Lutheran Identity

Bethany College is a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), owned and operated by the Central States Synod and the Arkansas/Oklahoma Synod of the ELCA. We are part of the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities (NECU), and share a common calling. At ELCA colleges and universities, students will discover through education in body, mind, and spirit that they are called and empowered to serve the neighbor so that all may flourish.

As a college of the ELCA, Bethany College is deeply rooted in the Lutheran intellectual tradition and boldly open to insights from other religious and secular traditions. Spiritual development at Bethany is integral to our mission of preparing students for lives of faith, learning, and service. Our spiritual and religious life is decidedly ecumenical and interfaith, serving and providing opportunities for students, faculty, and staff of any or no religious background.

Each week, time is held apart for Chapel Break, a time for reflection, community building, spiritual practice, and religious ritual and tradition. Additionally, a variety of campus ministry organizations develop programs through which students forge affirming community, recognize the imago dei in themselves and others, and learn to live out Christ’s radical message of love.