I don’t think I have any wisdom to offer on the controversy brewing at Yale University, where some students are outraged at what they perceive to be the lack of institutional response to racism on campus. But I think it raises some important questions about the nature of college education, particularly at schools that advertise themselves … More Is College a “Home”?
Troubling news from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where twelve faculty spots are at risk of disappearing, including tenure-track positions in art, English, and ethics and open positions in French, philosophy, and theater. While a college spokesman pointed to a $3.7 million budget deficit and persistent decline in enrollment (down from over 1800 four years … More When Does a Liberal Arts College Cease to Be a Liberal Arts College?
You know you inhabit an odd corner of the social media world when it goes viral over a New York Times column entitled “Lecture Me. Really.” And yet, I think it says something that a significant number of the academics I know on Facebook and follow on Twitter resonated so strongly with this argument from historian Molly Worthen: … More This Year’s Reminder That the Lecture is Not Dead
Here… • The Azusa Street Revival, World War I, Vatican II… What were some of the other turning points in the history of Christianity in the 20th century? • Speaking of WWI… Americans shouldn’t wait until 2017 to start thinking about its centenary. • Check out Adam Laats’ blog for interesting insights on Christian higher education … More That Was The Week That Was
Another day, another private liberal arts university cuts back in the liberal arts. Last week it was Calvin College. This time, it’s Drury University in Springfield, Missouri: Citing an enrollment drop, Drury University notified 12 faculty members Friday that they will lose their jobs at the end of this school year — or next. Five of … More “Change the Narrative”: Another Private College Makes Cuts to Liberal Arts
If you offered me fifteen minutes to share what’s at the heart of my belief as a Christian and how that shapes my understanding of education, I think this is the best answer I could give. It’s the text of the convocation address I delivered yesterday in the opening chapel of the 2015-2016 academic year at Bethel University. Thanks to … More The Body of Christ
Here… • After debuting the new look of this website, the first post in the new format was one I’d been researching all summer: how to teach history to five-year olds! • I’d still welcome nominations for the best history-related podcasts. • Not mine, of course: it’s more about religion and education than history. And anyway, it … More That Was The Week That Was
5/15/15 – Yes, I know it’s actually Friday night, but episode 5 of The Pietist Schoolman Podcast went up yesterday on iTunes and the Christian Humanist website. In addition to physicist Dick Peterson talking about his chapter in our book, we expanded our conversation of Christian higher ed to the visual arts, thanks to artist Ken Steinbach.
Over the weekend I had the pleasure of taking five Bethel University students to Mankato, Minnesota, where Bethany Lutheran College hosted the second annual Minnesota Undergraduate History Symposium. (#1 was at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul; #3 will be at Bethel next spring.) Thanks to @RyanCMacPherson and @BethanyLutheran for hosting a great #muhs2015! pic.twitter.com/PWQfixivkp … More Christianity and Western Civ
Here… • The Pietist Schoolman Podcast debuted, as Roger Olson joined me to talk Pietism, evangelicalism, Jesus, seminaries, and more. • The newest issue of Fides et Historia included my article calling for more of an international or transnational turn in evangelical historiography — an article that I needed to update a bit. • Jared reported from the Cushwa Seminar … More That Was The Week That Was
The Pietist Schoolman 