Renewing Minds

David Dockery is the president of my alma mater, Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. Therefore, I have always taken great interest in keeping up with what Dockery says and does in the realm of Christian higher education. B&H publishing has done us all a favor by pulling together his ideas into a unified book with the theme - “Serving Church and Society through Christian Higher Education”.

Dockery’s heart beats with the passion of a pastor, theologian, academic, and administrator. He sees the Christian university as a place in society where both mind and heart can renewed along biblical and gospel lines. It is difficult work in our day, but it is a necessary work.

Dockery writes, “I believe that the integration of faith and learning is the essence of authentic Christian higher education and should be wholeheartedly implemented across the campus and across the curriculum.”

And how is this accomplished? Dockery says, “We need more than just new ideas and enhanced programs, we need distinctively Christian thinking, the king of touch-minded thinking that results in culture-engaging living. …This perspective involves the whole of our human personality. Our minds are to be renewed, our emotions purified, our conscience kept clear, and our will surrendered to God’s will. Applying the Great Commandment entails all that we know of ourselves being committed to all that we know of God.”

A number of the chapters in this book simply sparkled with insight. Pastors will especially note the overlap of Dockery’s vision of Christian community in the university with what we also hope to find within the local church. For example, Dockery writes a chapter on “Establishing a Grace-Filled Academic Community” that could and should be applied to the local church as well, with an emphasis on unity, shared life, worship, and service. Within chapter six is a section titled, “Building Blocks for Building a Community with Renewed Message”, a message with such urgency and clarity that I did in fact bring it home to our church for a renewed sense of Christian community.

Such is the case for much of this excellent book. You may not have a vocational calling to higher education. However, as a pastor or Christian parent, it is your responsibility to consider carefully the type of institution you send your students to for university education.

We find Christian-affiliated universities in just about every state. Some of these universities currently run on lines similar to Dockery’s vision of an integration of faith and learning. Some are run on a “two-sphere” model that divides faith and learning. Some have not yet given enough thought in these areas and have therefore not communicated what their intention is in regards to the relationship between faith and learning.

Dockery writes, “I would suggest that the starting point of loving God with our minds, thinking Christianly, points us to a unity of knowledge, a seamless whole, because all true knowledge flows from the one Creator to His one creation.” Dockery’s vision is compelling and sound, and I heartily recommend this book.