Integrating Faith and Learning

Integrating Faith and Learning

Concepts that will assist in integrating our faith into our learning begins with

the belief that a Christian college is distinctive in that the Christian faith can

touch the entire range of life and learning to which a liberal education cannot.

The main objective for attending a Christian college is that it offers academic

excellence with a deep understanding of the foundational commitments of

Christian faith. Holmes statement that faith and learning interact rather than

integrate is somewhat confusing because he later on talks of integrating the two.

The need to integrate a positive attitude and motivation is a good place to start.

It is hard to have a positive attitude towards college if you are of the belief that

college is only a means to what is really important; a job or career. But if we can

integrate a positive attitude towards the journey that leads us to the end goal of

the perfect job, or better yet, a rewarding and fulfilling career, the journey will

be an enjoyable one.

Holmes speaks of a foundational approach integrating faith and learning. He

identifies history and philosophy as “foundational disciplines”. In history there are

many samples of faith in creative contact with learning that we can refer to. It

is also very important to explore how faith can improve on our ability to learn, to

go beyond our scientific limitations and ask ourselves the how, and why faith

plays a part in our studies.

Holmes also approaches the concept of integrating ethical issues with learning.

He states that the ethical

References: Holmes, Arthur F., The Idea of a Christian College, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. hhtp://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/thinking-with-concepts