Bethel University

John Alexis Edgren founded Bethel as a seminary in 1871, with the name Baptist Union Theological Seminary. The seminary trained pastors to serve Swedish Baptist immigrants, fleeing religious persecution in Europe. Edgren, a sea captain and scholar who knew 30 languages, founded Bethel on the enduring conviction that Christians ought to love God with their minds and represent Him in all fields.

Boldly informed and motivated by the Christian faith, Bethel University educates and energizes men and women for excellence in leadership, scholarship, and service. We prepare graduates to serve in strategic capacities to renew minds, live out biblical truth, transform culture, and advance the gospel.

Bethel will be the Christ-centered university of choice for this century.

Rooted in faith. Committed to excellence. Bethel will become the leader in Christian higher education by building stronger communities, equipping confident leaders and gracious servants, and preparing passionate world-changers. Through our thoughts, words, and actions, we’ll demonstrate what it means for a university to be centered on Jesus Christ.

Bethel University is a Christ-centered institution of higher learning committed to preparing people for excellence in leadership, scholarship, and service. We seek to fulfill this commitment as a concrete expression of the love of Christ across all races, cultures, genders, abilities, socio-economic, and other forms of diversity.