Faithful Teaching and Learning at Rosslyn Academy:

Introduction, Vision, Invitation

Ever since the phrase integration of faith and learning was coined by
educator and biblical scholar Frank Gabelein in the mid-20th century, an
increasing number of Christian schools have made an effort to not only
define and understand what this means but also to form a plan for its
execution. This project was initially conceived (and remains popular today)
in part due to the perceived divergence and compartmentalization of the
secular and the sacred spheres in Western society, especially in the area
of liberal arts education. Where liberal arts schooling was once largely the
domain of the Church as part and parcel of its missional work, it has now
widely come to be seen as something wholly independent and separate.
The practical and societal benefits of learning to read and write, for
example, now greatly overshadow and obscure, even in Christian schools,
the fact that that such learning is, at its core, an act of worship and
stewardship that can lead one to a deeper appreciation of and
participation in Gods creative and redemptive work in the world.

Over the years, many voices have joined what has historically been called
the faith and learning conversation. Definitions, guidelines, and even
elaborate plans for its implementation and assessment abound at the
university, secondary, and on down to the primary levels. Some have
taken issue with Gabeleins original language, claiming that it
inadvertently (and unnecessarily) sets faith and learning against one
another, thereby implying that they are indeed two separate things that
can only be brought together and/or reconciled through great effort and
intention. Others have gone so far as to call for a moratorium on the term
integration of faith and learning for fear that it has reached buzzword
status, with more and more Christian schools throwing it onto their
websites and brochures, seemingly without giving it much substantive
thought.

The Christian faith has been central to Rosslyn Academys mission since
its inception, and various efforts have been made over the years to join
the so-called faith and learning project. For example, course guides long
contained a brief section called Biblical Integration where teachers were
asked to suggest ways in which to incorporate biblical concepts into their
instruction. During each curricular review cycle, departments re-examine
and re-state their philosophy statements in an effort to affirm a
connection between Gods nature and their specific departmental focus.
As of this writing (2015) Rosslyns website contained a page titled
Integration of Faith and Learning at Rosslyn Academy that outlined
numerous ways in which this ideally had taken place on campus.

In the fall of 2014, however, a re-examination and re-focusing Rosslyns

efforts in this area was proposed. A committee of diverse individuals was
formed and tasked with creating the vision statement below and these
introductory remarks to present to staff to help frame further exploration
of what it can mean for each of us to be people of faith in education at
Rosslyn Academy.

As faithful teachers and learners, we seek to

glorify the triune God, the creator and redeemer
of the universe, and the author of all Truth, by
infusing our learning with opportunities to
discover, explore, and apply the intimate
relationship which exists between our faith, our
academic subjects, and the rest of our lives.
Historical background and a vision statement are important and necessary
to provide the context, direction, language, and parameters of our work.
The focus now turns to the practical what does faithful learning look like?
It is likely that Christian educators would give a wide range of responses.
For some, it may mean an ever more overt and explicit presentation of the
Gospel message in and out of the classroom. For others, it may imply a
subtle and implicit fragrance of Christ that infuses their lessons and the
classroom environment. For yet others, it may mean pondering and
reveling in the deep mystery and beauty of creation with their students,
etc. And this, we are convinced, is a good thing, for our different
approaches and attitudes, talents and abilities, passions and gifts as
Christians in education form one of our greatest strengths and, indeed,
the very body of Christ. It is not the goal of this initiative, therefore, to
state one definitive answer to the question or to normalize and prescribe
what faithful teaching and learning is or should look like. Rather than
mandate what is to be done, Rosslyn strives to provide its teachers with
continuing resources, opportunities, and space in which they, both as
individuals and together in community, can further explore and articulate
the myriad ways in which faithful teaching and learning happens.

Bibliography
Gaebelein, Frank: The Pattern of Gods Truth
Glanzer, Perry: Why We Should Discard the Integration of Faith and
Learning: Rearticulating the Mission of the Christian Scholar
Hasker, William: Faith-Learning Integration: An Overview
Holmes, Arthur: A Model for the Integration of Faith and Learning
Wolterstorff, Nicholas: Educating For Life: Reflections on Christian
Teaching and Learning
The Gospel of John (Chapter 1)
Pauls Second Letter to the Corinthians (Chapter 12)