Below is the first of a periodic offering of posts by Kate Peterson (pseudonym), an assistant professor in the humanities at a Christian institution of higher education. A special thank-you to Kate for expressing her desire to share with us some of her story, thereby providing a lens for some of the challenges faced by and insights which can be uniquely offered by scholars in the context of a Christian institution of higher education. As an alumnus of two Christian institutions, a student currently enrolled at another, … [Read more...] about Being a Christian at a Christian University
graduate school
Sorrow, Joy, and Academic Community on 9/11
I was ready to write my second post about T.M. Luhrmann's When God Talks Back when memories of this day intruded. September 11 is a complicated day for me. Here's what I wrote back in 2007: [On Sept. 11, 2001], I met Debbie Erickson on the way to our first Hebrew class of the year at Regent College. We were both biking down University Drive at about 7:30 am PST. “Have you heard?” Debbie asked me. By that time, both towers have come down. Because I had not turned on a TV or radio that morning, this is the first time … [Read more...] about Sorrow, Joy, and Academic Community on 9/11
Headed to Graduate School: Witness in the Academy
Thus far in two prior posts I've suggested that the end-point of a graduate education is to “become a person” in the Biblical sense – that is, to grow into the image of God. This holistic vision will encompass within itself more common educational ideals such as becoming an intelligent, productive citizen and serving the good of humanity. Secondly, I asked readers to integrate their faith with their field of study, and to do so in the context of Christian community. I hope you'll take time to read these two … [Read more...] about Headed to Graduate School: Witness in the Academy
Headed to Graduate School: A Time of Re-imaging
In my prior post I encouraged students who are headed toward grad school to begin their journey with a lofty end-point in mind: to grow into a person. In the Biblical sense, personhood has to do with fulfilling one's potential as a creature who is created in the image of God. So if I stop and ask myself, Who am I? – that is, who am I at the core of my existence, the answer from scripture is that I am a representation of God, a mirror image of his being. Unfortunately, this “image” has been damaged by the Fall, yet it … [Read more...] about Headed to Graduate School: A Time of Re-imaging
Headed to Graduate School: Begin with the End in Mind
In my travels to campuses around the country (40 in the past two years), I meet up with a lot of students who are headed to grad school someday. Here is what I wish I could suggest to each one of them: Begin with the end in mind. The “end” is the final goal, the destination of one's schooling. For many students, that would be to get a good job in their field and make a significant contribution to the overall good of humanity. Not bad! But in my view, for the Christian it's shooting too low. Let me suggest a goal … [Read more...] about Headed to Graduate School: Begin with the End in Mind