Education in Submission to Biblical Authority

It is important to understand the type of faculty members who teach at Cedarville University and the priority the faculty places on teaching, scholarship, and mentoring/discipleship.

They teach from a biblical foundation and pursue classroom excellence.

Members of the faculty make it a lifelong aim to deepen their understanding of a biblically sound theology in addition to maintaining their academic competence. Scripture calls followers of Christ to be good stewards of the talents and abilities given to them and to take seriously the responsibility of teaching and mentoring students. As a result, they must hone their theological acuity in order to develop a robust, biblical worldview. The excellence they demonstrate in the classroom, then, will be built upon the foundation of the timeless truth of Scripture. On the basis of this foundation, they pursue excellence in their content field and in the area of effective pedagogy.

They are dedicated to their field due to their commitment to teaching students.

As scholars and artists, faculty serve as teachers who strive for high achievement in their respective fields. The results of their research reflect diligence and integrity. In creative expression, they aspire to excellence. By participating in the growth of their field, faculty are demonstrating to students their commitment to practicing the principle of life-long learning. They remain mindful however, that the primary purpose of these undertakings is to enhance the classroom experience of their students in preparing them for meaningful vocations, which focus on serving Christ and the world. A portion of that service will be using their vocations as a platform for Gospel ministry.

They are dedicated to mentoring and discipling students.

Because faculty are models and teachers who are preparing students for the call God has placed upon their lives, they are doing more than imparting information and developing skills. Preparing students for their calls demands modeling and mentoring. Faculty are available for students who are seeking guidance, growing in spiritual maturity, and grappling with major life decisions. All followers of Christ should mentor and disciple others, but faculty are uniquely situated to be used of God in the transforming process that can happen during the college years. Faculty need to have a heart for mentoring, however, and encouraging students to be transformed by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2).

They are committed to scholarship because scholarship will always enhance the classroom experience for students.

Members of the faculty seek to go beyond mere proficiency in their field in preparation for their courses. They aim to communicate knowledge and methods of securing knowledge in accurate, fruitful, and ethical ways. Often this results in the presentation of scholarship through reading papers at conferences, authoring articles and books, and the creation of new technology. This engagement benefits the students and the field by providing scholarship from a distinctively biblical perspective.

They are committed to becoming part of a community of teachers/scholars where regular interaction, the exchange of ideas, and cooperation are welcomed and encouraged.

Scholars and artists work to build a campus community in which interdisciplinary interaction and the exchange of ideas are welcome. This community will emphasize biblical integration where those ideas will be evaluated for that which can be affirmed, that which can be redeemed, and that which must be rejected. This process will model for students lifelong practices that will enable them to be effective members of their churches and their societies.

The faculty is a critical part of the liberal arts and professional education of students in submission to biblical authority. Their commitment to the principles stated above, will increase the likelihood that this liberal arts and professional education will continue to fulfill the mission of the institution. It will also allow for the purposeful shaping of the next generation of Christians who are capable of contributing in meaningful ways to the societies in which they will live and of influencing those societies for Christ and His kingdom.