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Dear Society Members,
As we are all aware, the world is currently facing a health crisis with the outbreak of the Coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19. Within three months, it has spread to at least 60 countries and therefore been rightly acknowledged as a global pandemic.

Different governments and health authorities are trying hard to stop the spread of the disease and mitigate its effects on the human family. With the suspension of public gatherings in many places, closure of borders, total or partial lockdowns, and travel bans, these are certainly not ordinary times. We wish to encourage and stand in solidarity with members of the Society of Christian Scholars in different parts of the world.

We urge you to strictly follow the advice of health authorities and obey the restrictions imposed by national governments. Please take precautions for yourselves and members of your families. It is also reasonable to self-isolate and seek medical advice if you suspect you have been exposed to the virus. Be prayerful, remain calm and do not panic. Even if you do get the virus, it is not likely that you will die. So far, most people infected with the virus have only mild to moderate symptoms and the mortality rate is about 3%. People with underlying medical conditions and weak immune systems are highly at risk. Therefore, the elderly and the sick should take extra precautions.

Although many of us are experiencing unusual restrictions, this would be a great time to make use of some of the Society’s many benefits. For example, if you wish to have video conferences with students and colleagues, our Zoom facilities are available at no cost. You may wish to reach out to others and encourage them through our membership directory. If you need one-to-one advice, reach out to one of our regional consultants. If you have any written products, from academic papers to course outlines or university administrative documents, please send them to our Editorial Services department. This is also a good time to go through our library resources.

Finally, let us pray for those infected and all those who have lost loved ones. Let us also pray for health workers who risk their lives battling the invisible enemies in our cities. May God bring solutions to this problem. Grace and peace to you all.

Osam Edim Temple

This is how you will be known to other members. If you have any security concerns, use a pseudonym.

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Those applying for a Full or Associate membership are invited to apply for a Society scholarship if you cannot afford membership or if you are unable to pay (e.g., you do not own a credit card, credit cards are not accepted from your country, etc.). The scholarship application is available when you register for the Society.

To influence is to have a tangible effect on something. Christian academicians desire that, as a result of their work, others will experience a meaningful, positive influence on their lives.

Moreover, we want this influence to take a particular form—specifically, we want it to be redemptive. To redeem is to buy back, or to restore something to its original and proper condition. It is to reclaim and recreate. It involves taking something that is not as it should be and renewing it. Theologically, redemption means doing something that reverses the effects of the Fall, restoring what has been broken.

Ultimately, of course, God is the one who redeems all things and erases the effects of the Fall. However, he calls us into this work with him, to partner in his great drama of redemption. Hence, we are able, indeed called, to seek ways to exert such a redemptive influence on those around us in our daily lives.

Since everything in creation was affected by the Fall, and since God desires to redeem all things, the redemptive influence in which he calls us to participate extends to every aspect of creation. It includes seeing individual souls redeemed, but it is not limited to individual salvation. Rather, it involves redeeming everything that exists: ideas, relationships, institutions, the physical world, and so on. It, indeed, understands the gospel to be about individual salvation; but it is more than this. It is also about seeing all of fallen creation, which God originally created and called “good,” again made whole, expressing what is good, true, and beautiful as God initially designed creation to be.

Thus, redemptive influence results in shalom, human flourishing, and the common good. Such a redemptive influence will have three necessary and sufficient characteristics: (1) it will be intentional (not passive), (2) it will be done with excellence (not superficial or done poorly), (3) it will be done with missional intent (done in love for God and in love for neighbor).

That is a big task, one that challenges every believer every day, and reminds us of our dependence on God. But we hope that by working together as the Society of Christian Scholars, we can equip each other and greatly magnify our redemptive influence. 

An academic is someone called to the learned life. Being an academic means loving the pursuit, acquisition, and dissemination of knowledge and committing a significant portion of one’s life to this endeavor. An academic is committed to the noblest aims of the academy: discovering and promoting what is good, true, and beautiful and what leads to wisdom, human flourishing, and the common good.

Functionally, an academic is most commonly employed in a university position. In this post, he or she engages in three important duties: teaching, research, and service (though different roles and academic contexts require different emphases at various times). However, not all academics are employed by universities; some serve in institutes, at think tanks, or in private industry. What makes each of them academics is his or her vocation of pursuing, discovering, and disseminating knowledge. This role usually requires a terminal degree, but not always; in some cultural or research contexts, people with master’s degrees are functioning as academics.

