The Fabric of Faithfulness: Weaving Together Belief and Behavior during the University Years, 2nd ed.

Garber, Steven. The Fabric of Faithfulness: Weaving Together Belief and Behavior during the University Years, 2nd ed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2007. Pp. 222. $24.00.

In 1996 when IVP Press first published The Fabric of Faithfulness, Garber served as the director of The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation & Culture. He later served as Professor of Marketplace Theology and Director of the Masters in Leadership, Theology, and Society at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. Today Garber is the Senior Fellow for Vocation and the Common Good for the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust.

Countless Christian higher education leaders have recognized the enduring value of The Fabric of Faithfulness. Christianity Today voted the work as one of its Books of the Year (1998). It remains a classic text on the impact professors can (and should) have on the moral education of university students. As Garber repeatedly suggests in his book, Christian professors should recognize the close connection between education and life by demonstrating an intentional effort to provide a long-lasting influence on the course of a student’s Christian faith.

An important concern of Garber is to propose a model for Christian educators that will help students maintain a faithful commitment to Christ decades after they graduate. When students leave the influence of their Christian professors, challenges to the faith will abound. Christian educators should thus be intentional about helping students maintain their faith long-term. More specifically, they should reflect carefully on these questions, “How can a Christian educator use his or her time with university students so that years after they graduate, they maintain a genuine commitment to Christ?” “What beliefs should Christian professors teach?” “What behaviors should professors model?” “With whom should Christian educators encourage their students to form a relationship?”

The author summarizes his thesis as follows: “ . . . during the critical years in which moral meaning is being formed in ways that last, students need people who develop a worldview that can make sense of life, facing the challenge of truth and coherence in an increasingly pluralistic world; pursue a relationship with a teacher whose life incarnates the worldview the student is learning to embrace; commit themselves to others who have chosen to live their lives embedded in the same worldview, journeying together in truth after the vision of a coherent and meaningful life.” (185) As his thesis reveals, the three components that help students to weave together Christian belief and behavior with a view toward faithfulness include: a robust worldview, authentic models/mentors, and communities that provide opportunities for developing faithful Christian character. A solid worldview assists in facing challenges such as relativism, secularism, and pluralism. Professors must communicate Christian truth and how it differs from competing perspectives. Authentic models/mentors provide clear examples to follow. Students must see Christian convictions lived out in the lives of their professors (186-187) Finally, appropriate communities offer deep friendships and support with individuals who share like-minded beliefs and behaviors. Community has a strong influence on moral development and faithfulness.

What is the enduring value of The Fabric of Faithfulness? First, Garber provides a reliable and thoughtful strategy for Christian educators as they seek to mold their students and help them to remain faithful Christians well beyond graduation. His multiple discussions on helping students develop a worldview, finding a mentor, and forging appropriate friendships provide clear guidance to Christian professors who aim to guide their students’ moral education. Second, Garber argues persuasively that Christian higher education cannot be “value-neutral.” (94, 96) Christian professors fail their students when they teach only the essentials of their academic discipline and avoid attempts to integrate biblical worldview or seek to model authentic Christian discipleship before them. Their calling is much deeper and greater than merely preparing students for the world of work or helping them reach their full academic potential.

Any Christian educator who has taught for any length of time has witnessed some students maintain a deep and abiding commitment to Christ long after graduation. However, professors have also taught students who later abandoned the Christian faith. Indeed, some have even become hostile to the faith. Christian educators should thus think carefully regarding the short time they have with students.

The Fabric of Faithfulness is appropriate not only for Christian professors who desire to follow a practical plan for encouraging faithfulness, but also for students who need to understand the essential components of a quality Christian educational experience. Professors and students today can still benefit from Garber’s wisdom.