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Wednesday, 10 December 2008

YOUR College...Intergration of Faith & Learning

Response 2 to “Integrating Faith and Learning in Higher Education” by David S. Dockery, President of The Research Institute of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Fall Meeting September 2000
Following the Second World War, growth of higher education took place across America. Dockery says that “as we enter the 21st Century there is approximately 3,600 institutions of higher learning: 2,000 public and 1,600 private. Many of the public institutions are community colleges. Others are large research universities. Of the 1,600 private institutions almost 800 maintain some church relationship (about 400 mainline; a little less than 300 Roman Catholic; and few more than 100 Evangelical)”.
Of all these school we can identify 4 types:
              1)                  The Private College
·         independent in its operation
·         few Christian commitments
·         Faculty and students (with some or many board members) probably unrelated to the Christian heritage of the college
·         approach to education generally as diverse and pluralistic as most public institutions
2)         The Bible College
·         Preparation for Church Related Vocation
·         Generally study only Christian material
·         Undergraduate seminary
3)         The Church-Related College
·         Acknowledgement of Christian heritage
·         Sees itself as an academic partner with its sponsoring denomination with many faculty, students, and board members coming from that tradition
·         Approach to education—two generally unrelated spheres:
a.       Campus ministry and chapel programs
b.      Academic curriculum and program
·         Caring context for education
4)         The Christian Liberal Arts College
·         Strong cultural ties with sponsoring denomination/constituency
·         Faculty and students conscious of denominational/constituency ties
·         Board has strong tie to denomination/constituency
·         Provides opportunity for examination of subject matter from a faith perspective
·         Grace-filled context for education
·         Approach to education grounded in Christian world and life view
·         Education as a learning community—one sphere characterized by the integration of faith and learning and faith and living.
I believe my college falls under the category “Christian Liberal Arts”. The only part of the description I have not experienced at my college has to be the first two bullets. I feel like if anything at my college, there has not been an emphasis on denominational ties. But I do feel that my college exhibits the following:
·         Provides opportunity for examination of subject matter from a faith perspective
·         Grace-filled context for education
·         Approach to education grounded in Christian world and life view
·         Education as a learning community—one sphere characterized by the integration of faith and learning and faith and living
What college have you or do you attend?
Which category does that college fall under?
Why?
Do you feel like David S. Dockery’s assumptions are correct?
Fill me in...Intergrating Faith & Learning 2

This blog is my first in response to “Integrating Faith and Learning in Higher Education” by David S. Dockery, President of The Research Institute of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Fall Meeting September 20, 2000.
In this article David Dockery says that “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” He feels that this use to be the goal of every college in America. But suggest that after the 19^th century there was a rise of secularization and specialization. All the colleges up until this point with the exception of University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia were Christian based colleges.
Dockery believes that this rise created “dualisms of every kind—a separation of head knowledge from heart knowledge, faith from learning, revealed truth from observed truth, and careers from vocation”. I do not know much about the history of this division beginning to take place. As I read this in the article it was sad that I could not imagine our country having so many faith based higher education schools. I learned that most colleges in the United States have a Christian foundation.
What has pulled us away from this foundation?
Any facts about this that anyone can add?
Educate me please
Thanx!
Intergration of Faith and Learning 1

I attend a Christian college that strives in every class to integrate faith and learning. Not only do the professors teaching the class strive to accomplish this, but they also encourage us to do so as well. I have enjoyed this aspect about my college.I have felt like in most of the classes I have taken over the past four years each professor has done well at reaching this goal
I have enjoyed being abel to take classes that have challenged my beliefs. Most of the Bible and Religion classes I have taken have not been biased. They have challenged me to look at other cultures and beliefs outside of my own and encouraged me to understand them. I feel like my college has done a very good job at making me define what I believe and why.

Has anyone else had this oppurtnity? Positive or negative experience?
Question on Intergration of Faith and Learning

How would you define intergration of faith and learning?
Word for the day

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love,
so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order
that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are
hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2-3)