Scripture affirms in various passages the serious intellectual inquiry and commitment to teaching that typify academic work today. For instance, Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the glory of kings to investigate a matter”; Proverbs 18:17 states, “Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight.” Paul similarly says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Peter implores: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). As Acts 19:9 explains, Paul modeled this emphasis in his commitment to teach for two years in the school of Tyrannus (a proto-university in Ephesus). This work, like all labor, is to be done “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:23–24).

Beyond specific citations, the nature of Scripture itself supports the role of the academic. Consider, for example, the literary masterpiece that we know as the gospel of Luke. This was an enormous academic research undertaking, written from a historian’s perspective (Luke 1:1–3). Similarly, Paul’s letter to the Romans amply illustrates the impact of scholarly training of his era in its exegesis of Hebrew scriptures, logical organization, and style of argument.

Intellectual achievement and academic recognition should never be a Christian’s ultimate goal, but they are essential tools that support our effectiveness in mission and service.

To be Christian entails cognitive, performative, and emotional dimensions. Cognitively, to be Christian, one affirms the essential historic Christian faith, what C.S. Lewis called “Mere Christianity” and is expressed in such formulations as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. The Society of Christian Scholars has adopted the World Evangelical Alliance Statement of Faith as the essential codification of these core doctrinal beliefs. We believe it addresses all the core issues one must affirm cognitively as a Christian.

Second, the performative dimension of faith demands that a believer choose every day to live out, or “incarnate,” these beliefs in thought, word, and deed. She or he seeks to grow daily in Christlikeness, practicing spiritual disciplines, and increasingly evidence the “Fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22).

Third, is an emotional, affective, or existential aspect to the life of a believer. Christians experience God in ineffable ways. This may not be a regular occurrence, as God works in different ways in each of our lives, but for all true believers there is, to one degree or another, a metaphysical sense of God’s presence and direction. Paul describes this metaphysical experience in relation to salvation in Romans 8:16 and in relation to the believer’s communion with God in 1 Corinthians 2:10–16.

Finally, this is all lived out in a community of faith. As the triune God is a community of persons, he created us as communal beings as well, needing one another for health and flourishing. “Do not neglect to assemble together…but encourage one another…” (Heb. 10:25), and we sharpen one another “as iron sharpens iron” (Prov. 27:17).

To be missional with respect to academia is to understand and perform our academic work as Kingdom work, as participating in God’s drama of redemption. It is to understand that we have a calling, or “vocation” (vocatio in Latin), that our task to accomplish, work to do, or part to play has been given by Christ according to his purposes. It is an understanding that our life is characterized by the “Missio Dei”—that all of life is part of God’s mission. It is an understanding that all of our gifts (natural and spiritual) and opportunities (including obtaining an advanced degree and a university post) are stewarded well in his service as part of the community of faith—the Church. It eschews the “sacred-secular” dichotomy by seeing God’s call, hand, and redemptive work in not only evangelism and discipleship but also in research, teaching, committee work, and administrative positions. In all these ways, we can bring God’s understanding of the true, good, and beautiful to full bloom in a university context.

Institutional Partners are organisations which share the vision and values of the Society of Christian Scholars and partner with us to obtain our shared goals. Founding Institutional Partners are organisations involved in the establishment of the Society of Christian Scholars before March 1, 2019.

…in the Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy; and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.

… in one God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

… in our Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, His virgin birth, His sinless human life, His divine miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension, His mediatorial work, and His Personal return in power and glory.

… in the Salvation of lost and sinful persons through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith apart from works, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

… in the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the believer is enabled to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ.

… in the Unity of the Spirit of all true believers, the Church, the Body of Christ.

… in the Resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

The Society of Christian Scholars equips missional Christian academics to have a redemptive influence for Christ among their students, colleagues, institutions, and academic disciplines.

Full and Associate Members are invited to apply for a Society scholarship if you cannot afford membership or if you are unable to pay (e.g., you do not own a credit card, credit cards are not accepted from your country, etc.).

Full and Associate Members*: A Full or Associate Member is a current or retired academic staff of a tertiary institution and others influencing higher education in similar ways. Graduate students also serving in teaching or research positions may join as Associate or Full Members.

