Integrating Faith & Learning
For Assistance
To fulfill Regent's mission, faculty are required to integrate faith and learning in their curriculum. For help meeting this requirement, contact Bobby Hill at The Center for Christian Thought and Action at rhill@regent.edu or visit their website.
Regent Policy
Official Policy
Review the University's Faculty and Academic Policy regarding integration of faith and learning.
Resources
Discipline |
Application |
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| Business | Christian Worldview from the Business School Walton Padelford, University Professor of Economics, Union University, Jackson, TN
In introductory economics the discussion continues about the development of economic theory. We discuss empirical testing of economic theory, and then the question arises,"What shall we do with economic theory?" It is pretty easy to see that in macroeconomics we move from theory to policy recommendations. For instance, what unemployment rate is considered good? What inflation rate is acceptable? When we get to this point we are squarely in a discussion of right and wrong, better and best, or of ethics. Here we must discuss values as part of the discipline of economics. Biblical values of work and employment could be discussed here. For instance, what does the Bible teach about the value of work? What responsibility does government have for maintaining employment in an industrial society? http://www.uu.edu/CENTERS/FACULTY/resources/article.cfm?ArticleID=461 Faith and Business by Jeff Barneson of Intervarsity MBA MinistryA Bible Study in Daniel 1Business students (and plenty of others) probably all disagree with these statements of two notable Church Fathers. Nevertheless, living, working, and studying in business school or in the marketplace does raise a variety of questions. |
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| Computer Science | Joel C. Adams Computer Science Department Calvin College provided this Essay about the motivations of becoming a computer scientist from a Biblical perspective: There are many possible motivations for being a computer scientist, including the job security, the financial rewards, the status of working in hi-tech, and so on. These are clearly "treasures on earth" ... not especially Christian motivations. However there are good motivations for Christians to become computer scientists. One such motivation is service. The Colossians passage we cited earlier is worth repeating: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men. Colossians 3:23 In a world that is increasingly driven by information, Christians with computational skills can use those skills in a wide variety of Christ-honoring ways, ranging from helping to bridge the "digital divide" between information haves and have-nots, to applying computational linguistics to facilitate Bible translation in an organization like Wycliffe Translators [5], to working to inject Christ's values into our materialistic tech-culture.http://cs.calvin.edu/documents/christian/Vocation2002.pdf Nyack College Bibliographies in Technology http://www.nyack.edu/library/onlinefl/technology.htm Consider ethical and relationship issues regarding chat rooms/spamming/e-mail privacy/free speech/hacking/patent and copyright laws as related to Biblical truths. (plus 8 more) Source: Dr. William F. Cox, Jr. |
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Conflict resolution |
Bibliography by Catherine Morris Restorative Justice bibliography by Wayne Northey, printed in the Mennonite Brethren Herald, and based on a much longer bibliography. | ||||||||||
| Education | Integration of Faith and Learning Fall 2004 Jan Gormas, Ph.D. Education Department Essay about faith and learning integration in education from Calvin college Human Relationships in the Learning Process (Teaching) "Teaching is mostly listening, while learning is mostly talking" (Meier, 1995) is a major theme in my courses. The goal of teaching is learning, which is achieved by students making connections between their current understandings and other sources that will challenge or extend these understandings. If connections are not being made, students will not learn even though they may repeat facts and ideas they were told for a test. In my courses, I see learning as a journey on which I embark with my students. Real learning involves this interdependent relationship that is necessary for coming to an understanding of God's harmonious creation that will position my students to co-partner with God, to know as we are known (Palmer, 1993), in the transforming of culture. This implies the necessity of hearing students and dialoguing with them orally and in writing in order to discover how the students are making sense of the content. Consequently, I see myself more as a knowledgeable guide traveling with students than a polished performer.http://www.calvin.edu/admin/provost/faith/documents/IFL_simonson.pdf