Honorary Degree at Wheaton College (June 20, 1907)

On June 20, 1907, Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree on Robert A. Torrey. The recognition reflected more than public acclaim; it honored a ministry distinguished by unflinching trust in the authority of Scripture and a steady refusal to reshape biblical truth to fit cultural fashion. Wheaton, long committed to serious Christian education, held Torrey up as a model of learned faith joined to practical obedience—conviction that could preach, teach, and endure.

Robert A. Torrey (1856–1928)

Torrey was known across America and abroad as an evangelist, pastor-teacher, and organizer who combined careful thinking with urgent appeal. He served as superintendent of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, helping build a training center aimed at forming workers who could handle the Bible accurately and serve the church faithfully. Later, in Los Angeles, he led what became the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (Biola), strengthening a work devoted to evangelism, missions, and biblical instruction. In an era of theological compromise and rising skepticism, Torrey’s courage often looked like steadiness: holding his ground, speaking plainly, and calling believers to repentance, holiness, and confidence in God’s promises.

Message: Scripture Trusted as Living Truth

Torrey pressed Christians to treat the Bible not as religious theory but as God’s present, speaking Word—reliable for conscience, conduct, and hope. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17). He also emphasized the penetrating power of God’s Word: “For the word of God is living and active… it judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Prayer, Bold Witness, and Lasting Influence

A hallmark of Torrey’s work was a steadfast call to prayer—private, earnest, and expectant—believing God acts when His people seek Him with humble faith. His widely read What the Bible Teaches helped countless Christians think clearly, resist error, and speak of Christ with courage. The 1907 honor signaled what many already saw: a life of spiritual heroism marked by faithfulness, clarity, and a brave, gospel-shaped confidence in God’s Word.