Faith and Learning at Sterling College

Mission

The Office for the Integration of Faith and Learning at Sterling College exists to create supportive resources, structures, and strategies to integrate faith and learning, focusing on the critical examination of academic content through the lens of a Christian student.

Objectives

To fulfill its mission, the Office for the Integration of Faith and Learning pursues the following objectives:

• To promote the integration of faith and learning as a significant aspect of Sterling College’s mission, “To develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith.”
• To equip faculty to integrate faith and learning in ways appropriate to their disciplines
• To provide opportunities for the Sterling College community to explore connections between academic study and Christian faith

Resources for Faculty

Bibliographies and Web Resources
Faith and Learning Faculty Fellows Program
Departmental Chapel Program
Contact Information

Bibliographies

• Books Available through the Office for the Integration of Faith and Learning
• Books on Faith and Learning
• Recommended Readings for Sterling Departments

Web Resources

• Azusa Pacific University Office of Faith Integration
• Baylor University Institute for Faith and Learning
• Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
• Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies
• Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning
• Liberty University Faith Learning Integration
• Lilly Fellows Program in Humanities and the Arts
• Union University Center for Faculty Development
• Virtual Salt: Resources for the Integration of Faith and Learning
• Whitworth University Weyerhaeuser Center for Christian Faith and Learning

Faith and Learning Faculty Fellows Program

Each semester at Sterling College, faculty may request to join a small cohort of Faculty Fellows who read a book together on the integration of faith and learning. The program requires faculty to commit to the following:

• Attend two book discussions during the semester for which they have requested to be a Faculty Fellow
• Submit a lesson plan at the end of the semester that integrates faith and learning, using some ideas and principles from the reading and discussions

By participating in this program, faculty enjoy several rewards:

• Fellowship with other faculty and interdisciplinary conversations
• Opportunities to grow spiritually and intellectually through engagement with the Christian tradition
• Discussions about faith and learning from a variety of perspectives, from theological questions to practical classroom strategies
• Encouragement to implement new approaches in the classroom through sharing and submitting lesson plans
• The Office for the Integration of Faith and Learning purchases books for faculty and provides them with an honorarium upon completion of the program

Departmental Chapel Program

Departmental Chapels are a great way for students and faculty to worship together and to share how God has worked in their lives through their disciplines. The Office for the Integration of Faith and Learning encourages departments to organize a yearly worship service offered to students for chapel credit.

Click here for a sample Order of Service

Below are suggested steps for organizing a Departmental Chapel:

• Ask graduating seniors to reflect on their spiritual lives and experiences in the department
• Invite faculty members to share their experiences with faith and the life of the mind
• Ask student musicians to select a few songs and lead worship
• Prepare a scripture reading or short liturgy (Psalms work particularly well)
• Invite other students or faculty members to get involved by praying at the beginning and end of the service

Contact Information

Dr. Rachel B. Griffis serves as the Director for the Integration of Faith and Learning at Sterling College. She is also a faculty member in the Department of Language and Literature, where she teaches writing and literature courses. Dr. Griffis has been involved with the integration of faith and learning since she was selected for the Lilly Graduate Fellows Program in 2010. She also became a Conyers Scholar while a graduate student at Baylor University. She has presented at and attended numerous conferences and seminars on the integration of faith and learning at various campuses around the country, and she regularly collaborates with her peers at other institutions. She now serves as the Lilly Faculty Representative for Sterling College. She has several publications and presentations on Christian teaching and learning that have appeared journals such as Christian Scholar’s Review, International Journal of Christianity and Education, and Religions. In 2020, she became a reviews editor at International Journal of Christianity and Education.

Office

Kelsey Hall
Language and Literature Suite

Contact

Phone: 620-278-4326
Email: Rachel.Griffis@sterling.edu