In reflecting on the dangers of the academic vocation, C. S. Lewis writes, “We may come to love knowledge—our knowing—more than the thing known: to delight not in the exercise of our talents but in the fact that they are ours, or even in the reputation they bring us” (C. S. Lewis, “Learning in War-Time,” in The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses, p. 50). In other words, for those of us in some way engaged in the academic life, along with the joy of learning, there is always the risk of an inordinate pride in the knowledge which we think we have come to possess. Of course, as every academic also knows, the flip side of this pride in possessing knowledge is a deep fear that we may be exposed for that which we do not know– the dreaded “imposter syndrome.” This pride/fear binary is, of course, antithetical to a life of faith–which is not about pride in the knowledge which we possess but rather the way in which we know and are known by God.
Throughout the next few months, Baylor’s Christian and Jewish faculty will have the opportunity to confront and reject the temptations of pride. In March, Baylor’s Jewish faculty celebrate Purim, gathering together to remember the overthrow of the prideful Haman – who sought to trick the King of Persia into annihilating the Jewish people because of his own injured pride. The Jewish people are only saved by the heroic actions of Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia, who sets aside the privilege of her own rank and status to be in solidarity with God’s people. In contemplating Esther’s surrender of her pride, we are all reminded that God does not act through those who cling to their power and status, but rather through those who trust in God’s strength.
For many Christian faculty, Lent, which begins on March 5 (Ash Wednesday), provides the opportunity to contemplate our sins and failings as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection. By emulating Jesus’s fasting in the desert for forty days (and his own rejection of pride when confronted by the temptation of the devil), we remember that God’s power is, in the words of the apostle Paul, “made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
In an age which prizes strength and success, these scriptural reminders to reject pride and power may seem counterintuitive, strange and even weak and silly. However, by learning to surrender our own pride, we are given the amazing opportunity to see how God may act through us. Rather than rejecting this opportunity for spiritual growth because it feels strange or uncomfortable, let’s welcome the opportunity for God to transform us together.
If you are seeking to enter into Lenten disciplines, I would recommend signing up for the Lenten devotional written by Truett students and faculty (link).
Other suggested readings which IFL recommends include the following:
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Guest Columnist Dr. Holly Oxhandler |
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“Though I have always valued transformational education, since joining Baylor, I have grown in my awareness that we cannot offer transformational education if we are unwilling to be transformed. This has translated into my commitment to humility, learning, serving others, growth, and transformation – intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually – in order to offer the transformational education Baylor values.”
Several years ago, I threaded those sentences together in a local coffee shop while preparing my materials for tenure and promotion. I joined Baylor’s faculty in 2014 after receiving my PhD in social work from the University of Houston, especially drawn to Baylor’s emphasis on transformational education. What surprised me, though, was how my research, teaching, and service at Baylor would usher me toward surrendering to a deep, humble process of transformation in order to offer the transformational education Baylor prioritizes.
The nature of both social work and my research invite some of this reflection. For the last 16 years, I’ve studied the intersection between spirituality and mental health, mental health care providers’ (and educators’) views/behaviors around discussing (and training students to discuss) clients’ spirituality in therapy, and clients’ views on integrating their spirituality in therapy. Over the years, I’ve developed instruments to measure these concepts and a grounded theory on this topic, started podcasting about faith and mental health, and in 2022, published a book to translate this research and my lived experiences at this intersection called The Soul of the Helper: Seven Stages to Seeing the Sacred Within Yourself So You Can See It in Others.
What I’ve learned from this research is how essential our inner work at the intersection of faith and mental health is as we serve others – including as faculty serving our students, colleagues, and communities.
Dr. Oxhandler's column continued...
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| Dr. Holly Oxhandler
Professor, Associate Dean for Research, Diana R. Garland School of Social Work
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The Crane Scholars Retreat 2025 was a blast! The retreat took place over January 31-February 2 and it gave students the opportunity to rest, reflect, and continue to build friendships. We are so grateful to everyone who made this magical weekend possible—we’re already counting down to 2026!
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Partnership with the Academy for Teaching & Learning |
IFL's Elisabeth Kincaid and Nathan Hays led a Seminar for Excellence in Teaching about how focusing on virtue and community solidarity can provide the condition for faith-informed teaching. You can view the presentation at ATL's Mediaspace.
