The Idea of a Christian College

Arthur Holmes

Chapter 5: Integrating faith and

learning

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Integration vs interaction

Starting point: “the Christian college is distinctive in that the Christian faith can touch the entire range of life and learning to which a liberal education exposes students” (p. 45)

Integration—the ideal, but not reality Interaction—the reality

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Faith and Learning

“Faith affects learning far more deeply than learning affects faith” (p. 46)

4 approaches to the integration of faith and learning: 1. The attitudinal approach2. The ethical approach3. The foundational approach4. The worldview approach

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Integration: The Attitudinal Approach One’s attitude is the initial and vital

point of contact with the Christian faith

“A positive, inquiring attitude and a persistent discipline of time and ability express the value” that Christians find in learning because of their theology and Christian commitment (p. 47)

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Integration: The Attitudinal Approach The perspective: All truth is God’s truth, all

beauty God’s beauty . . .

The motivation: “the Christian faith is the sworn enemy of all intellectual dishonesty and shoddiness” (p. 48)

The understanding: “education is a Christian vocation [and]. . . must be an act of love, of worship, of stewardship, a wholehearted response to God” (p. 49)

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What is a liberal arts education today? “A broad, general education that

ranges across the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities” (p. 26)

The liberal arts are the arts “appropriate to persons as persons, rather than to the specific function of a worker or a professional or even a scholar” (p. 27)

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Integration: The Ethical Approach There is no value-neutral educationThere is no value-neutral scienceLanguage itself is value-ladenThe ethical approach demands one

explore the relationship between facts and values—the “middle-level concepts”

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Integration: The Ethical Approach 3 questions necessary to integrate

Christian principles into ethical discussion:1. What are the facts, the causes, and the

consequences? (requires science)2. What middle-level concepts are

involved? (requires theology and philosophy)

3. What policy or action is called for? (requires ethics)

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Integration: The Foundational Approach 3 foundational disciplines

MathematicsPhilosophyTheology

We have to have the foundational knowledge on which to build and with which to interact.

Interdisciplinary courses and dialogue are vital to the foundational approach.

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Integration: The Worldview Approach Intellectual polytheism (Arnold

Nash)What happens when we concentrate

on the parts rather than the whole and come away with a fragmented view of life that lacks overall meaning (p. 57)

The university becomes a multiversity

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Integration: The Worldview Approach The characteristics of a worldview:

Holistic/integrationalExploratory PluralisticConfessional and perspectival

Worldview versus theology

Chapter 7: College as Community

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In Loco Parentis

The idea that the college has parental authority and responsibility toward its students

Modern concept: the college community

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The dangers of the college community:

Excessive individualism Intellectual hermit = liberal arts are irrelevantHistorical hermit = the past is unrelated to real

lifeEthical hermit = devaluation of universal and

lasting values in favor of doing “one’s own thing”

Excessive administrative control Don’t allow for individual differences compatible

with the common purpose of the community

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The Basis of Community

False idea: Love creates communityReality:

Love is a moral virtue, not a warm feeling

Love is an inner moral attitude and commitment

Community creates feelings of loveCommunity is created by values

and purposes and a common task

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The Basis of Community

The unifying task: educationWhat the community isn’t:

A local churchAn athletic or social clubA service agencyA vocational training school

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A Climate of Faith and Learning Plato: can virtue be taught?

Answer: yes. Virtue is a form of knowledge and can be taught like anything else.

Christian view: virtue is not just an idea; it is an attitude, something intrinsic

Teachers: should be Christian, be enthusiastic, be careful scholars, integrate faith and learning

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God versus studies – which comes first? This is the wrong question.“If education is God’s present

calling to students, then no question arises about whether God or studies comes first, for God is to be honored in and through studies. Compartmentalization has no place on the Christian campus” (p. 84)

Chapter 9: The Marks of

an Educated Christian

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The Marks of an educated Christian 1. A Spiritual person:

An unreserved commitment to God and his purposes for us in this world

2. A moral person:Qualities of character like love, fairness,

courage, integrity, and commitment to justice

3. An intellectual person:Breadth of understanding, openness to new

ideas, intellectual honesty, etc.

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The Marks of an educated Christian 4. An active, responsible person:

Responsible action in all areas of life: conscientious, helpful, decisive, self-disciplined, persistent, involved, intentionally an agent for change

5. A self-aware, self-evaluative person: An honest appraisal of one’s strengths and

weaknesses; no false modesty; no overconfidence; a willingness to work on the weaknesses and to use the strengths

Knowing what has to be learned, knowing where to learn it, and being able to learn from others

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Are you an educated Christian? 1. Are you working conscientiously to become

an educated person? 2. Do you see your education as your current

vocational calling?

3. Are you working conscientiously to integrate faith and learning and to avoid compartmentalizing the areas of your life?

4. Are you preparing yourself to be a good steward in all areas of your life?

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Coming up . . . Next Class: Exam 2

Stott Your Mind Matters (all)Exam 2

Holmes – chs 1-5, 7, 9W&M – be prepared to compare/contrast

with HolmesStott -- basic points

November 1: PLP due