2024 IACE Faculty Development Conference fosters theological foundations
2024 IACE Faculty Development Conference Photo Gallery
FORT WORTH -- The International Alliance for Christian Education’s fourth-annual Faculty Development Conference featured 28 speakers and 140 participants from nearly 50 institutions and organizations.
The conference and preconference included eight plenary presentations, three panel discussions and 14 breakout sessions arranged by academic discipline and vocation. The Riley Center, on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, hosted all the sessions from Tuesday, May 21 to Friday, May 24.
IACE president David S. Dockery says the conference is designed not only to offer substantive presentations and thoughtful engagement with key issues, but to encourage fellowship and strengthen relationships between campuses.
“The schedule has been designed to have plenty of time for reflection, conversations, and fellowship,” Dockery said. “It is our prayer that new friendships and relationships will continue after the conference concludes.”
The preconference, presented in conjunction with the Land Center for Cultural Engagement, featured presentations on marriage and family from University of Virginia researcher, author, and sociology professor W. Bradford Wilcox, and “Male and Female Complementarity for Human Flourishing” from Gregg R. Allison, professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Wilcox, author of the 2024 book release Get Married, revealed his research that shows although cultural elites discourage marriage in favor of building careers and wealth, the happiest people in America are those who have built strong marriages.
“Having a good marriage boosts individual happiness by 545%,” Wilcox said. “Nothing else can do that.”
Conference plenary speakers focused on integrating Christian worldview into classrooms and student/faculty relationships.
Theological foundations were emphasized in many of the discussions and presentations. Tom Cornman, provost at Corban University, says he isn’t aware of any other faculty development conference that emphasizes the theological perspective.
“One of the things we’ve heard over and over this week is that you have to have that foundation,” Cornman said. “It’s so critical and yet it’s so missing in a lot of the faculty development programs that are out there.”
Among the plenary presentations: an examination of lifting up The Great Commandment, The Great Commission and the Great Christian Intellectual Tradition from Nathan Finn, executive director of the Center for Transformative Leadership at North Greenville University; a historical examination of institutions founded in Christian denominations but now thoroughly secular from Thomas Kidd, research professor of Church history at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; a look at the writings of C.S. Lewis on faith integration from Harry L. Poe, retired Charles Colson University Professor of Faith and Culture at Union University; a look at effective classroom teaching strategies from Janet Black, vice president of academic affairs at Colorado Christian University, and “Christian Worldview and Christian Education” from Allison.
“Many of our students would define themselves as spiritual in that they recognize God’s presence,” Allison said, “but they have not thought deeply about foundational matters informed and shaped by a Christian worldview.”
Allison defines a Christian worldview as “an all-inclusive, unifying framework to understand the created order in general and human beings in particular and then to live this reality.”
Breakout sessions focused on a variety of topics, such as honors programs, spiritual formation, reading groups, faith integration, and academic leadership. Michael Bryant, vice president for strategic planning, faith integration, and Christian leadership at Charleston Southern University, led a breakout session examining “Your Unique Contribution as a Professor.” Bryant is attending his third IACE Faculty Development Conference.
“I can think of few organizations that are focused on the pillars of faith integration and faculty development,” Bryant said. “In my opinion, this is the premiere setting to do that.”
Jennifer Pina is the assistant director of academic administration at Dallas Theological Seminary, and a doctor of education student, finishing her dissertation on faculty development. She says based on her reading and research, faculty development efforts in the United States are uneven and sometimes lacking, even among Christian institutions.
“There’s not enough robust faculty development, probably because of limited resources,” Pina said. “We’re getting to build some new practices. Directly from this learning, changes are taking place.”
Pina is in her second year attending this conference, and already is making plans to return in 2025.
Donny Mathis, Professor of Christian Studies at North Greenville University, noted that “this conference is always a time of great instruction and encouragement. I am blessed beyond measure by the work of IACE.”
The Platinum Sponsor of the conference is Impact 360 Institute; Silver Sponsors are B&H Publishing Group and Crossway; Bronze Sponsors include The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, International Mission Board, and nxt-pg.com. Bible Mesh is an IACE partner for the conference.
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