How to Integrate Faith and Learning: A Practical Model

1. How to Integrate Faith and Learning: A Practical Model Faculty Development Webinar Mid-Continent University SilaTuju, Ph.D. December 14th, 2013

2. Agenda • Biblical basis • What integrating faith and learning means • Opportunities for integrating faith in the classroom • A model for integrating faith in the classroom • Putting it together: Model + Opportunities • Concluding remarks

3. Biblical Basis for Integration • Psalms 24: 1 says, “The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” • Col. 2:2-3 says, “…in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

4. What Does Integrating Faith Mean? What it is not • Devotion at the beginning of class • Prayer at the beginning or at the end of class • Casual reference to God or to a Christian principle

6. What Does Integrating Faith Mean? What it is Intentional interweaving of biblical truth into the content of the course

7. Robert Harris says, “Christian faith in relation to learning must be understood not as just an "added bonus" or appended item to standard scholarship from a secular worldview, … …Christianity should be an anchor and a touchstone for the analysis of culture and political structures rather than merely a point of view or another source of commentary on morals and manners.” http://www.virtualsalt.com/integrat.htm

8. A Word on Hermeneutics • Hermeneutics is to integration what statistics is to quantitative research. - N. A. Beadles

9. Opportunities for Integration

10. How then shall we integrate? The Proposed OSM Model

11. The OSM Model

12. What are some overarching themes and Principles? • Stewardship • The earth is the Lords, Psalms. 24:1 • Parable of the talents, Matthew 25-14-28 • Justice, Mercy, and Humility • Micah 6:8 • Love • Matthew 7:12

13. Overarching Themes and Strategic Management • Low-Cost Provider • Broad Differentiation • Focused low cost • Focused differentiation • Best cost.

14. Overarching Themes and Marketing

15. Overarching Themes and Human Resource Management

16. Subject Specific – Psychology • Are humans just like rats in a Skinner Box? • Imago Dei (Gen 1:26) • Free Will and Responsibility (Gen 3:15-18)

17. How then shall we integrate? Mixed • How different would your quality control be if you applied Matthew 5:14-16 versus if you ignored this passage of scripture? • What is the most important challenge that managers face when managing control? • How might you tackle the challenge differently when you apply Christian (Bible) principles versus when you ignore those principles?

18. Mixed Integration: Nehemiah 4

19. Concluding Remarks • The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5). • For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ(2 Cor. 4:6).

20. Further Reading • Making connections: Integrating Christianity and economics • Faith learning integration in economics • Teaching strategic management from a Christian perspective

21. References • Beadles, N. A. (1998). Biblical integration in business: A trip through the looking glass? Journal of Biblical Integration in Business, 109-123. Retrieved from http://www.cbfa.org/jbib_98.pdf