An Augustinian understanding of original sin can significantly contribute to the purpose of the teaching of the humanities. It helps at the point where Martha Nussbaum's understanding of the humanities is inconsistent. She argues that the humanities should cultivate a "world citizen," that is, a people aspiring towards a universal…

Despite a focus on the holistic formation of students, nonreligious narratives shape student affairs theories and professional practice guidelines. Recognizing this problem, Christian scholar-practitioners have authored a growing body of literature about what might be distinct about Christian student affairs. This article provides an analysis of…

This paper engages with two overarching questions: why is engaging with queer theologies potentially valuable for sex education, and how can we carry out this kind of work without rendering sex education an expression of queer theological commitment? In responding to the first of these questions, I argue that working with queer theologies can…

The purpose of this study is to explore whether happiness is the ultimate goal of higher education. In order to discuss this article systematically, four research questions are addressed. First, what are the concepts and principles of happiness in terms of religion and philosophy? Second, what are significant factors of happiness? Third, what are…

This article compares the two worldviews of Daoism and selected lost gospels, and considers the pedagogical implications. It explores their core concepts and how each applies these concepts to define human beings in their world. The comparative analysis shows that they share a view of a process of becoming that defines how humans know and the…

Sport and spirituality is a burgeoning academic area of study (Jirasek, 2015). To date, the field has been dominated by Christian scholarship (Watson & Parker, 2011). Incidentally, the history of the field is often narrated from a Christocentric viewpoint. Such narratives downplay, denigrate, or ignore the impact of other religious ideas. This…

Vocation, interpreted as the calling of every individual believer to serve God in ordinary life, has been an important feature of Protestantism. However, not only has the notion of vocation gradually disappeared from the late modern understanding of work and profession, the identification of vocation and work has also been criticized by…

Based on a reading of Basil's "Ad Adulescentes" and the epistles, it is clear that Basil finds moral value in Homer and Hesiod. The trickier issue is to what extent Basil uses Homer and Hesiod in his homilies. It seems that Basil does not abandon his respect for the utility of Hellenic "paideia" for the Christian in his…

Recent contributions in the fields of psychology, sociology, and theology reveal opposing attitudes about the subject of calling or vocation with regard to one's work. Whereas psychologists have rediscovered the concept, theologians increasingly show reluctance to accept a vocational view of work. In offering an alternative perspective, this…

Science has greatly improved the quality of contemporary life compared with past centuries. Consequently, science has gained prominence as an authentic authority and a reliable source of truth, more respected than religion in general and biblical faith in particular. Naturalistic science, the most dominant kind of science, is rooted in the…

The perceived conflict between science and Christianity continues to be a strong and prevalent narrative, both inside and outside the church. As three long-time science professors in Christian higher education, we have seen firsthand how this conflict orientation threatens both Christian faith and science education. National surveys confirm that…

In this paper, one of the most popular children's picture books, Harold and the Purple Crayon, is examined in terms of philosophical and religious viewpoints. Harold, a young inquisitive boy, seemingly travels in his world in which he finds himself dealing with various situations. Harold's adventure with his purple crayon reminds us the…

Education in the nineteenth century witnessed a revival of classical Scholasticism brought to use by many educational institutions within Europe and North America. These institutions felt a burgeoning tension among contemporary church teaching, enlightenment thinking, and the new philosophical thoughts emerging from Europe. Although…

This article offers a critique of consumer culture that draws on Augustine's vision of human consciousness, exploring consumerism's formative effects on the memory, attention, and imagination of consumers. Drawing on William Cavanaugh's analysis of consumers' disposition of detachment, it explains how consumer culture distorts memory, attention,…

This article discusses a sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) statement widely used in Christian schools in light of its expressed commitment to treating all persons with compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. I argue that this commitment is undermined by other parts of the statement which fail to address, and even exacerbate,…