Academics
The graduate school is "not a seminary" but offers degrees in which students are encouraged to "incorporate the principles of their faith into their academic work and to show how it influences their vocational practices." The intention is to establish a community of scholars united in their efforts to find practical solutions to social problems in business and industry, the social professions, religion, para-church organizations, and society as a whole. The program teaches social scientific research focused on the family, community, and the church or a combination of these areas .
The study of religion is concerned with analyzing the nature and role of religious faith and experience in specific societal contexts. The social setting of Christianity is used as the primary context for research in religion. Studies are conducted to determine how distinct Christian concepts and values assist in shaping the attitudes, goals, and behavior of individuals and various cultural groups. Other religious traditions may be studied to contrast their similarities and differences with Christianity and to provide a perspective for comprehending the nature of religious experience in a particular society.
The study of society is related to the analysis of primary social institutions as they interact with one another. The analysis of a community includes the study of such aspects of social life as government, education, science, law, the arts, health care, business, and the professions or vocations associated with them. The structures of the various institutions are scrutinized using concepts and techniques derived from the social and behavioral sciences. The goal is to combine the study of religion with the study of society in order to provide information for resolving social problems within the human community.
Read more about this topic: Oxford Graduate School
Famous quotes containing the word academics:
“Our first line of defense in raising children with values is modeling good behavior ourselves. This is critical. How will our kids learn tolerance for others if our hearts are filled with hate? Learn compassion if we are indifferent? Perceive academics as important if soccer practice is a higher priority than homework?”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)
“Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. Better that we should spell these out ourselves than leave that task to people with a vested interest in stressing only some of the implications and falsifying others. The idea that academics should remain “above the fray” only gives ideologues license to misuse our work.”
—Stephanie Coontz (b. 1944)