Integrate Christian Faith

  • 2024 Faculty Workshop
  • Faith & Learning Integration Taxonomy
  • Faith Integration Teaching Strategies
  • Faith & Learning Book Studies

At a recent Faculty Workshop, Dr. Lynn Lease presented Faith and Learning as a journey toward transformation. At SNU, we say we are “purposefully different.” Our calling given to us through Jesus is to make Christ-like disciples, and our University mission is to fulfill that calling through higher education.

When we talk about faith and learning integration, our conversation is often focused on what WE need to be doing to integrate faith with learning. But instead, Dr. Lynn Lease encourages us to ask,

“Are our students able to integrate their faith with what they are learning?”

Take time to peruse the slides below for more information about faith and learning and join us in helping our students walk this journey toward transformation.

SNU Faith and Learning Initiatives

Faith and Learning Book Studies, 2024-2025

Introduction

One of the joys of working at SNU is the opportunity to learn together and cultivate ideas into transformative experiences for our students in the learning space. The book study format is a fertile setting for developing and refining ideas about faith and learning—in general or in the specific context of our disciplines and areas of expertise. Academic Affairs is glad to promote faculty group book studies to help us grow as a community so that our students may encounter the best of faith and learning in their learning spaces.

Outline

  • As a department/school program/affinity group, choose a book and select a book study organizer (leading the study may rotate, but we’d like one organizer to work with).
  • Academic Affairs will purchase the books for your group. Please provide Kerianne with the book title and Amazon link and the number of copies you need.
  • Throughout conversations, please connect your discussions and thinking to the Faith and Learning Taxonomy and the Faith and Learning Integration Strategies (FITS) (access through tabs above)
  • The 3-4-5 Principle
    • Meet at least three times
    • Have at least four people in your group 
    • We hope you will present in a faculty meeting later in the fall or spring for at least five minutes (Kerianne will work with you to schedule a date)

Possibilities

  1. Select a book about Faith and Learning in general.  A suggested book list is below but you may find other good books appropriate for your group.
  2. Select a book that is disciplinary but written from a Christian perspective.  While the book may not explicitly be about learning in the classroom, the book’s presentation of disciplinary knowledge, ethics, and principles may be informed by faith (or vice versa!).

General Guidesheet for Disciplinary Books

  1. For faith and disciplinary knowledge 🔄- how does the author approach the intersection?  Is faith informing disciplinary knowledge (only)?  Or does disciplinary knowledge inform faith (only)?  Or does the author operate in a dynamic, mutual interaction between faith and disciplinary knowledge?
  2. What are some concepts or constructs the author presents that may represent a challenge to your students?  Why?  What are some teaching/learning strategies you could employ to address those issues in ways that challenge yet build students’ faith?
  3. Consider the students in your classrooms who are not yet well informed about Jesus or Christian concepts about God, nature, and humanity. What ideas from this book may provide clarity and provoke reflection and inspiration to dive deeper into a relationship with Jesus?

Faith and Learning Book Suggestions 

Let us know of good books to add to this list and feel free to select your own outside of this list.

Some good suggestions are here: Integration of Faith & Learning Resources, Grand Canyon University 

Faith and Learning Books
History
Psychology
Business
Music
The Natural Sciences
The Physical Sciences