Regent University William Cox, Jr. Christian education masters level Semantic Connection: Word STEP ONE calls for identifying a semantic feature. Starting with the semantic feature "word", we selected "sin" from the above paragraph because it has rich Biblical integration potential. STEP TWO is to connect the word"sin" to Bible text. We do this by searching a concordance keyed to the Bible version we used (KJV). For example, Strong's Concordance defines the word"sin" in Psalm 4:4 to mean"to miss" (Strong's # 2398). In 1 John 1:8 sin means"offense" (Strong's # 266). We certainly could pursue further definitions as needed. For STEP THREE we selected 1 John 1:8a that says:"If we claim to live without sin (#266) we deceive ourselves" since it directly connects to the academic content. STEP FOUR simply requires the integration of the Biblical material into the academic text. We thus enhanced the following sample paragraph sentence "They instead turned to childcare books that emphasized helping children become sin-denying, guilt-free adults" ...with the subsequent sentence "Since the Bible claims that everyone is a sinner, sin-denying child rearing practices are unbiblical". Regent University William Cox, Jr. Christian education - Choose an incident from your work situation in which the choice to behave in either Sermon on Mount (i.e., Kingdom) or Pharisaical (i.e., opposite) ways (must be from Matthew chapters 5 through 7) was the issue. Describe how Beatitude behavior and how Pharisaic behavior would look in the situation you have chosen. Then describe the impact Beatitude behavior could have made/will make in such a situation |
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| English Literature | Joe Bentz, Ph.D. of Azusa Pacific University uses the retelling of stories throughout literary history, revealing reiterations of Biblical events such as Lot and his wife (Genesis 19:26)."By studying Biblical literature and comparing it to modern versions," he said,"my students can compare authors, cultures, and time periods as they analyze the narrative, including the study of symbolism, point of view, conflict, plot, and character. With this type of training, they become equipped to identify other parallels between their faith and modern literature and life." Bentz presented his research paper,"Lot's Wife: Adding a Pinch (or Pillar) of Salt to Introduction to Literature" at the Western Regional Conference on Christian Literature at Westmont College in January 2005.http://www.apu.edu/infocus/2005/05/faith/page4/
Susan Felch of Calvin College uses this technique:In 1916, the classroom lecture notes of Ferdinand de Saussure, a Swiss scholar, were published posthumously as Cours de linguistique générale ( The Course in General Linguistics ). This slender volume set the direction of language studies for the remainder of this century. Saussure wanted to wrest the study of language away from the philologists and historians who emphasized the chronological development of words and meanings and the classification of language families. Instead, he insisted that linguistics should study a particular language at a particular time. At the heart of Saussure's notion of language are two key ideas. First, words (signs) are composed of two parts: the signifier (sounds or written marks) and the signified (the concept that attaches to the signifier). The relationship between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary, but not individual. That is, I myself do not arbitrarily attach signifiers to signifieds (unless I am composing my own personal language), but I am inculcated into the system of signs we call English as I learn my mother tongue. And that system consists of signs whose signifiers and signifieds are conjoined in stable, but arbitrary, relationships. The relationship of the sign (signifier + signified) to any object in the outside world(the referent) is also arbitrary, but Saussure considered this notion to be of relatively little interest to the linguist.http://www.calvin.edu/admin/provost/faith/susan_felch.htm |
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| Film | Gordon Matties Canadian Mennonite University compiled a list of resources for FILM, FAITH AND POPULAR CULTURE http://www.cmu.ca/faculty/gmatties/Religion%20and%20Film%20Bibliography.htm Nyack College Bibliographies in media studies http://www.nyack.edu/library/onlinefl/media.htm |
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| History | Faith & Scholarship: A Bibliography for Christian Historians, compiled by Jonathan Boyd http://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/resource/bibliography-for-christian-historians |
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| Mathematics | Modern Mathematics - Its Relation to Physical Science and Theology Robert A. Herrmann Mathematics Department United States Naval Academy http://www.raherrmann.com/math.htm | ||||||||||