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We successfully launched our inaugural Staff Missio, a program designed to foster deeper engagement with the university’s Christian mission. We are profoundly grateful for the participation of Baylor staff, whose thoughtful contributions enabled rich discussions on critical matters pertaining to the role of Christian higher education in today’s world, and we were pleased to see over ten diverse departments represented within this first cohort!
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Faculty Workshop with Ryan Sanders of the Dallas Morning News |
IFL and the Truett's Grants and Public Scholar Committee invite Baylor Faculty to a writer's workshop on Monday, March 17 at 12 noon. Ryan Sanders, the religion editor for the Dallas Morning News, will conduct a workshop for faculty with a focus on how to develop academic writing for traditional popular news media.
Lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to ifl@baylor.edu to confirm your spot by March 12.
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Annual Ethics & Culture Lecture |
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IFL’s Elijah Jeong and Brooks College Faculty Steward Rishi Sriram were excited to host Dr. Tim Clydesdale for our second-year faculty and staff workshop and Tuesday Tea at Brooks College! Made possible by the Vocare grant, this opportunity allowed Dr. Clydesdale to lead a workshop helping us reimagine the second-year experience with a focus on vocation and calling.
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Baylor Symposium on Faith & Culture: 2026 |
Save the Date! The Baylor Symposium of Faith & Culture will be held on February 26-28, 2026, on Baylor University's campus!
More details, including a call for proposals, coming soon!
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Events Related to Faith and Learning Around Baylor Campus |
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Faith and Learning Outside of Baylor |
NetVUE Scriptural Reasoning Hub - Lipscomb University, May 4-6, 2025
This Scriptural Reasoning Training Hub will be held at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN, on May 4–6, 2025. During this gathering, participants will experience this process for themselves and learn how they can implement it for students and others on their own campuses. The event will begin in the late afternoon, continue with a full day of activities (and some free time or an outing), and will conclude after lunch on day three, allowing individuals to return home by that afternoon or evening. Two nights’ lodging and all meals are included in each gathering. Due to the generosity of Lilly Endowment Inc., there is no cost to participate.
Spirituality in the Academy: Exploring the Contribution & Legacy of Henri Nouwen, August 21 - 23, 2025
The Henri Nouwen Society, in partnership with the Oblate School of Theology, is pleased to announce an Academic Symposium dedicated to the life, work, and enduring influence of Henri Nouwen, a profound thinker and writer whose contributions to theology, spirituality, and pastoral care have inspired countless individuals and communities. This symposium aims to bring together scholars and practitioners to explore and critically engage with Nouwen’s rich body of work. Scholars from diverse disciplines, including theology, psychology, philosophy, and religious studies are invited to submit abstracts for presentations that delve into various aspects of Henri Nouwen’s thought and impact. The submission deadline is January 15, 2025.
An Inklings Week in Oxford, July 6 - 11, 2025
The fifth edition of the triennial Inklings Week in Oxford will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by exploring "Of Other Worlds: 75 Years of Narnia". The weeklong event includes a grand collection of speakers as well as evening concerts staged by Oxford University. Please refer to the registration form for additional information including cost.
25th Annual Notre Dame Fall Conference: That which I Also Received, November 13-15, 2025
In honor of its 25th annual Fall Conference, the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture will consider how the phenomenon of living tradition—whether dogmatic, religious, literary, artistic, legal, interpretive, or otherwise, up to and including the customs, embodied practices, and habits of everyday life—serves to bridge past and future. The de Nicola Center invites scholars, practitioners, and artists from diverse fields to submit proposals that address any of the following questions: How does tradition influence ethics, culture, identity, community, technology, education, creativity, public policy, and other areas? How, broadly speaking, is continuity reliably preserved through change? What might a closer look at the phenomenon of tradition say about the value of interpersonal and intergenerational dialogue? Why and how does the Catholic moral and intellectual tradition remain important, relevant, and necessary?
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Are you hosting an event or working on a project related to faith and learning? We'd love to hear about it! Send us an email at ifl@baylor.edu.
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Institute for Faith and Learning
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