Canadian Bible College / Canadian Theological Seminary

The Canadian Bible Institute began in 1941 with a student body of fifty. It was established under the founding leadership of Gordon Skitch, superintendent of the Western Canadian District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), Willis Brooks, pastor of the Regina Alliance Tabernacle and well-known radio pastor, and George Blackett, who had served as the principal of Winnipeg Bible Institute and became the first principal, then president, of the Institute. The Institute was established to meet the growing need for ministers in the churches of the C&MA in western Canada, but over the years it also met similar needs in other denominations and para-church organizations. Its graduates were soon serving throughout Canada, the United States, and many countries overseas.

With modest beginnings at the Alliance Tabernacle on Osler Street in Regina, then occupying the old Clayton Hotel on Broad Street, the Institute relocated in 1956 to 4400 Fourth Avenue under the leadership of its second president, William McArthur. In 1957 its name was changed to Canadian Bible College (CBC), now offering programs leading to bachelor's degrees. In 1961, the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges accredited the College and, in later years, transfer agreements were established with the University of Regina. In 1970 Canadian Theological College (CTC), a professional program leading to master's degrees in divinity, Christian education and missiology, was established. The original enrollment of the College was twenty, under the leadership of president Alvin Martin and vice-president/academic dean Samuel Stoesz. Although continuing to share a president and board with CBC, CTC was granted a separate charter by the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1973. In the same year, CTC was approved for affiliation with the University of Regina, offering six classes at the University in Hebrew, Greek and biblical literature, with its president serving on the University Senate. In 1982, during the administration of the fifth president, Rexford Boda, CTC became Canadian Theological Seminary. In 1989, after the inauguration of the sixth president, Bob Rose, CTS achieved full accreditation with the Association of Theological Schools and began offering a program leading to a Doctor of Ministry degree. George Durance was elected the seventh president of CBC/CTS in 1997. The combined enrollments of CBC/CTS reached a high of approximately 700 full- and part-time students by the 1980s. On July 1, 2003 the College and Seminary relocated to Calgary, Alberta.

Rexford A. Boda