| Research Methods | POELSTTA, PAUL L. Address: Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University, 13800 Biola Ave., La Mirada, CA 90639. Title: Processor Emeritus. Degrees: MA and PhD in Experimental Psychology, Claremont Graduate School; MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, Talbot School of Theology; Specializations: General experimental, spiritual formation. Faith-praxis integration also has implications for value and character issues related to the research enterprise. Specifically, helping students understand the value and character-related issues involved in doing research is an important part of teaching these courses. What one investigates and how one reports research results reflects (or doesn't reflect) integration. Perverse or Pure Curiosity. The pursuit o certain areas of research can led to the corruption of the investigator. Augustine (1998) raised this issue in the 4th century. In a passage on curiosity, he describes the temptation to inquisitiveness, which is dignified under the cover of knowledge and science (pp. 211-212).He asserts that this desire for knowledge is problematic when it does not lead an individual to praise the creator Coe (2007) defines this perverse form of curiosity as, "The knowing or desire to know what should not be known as determined by God's will, reason and the good of loving God and neighbor" ([paragraph] 5). If my study leads me into knowledge that I cannot receive with thanksgiving and in the love of God, then my pursuit is suspect: "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer" (I Tim. 4:4-5). Paul urges believers "to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil" (Rms 16:19). | ||||||||||
| Psychology | Nyack College Bibliographies in http://www.nyack.edu/library/onlinefl/psychology.htm | ||||||||||
| Science | Deborah Haarsma of Calvin College provides this resource for integration in science:
Next consider some relevant Christan beliefs, listed on the right. As you can see, these are related to and naturally give rise to the scientific beliefs listed on the left. The scientific method (which all scientists use) is based on the beliefs in the left column, but for Christians these in turn are based on the beliefs in the right column. Thus, Christianity provides a philosophical foundation for how and why we do science. This means that science can be a fully Christan activity, and there is no sense in which Christans set aside their fath to do science. http://www.calvin.edu/admin/provost/faith/documents/IFL_dhaarsma.pdf Nyack College Bibliographies in Science http://www.nyack.edu/library/onlinefl/biology.htm |
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| Sociology | Nyack College Bibliographies in sociology http://www.nyack.edu/library/onlinefl/sociology.htm | ||||||||||
Universities
Azusa Pacific University
Calvin College
Cedarville College
Pepperdine University
Ohio Christian University
Organizations
Faith and Learning.org
Since 2004 Faith and Learning (FLI) has existed to serve the global church in helping people share the love of Christ, serve the poor and disadvantaged in Jesus��� name and assist in building the kingdom of God through discipleship and leadership development. FLI encourages, equips and connects believers around the world with one another thus enabling them to facilitate God���s call on their lives. FLI provides administrative and accounting support systems for missionaries and ministries at minimal cost thus freeing them to use their giftedness and energy to serve God through meeting the needs of people.
Institute for Faith and Learning at Baylor
The Institute for Faith and Learning was founded in 1997 to assist Baylor in achieving its mission of integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment, and its goal of becoming a university of the first rank committed to its Baptist and Christian heritage.
Augsburg College Center for Faith and Learning
Rather than operating as a stand-alone center, the ACFL collaborates with other on-campus departments and off-campus partners to explore the nexus between faith, learning, and service.
Pepperdine University- Center for Faith and Learning
The Pepperdine University Center for Faith and Learning grounds its work in the mission of Pepperdine University as it seeks to enhance the connections between classroom teaching, scholarship, and Christian faith and practice.
Faith and Learning at Taylor University
Faith and learning belong together, and knowledge is limited when one is used without the other. Faith needs learning, and learning needs faith
Union University-The Research Institute of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
The integration of faith and learning is at the essence of authentic Christian higher education and should be wholeheartedly implemented across the campus and across the curriculum.
