Renewing Minds: Serving Church and Society Through Christian Higher Education

by David S. Dockery

"Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:2)

Renewing Minds serves as a clear introduction to the field of higher Christian education, focusing on the distinctive, important role of Christian-influenced learning—both in the Kingdom of God and in the academic world.

Union University president David S. Dockery writes for administrators, trustees, church leaders, faculty, and staff who are just beginning their service or association with a Christ-centered institution, and also to students and parents who are considering a Christian college or university.

Chapters "Loving God with Our Minds," "Renewing Minds, Serving Church and Society," "Shaping a Christian Worldview," "Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition," "Integrating Faith and Learning," "Envisioning a Shared Community of Tradition, Belonging, and Renewing Minds," "Establishing a Grace-Filled Academic Community," "Developing a Theology for Christian Higher Education," and "Thinking Globally about the Future."

New source information and footnotes have been added to this second edition. While the chapters still reflect their original shape as formal addresses given in various settings, this revised and updated edition formats the book in a way that is more consistent with academic rather than popular expectations.

Genres: Education

243 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2007

Reviews

[Charles Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

My final impression of Renewing Minds is that it said a great many things that, as C.S. Lewis writes in the introduction to Athanasius’ On the Incarnation, I “half knew already.(5)” Integration—the assumption of a Christian worldview as the basis for all subjects—is of great value, but his description of it did not seem to include any novel insight. Neither did his excursus on schools with Christian roots but a currently secular worldview. For example, I wouldn’t have expected to find integrated models of education at universities like Princeton, Yale, or Harvard. Knowing the denominations they are associated with, one could hardly be surprised that the are basically secular. My surprise is meeting evangelical or orthodox mainline believers from schools like SMU.

I was also troubled by the author’s tendency to simplify complex issues into a dichotomy that relieves the reader of some of the difficult choices involved in coming to a position. For example, is it true that orthodoxy and inquiry must exist “in tension? (99)” Can inquiry not serve orthodoxy? It seems that the inquiry that led to the Trinitarian Controversy served orthodoxy in a magnificent way by forcing a explanation of the Godhead to emerge. Certainly orthodoxy places limits on the conclusions which can be reached or accepted, but what question cannot be pursued?

This book was well received, and garnered some significant praise from the right people. The content is good, though it could be significantly deeper, but the writing style made it an unpleasurable read.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is excellent for faculty and staff who are new to Christian higher education. But for people who have been in Christian higher education for a few years, this book may not offer many new ideas (though Dockery is a great, visionary leader and well worth attention). The book is good for achieving the integration of faith and learning. I gave it four stars instead of three because of Dockery's extensive Bibliography for Faith and Learning, a subject-organized list of recommended readings for Christian intellectuals and academics.

[Adam T. Calvert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent book discussing a general philosophy and some basic practices for a Christ-centered institution of higher education. Perhaps this is something greatly needed in the realm of "Christian Universities" right now (seeing as it had so many endorsements from such prominent people as Bill Brown, Chuck Colson, Alister McGrath, Al Mohler, and several others).

But it truly seemed pretty basic, and I'm not sure as to why it earned the endorsement from J.I. Packer as being "in every way a landmark book!" Again, it was decent. But it didn't appear to have anything earth-shattering as one would expect to find in a book that is "in every way a landmark." Has Christian education at higher institutions really gotten that far away from a Christ-centered approach or from its Biblical necessity for functioning? Maybe. And if so, then it really would be great to have this book read by all those involved in Christian higher education.

So on the one hand, it's terrific that people going into Christian higher education have this book available. And they all should read it, because it does give a basic understanding of the concept of a Christian worldview and its necessity in the realm of education. But on the other hand, it's kind of sad that Christian education has gotten that far away from its roots whereas in the 1920s when Van Til was addressing even secondary education Christian educators, he could talk at a much deeper level and still be understood as edifying the Christian community of educators and laboring for the cause of Christ as it pertains to the realm of education.

Again, nothing earth-shattering in this book. But if the realm of Christian higher education is in that bad of shape to where the people going to work for these institutions don't understand these concepts (as the vast amount of endorsements seem to suggest), then I definitely recommend that people who work or are planning to work at a Christian institution for higher education read this book. And pray for the state of Christian education.

[Jeff G · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful book about the role of Christian higher education. Thoughtfully presented. I highlighted a LOT in this book.

Would be an excellent choice for a group discussion among faculty at a Christ-centered place of higher education.

[Ryan Linkous · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a good job laying down Union University's philosophy of education under Dockery. I would recommend it to someone seriously considering the liberal arts and classical education.