught by faculty from other fields. Having faculty with their main expertise in other fields teach religion is still done at BYU, but the full-time religion faculty is now much more numerous.
Guy C. Wilson, an alumnus of BYU, the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
was hired as the director of BYU's religious education program in 1930. Wilson had also been the first seminary teacher ever. In the early 1930s Sidney B. Sperry
Sidney B. Sperry
Sidney Branton Sperry was one of three scholars who were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who began the scholarly and systematic study of the Book of Mormon in the mid-20th century — the other two being John L. Sorenson and Hugh W. Nibley...
and Russel Swensen, also Universityof Chicago alumni, were added as full time religion faculty.
In 1932 the department of religious education was made part of the BYU College of Education. In 1940 the department was split off and made the Division of Religious Instruction, a college-level entity, with J. Wyley Sessions
J. Wyley Sessions
James Wylie Sessions was the first Institute of Religion director in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was sent in 1926 by church president Heber J. Grant to head the Institute of Religion in Moscow, Idaho...
as its first head. The division was divided into four sections, Bible and Modern Scripture (Sperry as head), Church Organization and Administration (Wesley Lloyd as head), Church History (Swensen as head) and Theology (Sessions as head).
In 1946 the BYU Department of Archeology was organized as part of the Division of Religious Instruction. In About 1953 that department was moved to the BYU College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The section or department of theology was renamed in 1952 to the Department of Theology and Religious Philosophy. Its name was shortened to Department of Theology and Philosophy.
In 1959 the Division of Religious Instruction was renamed to the College of Religious Instruction. David H. Yarn, an alumnus of BYU and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
was chosen as the first dean. All the departments were reformatted or renamed at this point. The Bible and Modern Scripture Department retained its name, but a new Biblical Languages department was formed that absorbed some of that departments old components. The Theology and Philosophy and the Church History departments were merged into the History and Philosophy of Religions Department. The Church Organization and Administration Department was renamed the LDS Theology, Church Organizations and Administration Department. This last was the shortest lived of the changes, it was renamed in 1961 to the Theology and Church Administration Department. In 1964 the college was reduced to two departments. Biblical Literature was moved to the BYU College of Humanities
BYU College of Humanities
The BYU College of Humanities was formed in 1965 by the Division of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences into the College of Humanities and the College of Social Sciences. The College of Social Sciences was later merged into the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences although some of...
. The remaining departments were re-organized into the Undergraduate Studies in Religious Instruction and the Graduate Studies in Religious Instruction Departments. This organization persisted until 1973 when the College was again renamed to being the Department of Ancient Scripture and the Department of Church History and Doctrine. In 1969 BYU created a philosophy department outside of the College of Religious Instruction.
The 1973 organization of the current departments also saw the program designated as Religious Instruction with no other modifiers.
It appears that the current official name is Religious Education and it is not technically designated a college. The current dean is Terry Ball
Terry Ball
Terrance James Ball is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played four seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres....
. His most recent predecessors were Andrew Skinner and Robert L. Millet
Robert L. Millet
Dr. Robert L. Millet is a professor of ancient scripture and emeritus Dean of Religious Education at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah...
.
The college has approximately 70 full time faculty members.
Sources
- Ernest L. WilkinsonErnest L. WilkinsonErnest Leroy Wilkinson was an American academic administrator and prominent figure in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was president of Brigham Young University from 1951 to 1971 and also oversaw the entire LDS Church Educational System. Prior to this, Wilkinson was a lawyer...
, Brigham Young University: The First 100 Years (Provo: BYU Press, 1975) Vol. 2, p. 286-295; Vol 3, p. 112-117; Vol. 4, p. 181-197 - BYU Religious Education website