The CTL supports PLNU’s Strategic Goals through their second and third goal statements: “An intentionally Christian community” and “Faithfulness to our Nazarene heritage and a Wesleyan theological tradition.” These goals, primarily met by the Wesleyan Center, also align with some of CTL’s work.
Christian Practice
Christian Practice
The Wesleyan Center has facilitated several Faculty Learning Communities on the book Teaching and Christian Practices: Reshaping Faith and Learning. CTL has partnered with the Wesleyan Center to host faculty-led panel presentations on their implementation of Christian Practices in the classroom. New Faculty Seminar dedicates several sessions to incorporating faith in the classroom, and the CTL Director participates in these sessions.
Held over several weeks during the summer, Mark Mann, who is a faculty member in the Theology and Christian Ministry department, facilitates reading through Smith & Smith’s Teaching and Christian Practices: Reshaping Faith and Learning with faculty who are interested in building Christian Practices into their courses. Below, you will find examples from PLNU faculty in a variety of disciplines who have implemented Christian Practices into their courses / classrooms.
BIO101: Human Biology and Bioethics
Sabbath – Self-Care – Solitude
Dianne Anderson provides a unique approach to Christian Practice in her biology courses, which often leads to life-changing habits for students. Chart on Spiritual Practices for BIO101 Students.
BIO1005: Ecology and Conservation
Worship – Care of the Earth – Stewardship
April Cordero adopts Christian Practice as a way of instilling in students an appreciation for Earth as an intricate revelation of God’s good work and creative activity.
Devotional Reading – Community
Matthieu Rouffet incorporates Scripture reading and fellowship through the sharing of a meal in his classes.
Intercessory Prayer – Blessing Others / Encouragement
Marc Perry encourages his students to pray for each other and to write notes of encouragement to those they pray for throughout the semester.
Hospitality – Fellowship & Testimony – Intercessory Prayer
Pat Maruca emphasizes Christian Practice as a way of demonstrating God’s care for her teachers-in-training as whole persons, so that they in turn, can give this same care to their own students.
GED662: Counseling and Counseling Theory
Community – Service – Justice
Dione Brooks Taylor has her students participate in and reflect upon the emotional and social needs of the homeless community, informed by Christian values.
HIS1011: World Civilizations II
Devotional Reading – Community
Kelli McCoy engages her students in contributing to Scripture readings in class as well as to practice active “listening” to the stories of others.
Management in Relational Development Capstone Course
Community – Service
Chris Phillips requires her students to incorporate Christian values into their Capstone project strategic plan.
SPA300: Civic Engagement: Conversation, Culture, Community
Compassion – Empathy – Face-to-face Connection
Scott Bennett provides opportunities for students to meaningfully engage in Christian practice with migrant communities in San Diego and Tijuana.
Sabbath – Self-Care – Solitude
Mark Maddix requires his students to purposefully step back and reflectively engage in Sabbath rest in a variety of ways.
Spiritual Care Statements
Spiritual Care Assessment / From the Office of Spiritual Development
Dr. Mary Paul, Vice President of the Office of Spiritual Development, provides this resource for faculty to be able to direct students where to reach out for spiritual care.
Chart on Spiritual Disciplines
The Chart on Spiritual Disciplines is taken from Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us by Adele Calhoun. It offers faculty 43 different spiritual practices to spark ideas that can be used to bring Christian Practice into their courses.
Wesleyan Tradition
To find out more about PLNU’s Wesleyan Tradition, follow the link provided below to the Wesleyan Center’s detailed site.