“Christian Higher Education, skillfully edited by David Dockery and Chris Morgan, is a work both magisterial and invitational, welcoming the reader into a deeper understanding of the history, need, nature, and purposes of Christian higher education and the implications for the student and broader society. It will serve as a great encouragement and guide for all those interested in the holistic formation of a new generation.”
—Cherie Harder, President, The Trinity Forum
“In passion, vision, and lifelong commitment to bring theologically sound, biblically faithful, and culturally relevant thinking to bear on Christian education, David Dockery has few peers. In this volume, Dockery, Chris Morgan, and colleagues sound a clarion call to those who serve in Christian higher education by inviting them afresh to understand and fulfill their mission as the theologically informed, Christ-centered, worldview-transforming academic arm of the church.”
—J. Randall O'Brien, President, Carson-Newman University
“This wonderful collection of essays, edited by David Dockery and Chris Morgan, is a superb exploration of both the theological roots and implications of Christian higher education within the evangelical tradition. Unusual in breadth and scope, it provides helpful insight for the new adventurer as well as the serious and seasoned scholar. A gift indeed at such a time as this!”
—Stan D. Gaede, President, Christian College Consortium; Scholar in Residence, Gordon College
“Higher education across the world is at a tipping point. After years of celebrated glory and praise, institutions of higher education have been besieged over the past ten years or more by unrelenting criticisms ranging from the cost of attendance to the cost of operation. Paramount among these criticisms and striking at the very heart and soul of higher education is the question of its purpose and utility. Nowhere are these disparagements more unsettling than to those of us in Christian higher education. What is needed is a fresh understanding of the purpose of higher education and the role and place of Christian higher education. In this book, David Dockery and Christopher Morgan have gathered a remarkable cadre of evangelical scholars to reflect on the issues posed by the current turmoil. Is the Christian university to be differentiated from secular universities merely on the basis of the ‘personal piety’ of the faculty and students? Or is it on the activism spawned by nuanced theological speculations? This work presents a unified and renewed understanding of the Christian university based on a grounded reading of church history and evangelical thought. There is much here for the reader to ponder.”
—J. Michael Hardin , Provost, Samford University
“In Christian Higher Education, David Dockery and Chris Morgan present essential qualities for Christian institutions. This book will become required reading for boards of trustees, cabinets, academic departments, and faculty retreats. The volume is laid out with a clear recap of why maintaining a biblical foundation is crucial for any Christ-centered academic institution. In establishing a strong desire to create an environment where biblical teachings flow through the rest of the college atmosphere apart from classes and chapel, institutions shape well-rounded and holistic education. Next, the contributors detail the particular beauty of the humanities, arts, and STEM fields. They conclude with a thorough and convincing description of why it is necessary to be adaptable today in the fast-changing landscape of higher education without losing the fundamentals. No book of this type would be complete without an inspiring chapter on the importance of diversity and inclusion as a kingdom imperative. The book ends noting that spiritual formation—a primary focus for any Christian institution—can be a form of discipleship and that leadership development is inseparable from discipleship. I could not agree more wholeheartedly.”
—Shirley V. Hoogstra, President, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
“In this important new work, David Dockery and Chris Morgan lay out a powerful vision for Christian higher education. As one who has recently cast my lot into this world, I was encouraged and challenged to learn from this helpful array of voices. Few realize all that is involved in higher education, and walking through the historical, biblical, and theological implications is both instructive and inspirational. I highly recommend this volume for higher ed starters (like me) and long-term veterans seeking to be faithful in the work of Christian higher education.”
—Ed Stetzer, Billy Graham Distinguished Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism, Wheaton College
“With an array of insightful thinkers and penetrating essays, Christian Higher Education draws together some of the best minds at the vanguard of faith and higher education. I highly commend this readable book to anyone who cares about the life of the mind and the life of faith. It represents a timely and much-needed voice in these challenging days.”
—D. Michael Lindsay, President, Gordon College
“In Christian Higher Education, David Dockery and Chris Morgan seek to restate for the postmodern and multicultural world of the twenty-first century the classic theological and historical foundations of the enterprise of Christian higher education. Drawing on the disciplinary expertise and practical experience of over twenty fellow scholars and teachers, this collection of essays explores the implications of the Scriptures, the creeds, and the church’s mission for the vocation of the evangelical teacher-scholar in the classroom, as well as within the academy, the church, and the world. Given the study questions and suggested readings at the end of each chapter, the balance of the theoretical background and practical application, and those core elements that apply to all evangelicals regardless of culture, gender, class, or ethnicity, this volume provides a valuable introduction for a class of new faculty or board members entering the world of evangelical higher education.”
—Shirley A. Mullen, President, Houghton College
“I am pleased to recommend David Dockery and Christopher Morgan’s excellent Christian Higher Education. This comprehensive collection of essays on evangelical education across the disciplines deserves a place on every Christian educator’s bookshelf.”
—Thomas S. Kidd, Distinguished Professor of History, Baylor University
“In Christian higher education, we err if we seek to find our path forward without reference to the rich church tradition and the evangelical legacy. It is also a truism that the work of Christian higher education demands unrelenting attention. We all know that there are many ‘Christian higher ed corpses,’ schools that were originally Christian but then slipped away. These stand to warn us against complacency lest we too lose our institutions to the romantic ideas prevalent in our contemporary, post-Christian culture. I thank David Dockery and Chris Morgan for this book that urges us to form Christian minds and lives in such a way that our students will think, live, and serve Christianly throughout their lives. The various writers have dealt with this quintessential subject with great dexterity and exemplary scholarship. I salute the contributors and commend this book heartily to all involved in the work of Christian higher education.”
—John Senyonyi, Vice Chancellor, Uganda Christian University
“Drawing on some of the best minds within the community of Christian higher education, David Dockery and Chris Morgan have assembled a volume that will be of tremendous help to faculty, administrators, trustees, and those who simply want to develop a broader, deeper understanding of our sector of university life. I’m inspired, challenged, and grateful for the scholarship reflected by the contributors to this work.”
—Andrew Westmoreland, President, Samford University
