You’ve heard of the Golden Arches and the Gateway Arch….but did you know that one of the premier bible colleges in the US has a well-known arch of its own?
The Moody Arch on the campus of Moody Bible Institute has quite a history.
Much of the credit for this prominent piece of Moody architecture goes to Henry C. Crowell, whose name was added to the main Institute office building despite his objections. Crowell made his name as president and majority owner of Quaker Oats.
Having built Quaker Oats with a world famous logo, Crowell approached Moody’s branding like a corporation. He developed a new campaign to position Moody as “the West Point of Christian Service.” His modern approach to marketing rankled some of the old-timers, who complained that Crowell tried to market the Institute as if it were breakfast cereal.
But such complaints did not bother Crowell. After all, the oatmeal business was successful.
The dramatic 17-foot arch was meant to communicate Moody’s intention to invest in the Chicago neighborhood that it called home.
Proceeding through the arch became a standard ritual for graduating classes, but it started in 1938 for more practical reasons. The top floors of Crowell Hall were not yet finished when the summer graduates lined up in their caps and gowns. Now there was only one convenient way to get into the back of the auditorium for the commencement march. So they did what college students do—taking the shortest path between points, walking through the unfinished arch, not really intending to start a tradition.
Crowell got the icon he wanted—but it also posed an interesting question. Was the arch an entrance to the campus, or a gateway to ministry?