Biola President Barry H. Corey decided that a replica “Jesus saves” sign would create “a fitting reminder” that the school’s core values have not changed in the 105 years since the school’s founding. The Bible Institute of Los Angeles eventually shortened its name to Biola and moved from downtown to La Mirada in 1959.
The sign, one-third the scale of the originals, is incorporated into a 38-by-59-foot photographic mural of the original Bible Institute building and displayed on the side of a parking structure in the interior of the university’s 95-acre campus.
“The placement and size needed to abide by our city’s codes and requirements, including height limitations and sightlines that restricted visibility to our campus boundaries,” Corey said.
The sign was on top of the same building occupied by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (Biola), but it was actually owned by The Church of the Open Door. I attended Biola back in the late 60’s through the early 70’s. The college prohibited students from attending commercial theaters, dances, card playing, smoking, drinking as well as girls skirts could be no shorter than 3 inches above the knee. I believe students can now attend movies and even dances (off campus), but card playing, drinking, smoking are still prohibited. I was the only Episcopalian in the whole school although there were a handful of Lutheran students who I chummed around with. I was accepted as a student at Biola only after I was extensively questioned (because of my Episcopal church membership) to see if I had really placed my faith in Christ. No unbelievers are admitted to the school. The bible requirements (32 semester units) made it necessary for most students to complete a fifth year to graduate.