It started out as a dream in the 1950s, resurfaced as a fledgling feasibility study in the mid-seventies and was born, in the shadow of Hamilton’s industrial waterfront, in the early eighties. Today, Redeemer College stands strong and vibrant on its 78-acre campus in the picturesque town of Ancaster, as Ontario’s only independent Christian university, fully recognized by the national and international communities of higher education.

The Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees earned by its graduates have been accepted by institutions and professional organizations around the world. And while no one connected with the development and growth of the college disputes that Redeemer has truly been blessed by the Lord’s hand, there is a real appreciation that Christians of the Reformed persuasion have been instruments of that blessing.

Rev. Tom Meyer, a retired Reformed Church pastor living in Guelph, Ontario, and the official representative of Classis Ontario on Redeemer’s Board of Governors, points out that the Reformed Church can be proud of its role in Redeemer’s history. RCA members have contributed much to Redeemer, he states, as administrators, board members and financial donors. "And, of course," Meyer adds, "many of our youth have benefited from the excellent education Redeemer professors provide."

Meyer would like to see more RCA young people consider Redeemer for their university education and a greater involvement by their parents and members of this denomination in promoting the College. "It’s really a gem that we have here, a precious stone of Reformed perspective amongst secular alternatives." While denominational schools like Hope and Northwestern offer similar programs, their distance, and the American context of the education, prevents many Canadians from attending.

Graduates confirm Meyer’s comments. Cindy Corbett, originally from Ebenezer Reformed Church in Stoney Creek, Ontario, graduated from Redeemer in 1998. Having just completed Teacher’s College at a secular university, she has respect and appreciation for what Redeemer provided. "I felt no compromise in what I believed — there was a fusion, a real unity between my academic education and my social and personal experiences at the College. Redeemer gives you an opportunity, a means of understanding what your faith means and how you can live it. It’s not just a school; it’s family!"

Tim Brand, a ‘99 graduate from Bethel Reformed Church in Exeter, Ontario, agrees. "Redeemer was a great place for me; it helped me grow. Campus life and dorm living really affected me. It was neat sharing a common perspective with fellow Christians of different backgrounds. The whole atmosphere was amazing."

Redeemer offers a traditional university program in the liberal arts and natural sciences but also includes professional programs in business, teacher education, pre-seminary training, and a selection of co-operative programs that blend employment and study. With an anticipated fall enrollment of just under 600, some administrators feel that the college will grow quickly in the next few years and could reach 1,000 early in the next decade.

College president, Dr. Justin D. Cooper, sees Redeemer planning for growth but jealously guarding the quality of instruction, the sense of community, and the Reformed heritage of the institution. Currently, students from over 30 different denominations study at Redeemer.