Concordia College
The Dovre Center aims to encourage and sustain discussion on issues relating to faith and learning at Concordia College
Engage Faith-based Organization in Service Learning
This resource provides the rationale, practical steps, and tools needed to engage in youth-led interfaith service-learning. It draws from the lessons learned, stories, examples, and tools from a federally supported pilot project, Inspired to Serve: Youth-Led Interfaith Action.
Corporation for Nation and Community Service
Learn and Serve America partners with a number of faith-based organizations and educational institutions to carry out service-learning projects.
Government Task Force
The Task Force provides assistance to faith- and community-based organizations in identifying funding opportunities within the Federal government for which they are eligible to apply.
National Service-Learning Clearinghouse- Faith-Based Service Learning
This bibliography highlights theoretical perspectives, programs and practices, research, and websites on faith-based service-learning.
Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
Faith & Learning Network, including an online bibliography.
International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities, including an online bibliography.
The Institute for Christian Teaching
Journals
Christian Scholar's Review
Journal of Biblical Integration in Business
Christian Business Academy Review
Christian Education Journal
Christian Higher Education Journal
Journal of Psychology & Theology
Journal of Psychology and Christianity
RUMINATE: a magazine of faith in literature and art
Articles
Faith in Learning: Integrative Education and Incarnational Theology
Faith and Learning Perspectives in Higher Education
Integrating Faith & Learning in Higher Education
Research on Adult Learners, Indiana Western
Daniels III, D. D. (2005). "Wonder and scholarship": Reflecting on Jacobsen and Jacobsen's scholarship and Christian faith: Enlarging the conversation. Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, 27(1), 110-114. doi:10.1163/157007405774270356
Ebertz, R. P. (2006). Beyond worldview analysis: Insights from Hans-Georg Gadamer on Christian scholarship. Christian Scholar's Review, 36(1), 13-28.
Glanzer, P. L. (2008). Why we should discard “the integration of faith and learning”: Rearticulating the mission of the Christian scholar. Journal of Education and Christian Belief, 12(1), 41-51.
Glanzer, P. L. (2010, Summer). Moving beyond value- or virtue-added: Transforming colleges and universities for redemptive moral development. Christian Scholar's Review, 34(4), 379-399.
Jacobsen, D., & Jacobsen, R. H. (2005). A response to the Pneuma essays on faith and scholarship. Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, 27(1), 157-160. doi:10.1163/157007405774270428
Jacobsen, D., & Jacobsen, R. H. (2005). Pentecostalism and the Academy. Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, 27(1), 106-109. doi:10.1163/157007405774270374
Jacobsen, D., & Jacobsen, R. H. (2008). Religion in higher education. Liberal Education, 94(3), 44-49.
Kanitz, L. (2005). Improving Christian worldview pedagogy: Going beyond mere Christianity. Christian Higher Education, 4(2), 99-108. doi:10.1080/15363750590923101
Miller, D. E. (1977). Returning to the fold: Disbelief within the community of faith. Christian Century, 94(29), 810-813.
Newell, T. (2009). Worldviews in collision: Jesus as critical educator. Journal of Education & Christian Belief, 13(2), 141-154.
Thiessen, E. J. (2007). Refining the conversation: Some concerns about contemporary trends in thinking about worldviews, Christian scholarship and higher education. Evangelical Quarterly, 79(2), 133-152.
Links
Psychology of Religion - Quick Primer to World Religions
UCLA Spirituality Study - A National Study of College Students' Search for Meaning and Purpose
Research on Adult Learners - From Indiana Western
Regent Authors
Tom Whetstone
- Meeting Our Sacred Epistemological Challenge
- Mentoring Adjuncts re Teaching from a Christian Worldview
- Teaching from a Christian Worldview
- Worldview of Courses
Jim Davids
- Research on Spiritual Development
Books
Abeysekara, A. (2008). The politics of post secular religion: Mourning secular futures. Insurrections. New York: Columbia University Press.
Barbour, I. G. (2000). When science meets religion (1st ed.). San Francisco: Harper San Francisco.
