Integration of Faith & Learning
Framing all of life within the story of God’s redemptive work in Jesus Christ
Our Philosophy of Faith Integration
At Jessup, we believe that faith integration is the natural and intentional assimilation of Christian beliefs and practices into the learning process across academic disciplines. We affirm that God is the source of all truth and has revealed truth both generally in the natural world and specifically in Scripture (Ps. 19) and the person of Jesus.
Integration can occur in multiple dimensions of the learning process: the curriculum, the classroom, course design, and/or directed experiences, and involves the personal faith of both the professor and the students. A comprehensive faith integration philosophy takes both content and technique into account. The Gospel worldview provides a redemptive framework and common language for the content of faith here at Jessup, while a variety of integrative techniques are encouraged and modeled.
Robust and intentional faith integration in the learning process is vital to the fulfillment of the University’s mission to develop transformational leaders who display excellence in professional skill development grounded on strong Christian character and complements the greater campus-wide spiritual formation initiatives.
Resources for Faculty
Meet the IFL Committee
Mark Moore
Theology & IFL Chair
markmoore@jessup.edu
Kay Llovio
Humanities & Arts Dean
kllovio@jessup.edu
Richard Mullis
Psychology
rmullis@jessup.edu
David Bills
Education
dbills@jessup.edu
Jim Crain
University Chaplain
jcrain@jessup.edu
Mary Konow
Career Development
mkonow@jessup.edu
Daniel Gluck
Leadership
dgluck@jessup.edu
Tom Savage
Course Development
tsavage@jessup.edu
Scott Roberts
Kinesiology
sroberts@jessup.edu
Irene Matson
Faculty Mentor
imatson@jessup.edu
God is Creator and Sustainer of all things and gives everything order and purpose.
Core to the Gospel worldview is the understanding that a loving, transcendent and immanent God is the creator and sustainer of all things. He made the earth and everything in it, and did so on purpose and with a purpose. Creation is neither accidental nor incidental. Every material thing has design and serves the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to the Creator.
Human disobedience corrupts God’s good creation.
God’s plan, however, is impacted by humanity’s rebellion. Human disobedience (sin) introduced spiritual death, decay, and corruption into the world. Conflict suddenly ensued between God and his creation as well as between people. Marriages were torn. Families were broken. Violence and competition took hold. Our willfulness subverted, momentarily, God’s paradise and plan. There is no aspect of creation or culture that does not suffer because of our choice to rebel.
God reaches out to humanity with a promise.
Because of our rebellion (and because of his abounding love), God immediately set in motion a plan of redemption. He would not abandon or destroy the world before redeeming as much of it as possible. This plan was to restore to himself anyone who places their trust in him exclusively, for this life and the life to come. He made covenants with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, protecting and preserving a people through whom the Messiah would one day come.
Christ completes the redemptive work of God.
Central to the story is the coming of Christ. Christ, fully God and fully man, makes atonement for our sin and restores us to the Father as we place our trust in him. The cross becomes a central symbol for our faith and story, speaking to all elements of culture including issues of humility, violence, love, and redemption.
God empowers the Church to be agents of reconciliation.
Those who are redeemed by the completed work of Christ and their faith in him are joined to the family and company of God. They are the “called-out ones” (literally, the ekklesia; the Church), now indwelt by the Holy Spirit, empowered by the Spirit, guided by the Spirit, and transformed by the Spirit. In the community of the Church we encourage each other to live the counter-cultural lives of the Kingdom of God and to live deeply in the presence of God as we live in this world.
God will decisively restore the goodness of original creation.
God’s ultimate plan is to restore humanity and all of creation to the full glory originally intended. We will one day reflect the image, character, and glory of God without distortion. While we do not yet live in that space, all of time and history is pointing towards the Day of the Lord when those who belong to the family of God will receive eternal life and inherit the new heaven and new earth. Christ—the Lamb who was slain—shall reign upon the throne with justice and grace, and his people, resurrected to never die again, shall once again steward the creation of God.