Response toResponse to

2008 Faculty Orientation 2008 Faculty Orientation Presentations Presentations

Dr. Ed RobinsonDr. Ed RobinsonAugust 15, 2008August 15, 2008

Response disclaimers Response disclaimers

I’ve been thinking about this for a long time I’ve been thinking about this for a long time (even before July 2005).(even before July 2005).

I purposefully didn’t prepare it ahead of I purposefully didn’t prepare it ahead of time.time.

I formulated most of it while listening to I formulated most of it while listening to Rick Ostrander’s presentation.Rick Ostrander’s presentation.

These are thoughts in process … These are thoughts in process … notnot a a presidential presentation nor mandate. presidential presentation nor mandate.

Foundations for IntegrationFoundations for Integration

Revelation … how God makes himself Revelation … how God makes himself knownknown Special and general revelationSpecial and general revelation Scripture, tradition, reason, and Scripture, tradition, reason, and

experienceexperience Divine initiative … human discoveryDivine initiative … human discovery ““Descriptive” and “Prescriptive”Descriptive” and “Prescriptive”

FoundationsFoundations

Epistemology … how we come to Epistemology … how we come to know God, truth, ideas, realityknow God, truth, ideas, reality Developing the practices of “knowing”Developing the practices of “knowing” Spiritual, intellectual, social, scientific Spiritual, intellectual, social, scientific

disciplinesdisciplines

FoundationsFoundations

Hermeneutics … the formation and Hermeneutics … the formation and development of a particular lens through development of a particular lens through which we interpret and discern truth, reality, which we interpret and discern truth, reality, data.data.

worldview(s), paradigms, ideological worldview(s), paradigms, ideological constructs.constructs.

Christian worldviewChristian worldviewss vs. vs.

The worldviewThe worldview

FoundationsFoundations

Worship of God with the intellect … Worship of God with the intellect … Vocational calling in teaching (including Vocational calling in teaching (including

scholarship)scholarship) Providing an offering of “first fruits” in Providing an offering of “first fruits” in

our callingour calling

Foundations Foundations

Salvation Narrative and its TelosSalvation Narrative and its Telos Optimism of GraceOptimism of Grace The Resilience of TruthThe Resilience of Truth The Imminence of the Holy SpiritThe Imminence of the Holy Spirit

Particularities of Particularities of Integration for MNUIntegration for MNU

Confessional commitments that define Confessional commitments that define rather than constrictrather than constrict

Our educational history Our educational history Wesley and the Holy Club at OxfordWesley and the Holy Club at Oxford Nazarene liberal arts vs. Bible school or instituteNazarene liberal arts vs. Bible school or institute

In essentials unity, in non-essentials In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty and charityliberty and charity

Particularities of Particularities of Integration for MNUIntegration for MNU

Freedom to explore and engage in Freedom to explore and engage in scholarship (scholarship (truth isn’t brittletruth isn’t brittle))

Compelled to engage the world (Compelled to engage the world (the the world of ideas as well as the world of world of ideas as well as the world of human needhuman need).).

Integrative studies is in our Integrative studies is in our educational and theological DNAeducational and theological DNA

What now?What now?

Reaffirm and strengthen our Reaffirm and strengthen our commitment to the essentials commitment to the essentials

Assert the opportunity of freedom to Assert the opportunity of freedom to explore and engage individually and explore and engage individually and collectively with humilitycollectively with humility Diversity of worldview(s), cultures, histories, Diversity of worldview(s), cultures, histories,

gender, academic disciplines, etc.gender, academic disciplines, etc. CharityCharity Creative Conflict of IdeasCreative Conflict of Ideas

What now?What now?

Develop a vocabulary and consistent Develop a vocabulary and consistent patterns of integrative dialogue patterns of integrative dialogue ((starting with faculty and extending to starting with faculty and extending to studentsstudents))

Consider integrative thinking, Consider integrative thinking, teaching, and scholarship in faculty teaching, and scholarship in faculty development, course evaluation and development, course evaluation and professional development (professional development (as a part of as a part of performance managementperformance management) )

What now?What now?

Revisit and reform Gen Ed curricula to Revisit and reform Gen Ed curricula to reflect the potential of our best reflect the potential of our best integrative thought, our inherent integrative thought, our inherent educational and theological educational and theological motivation to explore and engenders a motivation to explore and engenders a commitment to life-long integration commitment to life-long integration

What now?What now?

Pursue denominational and Pursue denominational and theological distinctives theological distinctives Catholic – sacramental principleCatholic – sacramental principle Reformed – Kingdoms in conflictReformed – Kingdoms in conflict Anabaptist – Living counter-culturally, Anabaptist – Living counter-culturally,

challenging power structures antithetical challenging power structures antithetical to God’s “peaceable kingdom”to God’s “peaceable kingdom”

Nazarene - “vocational” servant Nazarene - “vocational” servant leadership … partnership with God.leadership … partnership with God.

What now?What now?

Nazarene/ Wesleyan HolinessNazarene/ Wesleyan Holiness Authority of Scripture and its relationship to creation Authority of Scripture and its relationship to creation

(including the human experience spiritually, historically, (including the human experience spiritually, historically, socially, psychologically, intellectually)socially, psychologically, intellectually)

Reality of sin and optimism of grace … a comprehensive Reality of sin and optimism of grace … a comprehensive soteriology (universality of God’s purposes)soteriology (universality of God’s purposes)

The integrity of belief The integrity of belief andand experience experience The call to personal holiness (Christlikeness)The call to personal holiness (Christlikeness) The call to social responsibility and corporate ethics as The call to social responsibility and corporate ethics as

redemptive justiceredemptive justice The international nature of the Church, its mission, and its The international nature of the Church, its mission, and its

commitment to egalitarian nature of knowledge, wisdom commitment to egalitarian nature of knowledge, wisdom and worldview(s). and worldview(s).