Biola University has announced plans to acquire the donated assets of Phoenix Seminary, bringing the Arizona-based institution under the umbrella of its renowned Talbot School of Theology in a move that will create the second-largest nondenominational seminary in the United States.
Pending regulatory approval, the Scottsdale, Arizona campus will be rebranded as Talbot Seminary Phoenix and will continue operating with local faculty and staff while serving as a regional campus of Talbot School of Theology.
Leaders from both institutions emphasized that the acquisition was not driven by financial crisis but by a shared vision for the future of evangelical theological education. Phoenix Seminary Chairman Ron Ogan said the seminary's board spent more than a year-and-a-half in prayer and discussions before pursuing a partnership.
While several schools were considered, Ogan said Biola stood out because of its strong commitment to biblical authority and its willingness to preserve Phoenix Seminary's presence in Arizona.
"It was refreshing to be able to understand one another, recognize that this was really Spirit-led," Ogan said. "When they came and visited, they saw this was not a crisis in the making."
Phoenix Seminary currently enrolls approximately 300 students and has served the Southwest for decades. Founded in 1988 as a branch of Western Seminary, the school became independent in 1994 and moved to its current Scottsdale campus in 2017.
Biola University President Dr. Barry Corey called the acquisition a significant opportunity to strengthen evangelical theological education across the region.
"The shared commitment between Biola University and Phoenix Seminary to serve churches through strengthening evangelical theological education in the Valley and the Southwest makes this agreement especially meaningful," Corey said.
He added that the partnership seeks to honor Phoenix Seminary's legacy while investing in its future for generations to come.
Dr. Ed Stetzer, dean of Talbot School of Theology, also celebrated the agreement, highlighting the schools' common theological convictions.
"Together, Talbot School of Theology and Phoenix Seminary share a deep commitment to the inerrancy and authority of Scripture, the spiritual formation of students and the preparation of leaders to serve the church and impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ," Stetzer said.
Michael Maples, who chaired Biola's board of trustees during the acquisition process, noted that many smaller seminaries face increasing financial pressures but praised Phoenix Seminary's leadership for acting proactively.
"The financial model for smaller seminaries has become more challenging," Maples said. "One thing I really respect about the board and Phoenix Seminary is they didn't wait until the last minute."
Founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Biola University established Talbot School of Theology in 1952. Talbot recently received a $10 million Lilly Endowment grant and has expanded its reach through the launch of Talbot Embedded, a modular hybrid education initiative with locations in San Diego, Hawaii, Seattle, and Las Vegas.
With the addition of Talbot Seminary Phoenix, Biola leaders believe the newly combined institution will be uniquely positioned to serve churches and ministry leaders throughout the Southwest while preserving Phoenix Seminary's nearly four-decade legacy of evangelical theological education.
