David S. Dockery - Faith and Learning

While the phrase, integrating faith and learning, has become the overarching end for many Christian colleges and universities, what does this mean and how is it to be implemented? According to David Dockery, president of Union University and a visionary and thoughtful leader in Christian higher education, a helpful translation is helping students to learn to think Christianly. His introduction in this volume provides an illuminating and edifying framework, which also sets the stage for the 23 essays that follow. These essays provide insightful reflections on the foundational commitments that ought to guide our efforts as well as useful guidance on how these commitments are to be achieved in the disciplines and various practices that constitute our Christian liberal arts universities.

Michael Beaty

Professor of Philosophy, Baylor University

Time and again, David Dockery assembles a first-rate team of scholars to grapple with the important and timeless issues of biblical integration. Once more he has not disappointed. As the entirety of creation declares Gods glory, so does every field of study bear his fingerprints. The centrality of God to all knowledge is why the integration of faith and learning in Christian higher education is so critical. This book calls us back to the Christian intellectual tradition with a firm theological foundation, offering a discipline-by-discipline illumination of all truth as Gods truth.

Barry Corey

President, Biola University

Faith and Learning speaks clearly and with great insight to what I believe is the preferred future of Christian higher education. David Dockery and 24 contributing authors have created a road map to a thriving and effective Christian university built on the foundation of our historic Christian intellectual tradition. This seminal book gives both depth and breadth to the idea that a Christian university can be in the future what it was in the past: a confessional community where Christ-centered truth illuminates our scholarship and transforms our character.

Jon Wallace

President, Azusa Pacific University

Faith and Learning: A Handbook for Christian Higher Education

Copyright 2012 by David S. Dockery

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4336-7311-5

Published by B&H Publishing Group

Nashville, Tennessee

Dewey Decimal Classification: 260

Subject Heading: CHURCH AND EDUCATION \ FAITH \ LEARNING AND SCHOLARSHIP

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible , Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version , copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Scripture citations marked NKJV are from The New King James Version, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

Scripture citations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

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SB

Dedicated

to

Bill and Carol Latimer

With deepest admiration and genuine gratitude for their faithful and gracious support for the work of Christian higher education

Contributors

David S. Dockery serves as President and University Professor of Christian Thought at Union University. He is the author or editor of more than 30 books, including Renewing Minds: Serving Church and Society through Christian Higher Education.

Gene C. Fant Jr. serves as Vice President for Academic Administration and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Union University. In addition to his work on God as Author , Fant is a frequent contributor to the Chronicle of Higher Education .

Kenneth Magnuson holds the Ph.D. from Cambridge University. He currently serves as Professor of Christian Ethics at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Harry Lee Poe is the Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture at Union University. Poe is the author of numerous articles, chapters, and books, including The Gospel and Its Meaning.

Klaus Issler holds degrees in education, theology, and philosophy. He serves as Professor of Christian Education and Theology at Biola University. Among his many publications, Issler is author of How We Learn: A Christian Teachers Guide to Educational Psychology and Teaching for Reconciliation: Foundations and Practice of Christian Educational Ministry .

Gregory Alan Thornbury is the coeditor of Shaping a Christian Worldview and an editor for the online publication, Kairos Journal . Thornbury is Professor of Christian Thought and Dean of the School of Theology and Missions at Union University.

Taylor Worley serves as the Associate Dean of Spiritual Life at Union University, where he also teaches in the School of Theology and Missions. Worley holds the Ph.D. from St. Andrews University.

John T. Netland holds the Ph.D. from UCLA. A respected voice in the field of Christian Higher Education, Netland is Professor of English and Chair of the English Department at Union University.

Scott Huelin holds the Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Formerly a member of the faculty at Valparaiso University, Huelin currently serves as Director of the Honors Community and Associate Professor of English at Union University.

James A. Patterson , Ph.D., Princeton, serves as Associate Dean of the School of Theology and Missions at Union University, where he also serves as University Professor of Christian Thought and Tradition.

Hunter Baker is the 2010 Novak Award recipient and author of The End of Secularism . A frequent contributor to a variety of periodicals, Baker holds the Ph.D. from Baylor University and serves as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Science and Associate Professor of Political Science at Union University.

Roman R. Williams holds the Ph.D. from Boston University and currently serves as Assistant Professor of Sociology at Union University.

Steve Halla is Associate Professor of Art at Union University. Halla previously served at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds the Ph.D. from the University of Texas system.

Christopher W. Mathews is the Chair of the Department of Music at Union University. He previously taught at Clemson University.

Kevin S. Trowbridge is Lecturer in Public Relations and Student Media Advisor at Lee University. He previously served as Vice President for Communication for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.

Mark Bolyard holds the Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina. He currently serves as Chair of the Department of Biology at Union University.

Jimmy H. Davis serves as the Hammons Chair of Pre-medical Studies, and University Professor of Chemistry at Union University. He is co-author (with Harry Lee Poe) of Chance or Dance: An Evaluation of Design .

Jeannette Russ holds the Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University. She currently serves on the faculty in the Department of Engineering at Union University.

E. Blake Watkins holds the Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. Prior to joining the Union University faculty in the School of Pharmacy, he served on the faculty at the University of Mississippi.