Issue 2 - Editorial Introduction
We welcome you to this second issue of Integration: A Journal of Faith and Learning. We hope that this journal will be a compelling resource for educators who are committed to thinking Christianly about higher education. Our vision is to promote the development of a robust understanding of the integration of faith and learning across academic disciplines, rooted in a biblical worldview, and building upon the Christian intellectual tradition. As such, we have sought out articles that we believe will be valuable to current and aspiring teaching faculty in Christian institutions, with an emphasis on colleges and universities.
When we were identifying an appropriate title for this new journal, we deliberated at length about the use of the word “integration.” Christian educators have voiced varied opinions and perspectives on the terminology over the years. Obviously, we did settle on “Integration.” David Dockery and Nathan Finn have further refined our understanding of “Integration” in this issue with their essay, “Educational Integrity: The Integration of Faith and Learning.”
Another essay in this issue is revised from a presentation that Jacob Shatzer delivered in May 2023 at the IACE Faculty Development workshop. “Faithful Learning: The Double-Edged Sword of Theology and the Disciplines” continues to expand upon the theme of integration and theological formation, developing a “battle imagery” as we as educators go about our work.
The essay by Matt Lunsford, “The Mathematical Mind of C.S. Lewis” is reprinted with permission of Renewing Minds: A Journal of Christian Thought. Lunsford provides a fascinating description of how Lewis utilized two essential tools of mathematical thinking in his writings. John Woodbridge’s “Biblical Authority and Faithful Christian Higher Education” was presented at the annual IACE conference in February 2023 and is published here with the permission of Crossway. The final essay in this edition is an appreciation of Donald Schmeltekopf, provost emeritus of Baylor University, by Hunter Baker.
We are pleased to publish Matt Albanese’s review essay of Christopher Watkin’s much-discussed book Critical Biblical Theory. We have also included reviews of recent books by George Yancey, Darryl Charles, Perry Glanzer, and Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer.
We continue to welcome submissions for future editions of the journal. Articles should address the integration of faith and learning or closely related themes. We are especially interested in articles that engage with particular academic disciplines. If you would like to submit an essay or request to write a book review, please contact us through the journal’s website. One of our senior editors will contact you with more information.