History Overview

Tyndale University has been training Christian leaders since 1894, with its original mission to provide Christian higher education in service of the church remaining constant. Tyndale is proud to continue the tradition of decades of service embodied in its institutional lineage, including: Toronto Bible Training School, Toronto Bible College, London Bible Institute/London College of Bible and Missions, Ontario Bible College/Ontario Theological Seminary, Tyndale College & Seminary and Tyndale University College & Seminary.

Founded in 1894, Toronto Bible Training School was the third of its kind to be established in North America and the first in Canada. Under the leadership of Dr. Elmore Harris, then minister of the historic Walmer Road Baptist Church, Toronto Bible College (TBC) came into being. London College of Bible and Missions (LCBM) began in 1935 as London Bible Institute, led by Dr. J. Wilmot Mahood. After the merger of TBC and LCBM in 1968, it was renamed Ontario Bible College (OBC). In 1976, OBC moved to north Toronto and established a graduate school, Ontario Theological Seminary (OTS – now Tyndale Seminary). Tyndale Seminary is now Canada’s largest seminary.

The name Tyndale College & Seminary was adopted in 1998 as part of a renewed vision to build a world-class centre of Christian higher education. William Tyndale, an early English reformer, was a scholar and student of the Scriptures with a passion for the Christian faith and a willingness to serve God. His commitment to making the Scriptures available to all persons led him to undertake the first English translation of the Bible at the cost of his own life. He is a model for scholarship, Christian faith and vision, not only for students but for the entire Tyndale community.

On June 26, 2003, the Ontario Legislature passed a bill that authorized a further change of the name of the institution to Tyndale University College & Seminary. The bill also authorizes Tyndale to offer the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degrees in the humanities, the social sciences and business. With this authority, Tyndale University continues its tradition as a place of scholarship and training for those who wish to be salt and light in the world.

In 2007, Tyndale received approval from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and the Ontario College of Teachers to offer a Bachelor of Education program to prepare teachers for primary, junior and intermediate grades. Graduates of the program are eligible for a Certificate of Qualification from the Ontario College of Teachers.

In 2007, Tyndale negotiated the purchase of the 56-acre Morrow Park property on Bayview Avenue from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto. Tyndale took possession of the property on April 1, 2013 and began full and complete operations on the new campus in 2015.

In early 2020, following another robust review by the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB) and their recommendation to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, ministerial consent was granted to use the name Tyndale University. Effective December 2020, Tyndale’s name was legally changed to Tyndale University by an act of legislation.