J. B. Chapman

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J.B. Chapman (1884-1947) was a minister, president of what is now Southern Nazarene University (elected 1901), editor of the Herald of Holiness (elected 1920), and general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene (elected 1928). Chapman was born in Yale, Illinois and was converted early in life. He began to preach at the age of 16, uniting with the Holiness Church of Christ and, thus, with the Church of the Nazarene when the denominations merged in 1908.

As an educator, Chapman aided the General Board of Education of the Church of the Nazarene to establish educational policy. At least in terms of Nazarene institutions in the United States, however, the Church of the Nazarene seems to have abandoned his philosophy, as 7 of the 8 "liberal arts colleges"^[1] call themselves universities, and there is now a bible college in Colorado Springs.^[2] Chapman is quoted has having said:

It was originally the plan to call every school we started a “university” ... It was our ultimate aim to have universities and our schools were named according to our vision of future developments. But I am, personally, convinced that we should definitely abandon the idea of building any universities, that we should drop these names from our schools... [Moreover,] it is my conclusion that we ... cannot permanently maintain academies and they do not meet our need, that a special Bible school does not meet our needs and that we should express ourselves on this conviction.... That the College, with the necessary fitting school and Bible department[,] is the school that we need and will build."^[3]

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