Boa, K. D., & Bowman, R. M., Jr. (2001). Faith has its reasons: An integrative approach to defending Christianity. Colorado Springs: NavPress.
Chesterton, G. K. (2007). Orthodoxy. Sioux Falls, SD: NuVision.
Claerbaut, D. (2004). Faith and learning on the edge: A bold new look at religion in higher education. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Coleman, R. E. (1964). The master plan of evangelism (2nd ed.). Old Tappan, NJ: Revell.
Colson, C., & Pearcey, N. (1999). How now shall we live? Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.
DeSilva, D. A. (2004). An introduction to the New Testament: contexts, methods & ministry formation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Dockery, D. S., & Thornbury, G. A. (2002). Shaping a Christian worldview: The foundations of Christian higher education. Nashville: Broadman and Holman.
Eckel, M. (2004). The whole truth: Classroom strategies for a Biblical integration. Longwood, FL: Xulon.
Estep, J. R. (2002, Spring). Can a Christian be a dean? Toward a theological approach to academic administration in Christian higher education. Christian Education Journal, 6(1), 35-54.
Fee, G. D., & Stuart, D. (1993). How to read the Bible for all it's worth (3rd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Heie, H., & Wolfe, D. L. (2004). The reality of Christian learning: Strategies for faith-discipline integration. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock.
Hughes, R. T. (2001). How Christian faith can sustain the life of the mind. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans.
Hughes, R. T., & Adrian, W. B. (Eds.). (1997). Models for Christian Higher Education: Strategies for Survival and Success in the Twenty-First Century. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Johnson, P. E. (1995). Reason in the balance: The case against naturalism in science, law, and education. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.
Johnson, P. E. (2002). The right questions: Truth, meaning, and public debate. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.
Marsden, G. M. (1997). The outrageous idea of Christian scholarship. New York: Oxford University Press.
McCallum, D. (Ed.). (1996). The death of truth. Minneapolis: Bethany House.
Moreland, J. P. (1997). Love your God with all your mind: The role of reason in the life of the soul. Colorado Springs: NavPress.
Moreland, J. P., & Craig, W. L. (2003). Philosophical foundations for a Christian worldview. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.
Niebuhr, H. R. (1951). Christ and culture (1st ed.). New York: Harper & Row.
Osborne, G. R. (1991). The Hermeneutical Spiral: A comprehensive introduction to biblical interpretation. Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.
Palmer, M. D., & Horton, S. M. (Eds.). (1998). Elements of a Christian worldview. Springfield, MO: Logion.
Pazmiño, R. W. (2008). Foundational issues in Christian education: An introduction in Evangelical perspective (3rd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
Pearcey, N. (2004). Total truth: Liberating Christianity from its cultural captivity. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
Peterson, M. L. (2001). With all your mind: A Christian philosophy of education. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame.
Sire, J.W. (2004). The universe next door: A basic worldview catalog. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity.
Spears, P. D., & Loomis, S. R. (2009). Christian Worldview Integration Series: Education for human flourishing: A Christian perspective (F. J. Beckwith & J. P. Moreland, Eds.). Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity.
Thiselton, A. C. (1980). The two horizons: New Testament hermeneutics and philosophical description with special reference to Heidegger, Bultmann, Gadamer, and Wittgenstein (1st ed.). Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.
Tickle, P. (2008). The great emergence: How Christianity is changing and why. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
Veith, G. E., Jr. (1994). Postmodern times: A Christian guide to contemporary thought and culture. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
Virkler, H. A. (1981). Hermeneutics: Principles and processes of Biblical interpretation. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
Virkler, H. A. (2005). A Christian's guide to critical thinking. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock.
Walker, W. (1970). A history of the Christian church (3rd ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Wright, N. T. (1996). Jesus and the victory of God (1st ed.). Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
Zuck, R. B. (1991). Basic Bible interpretation: A practical guide to discovering Biblical truth. Colorado Springs: Victor/Cook.