Student Members: A Student Member is anyone pursuing an academic degree but not yet in an academic post.

Friends of the Society: A Friend of the Society is anyone supporting or encouraging missional Christian scholars (pastors, campus ministers, etc.)

*Scholarships are available for those applying for Full or Associate memberships.

Such as serving in an academic “think tank”, as a researcher in private industry, etc.

Examples of Mentoring Objectives

Examples:

Publishing: I would like guidance for getting an article on [subject] published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Professional Development: I may have an opportunity in a year or two to move into an administrative position. What things do I need to consider now to prepare for such an opportunity? How do I know if it will be the right move for me?
Spiritual Development: As a new lecturer, I am extremely busy. I would like guidance on how to balance my prayer life and my academic life.
Integration: I would like to explore how I can better relate biblical truth to the issues in my academic discipline through my teaching, research, and/or writing.

As you consider requesting a mentor, please note the following major differences between coaching and mentoring. If you have any questions about whether coaching or mentoring is right for you, please apply and we’ll be glad to help you decide.

Coaching vs. Mentoring: Major Distinctions

–  Coaching

• Task-oriented
• Targets immediate professional performance needs
• Short-term (typically less than 6 months)

–  Mentoring

• Relationship-oriented
• Holistic approach for meeting personal and professional needs
• Longer timeframe (typically 6 months or more)

Examples of Mentoring Objectives

Examples:

Publishing: I would like guidance for getting an article on [subject] published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Professional Development: I may have an opportunity in a year or two to move into an administrative position. What things do I need to consider now to prepare for such an opportunity? How do I know if it will be the right move for me?
Spiritual Development: As a new lecturer, I am extremely busy. I would like guidance on how to balance my prayer life and my academic life.
Integration: I would like to explore how I can better relate biblical truth to the issues in my academic discipline through my teaching, research, and/or writing.

As you consider requesting a mentor, please note the following major differences between coaching and mentoring.

Coaching vs. Mentoring: Major Distinctions

–  Coaching

• Task-oriented
• Targets immediate professional performance needs
• Short-term (typically less than 6 months)

–  Mentoring

• Relationship-oriented
• Holistic approach for meeting personal and professional needs
• Longer timeframe (typically 6 months or more)

The Society of Christian Scholars has a contract with Zoom™ that lets Society members use a certain number of minutes each month for a set price. We would like to reserve these minutes for society members to use with Zoom™ meetings of three or more people. By using your personal, free Zoom™ account for one-on-one meetings, you will help the Society save our monthly allotted Zoom™ minutes and, thus, help us save money each month. This will help keep Society fees more affordable.

Zoom™ lets you collaborate with up to 100 people (with no time limits) on a secure platform using features like a whiteboard, on-screen annotation, record and save, text chat, participant “hand raising,” and screen share.

The SCS administrative team strives to serve you with excellence. How can we help you?

You must be logged in to invite potential members.

Please know that if you joined the Society via a credit card, then your real name is auto-filled into your Society member profile, a profile that all other members can view. For some members, this could prove problematic. Therefore, there are a number of reasons why using a member pseudonym might be right for you. For example, if you live in a country where using your real name causes security issues, then you might consider using a pseudonym by simply editing your profile.

Employees of Global Scholars are not eligible for these grants. Currently, a separate grants program is being developed for Global Scholars fellows. For inquiries contact Liam Atichson: latchison@global-scholars.org.

The Society of Christian Scholars (SCS) limits membership to academics who serve in tertiary institutions (“higher education” in some nations) that enroll both Christians and non-Christians (open-enrollment) for the following three related reasons:

• Many organizations serving Christian academics in faith-based institutions  already exist (such as INCHE, Langham Trust, CCCU, and ICHE). SCS is designed for those not served by these organizations. In this way, SCS can focus its resources more effectively in support of the lesser-served Christian scholars in open-enrollment institutions.
• Conversations occurring among Christian scholars in open-enrollment institutions differ from those serving in faith-based institutions. For instance, in faith-based institutions, truths of the Christian worldview are assumed and form the basis for research and conversation. In contrast, the vast majority of open-enrollment institutions embrace a plurality of worldviews, resulting in different conversations and research projects. It is in this pluralistic context that SCS is called to promote  the Christian worldview.
• The focus of open-enrollment universities is to prepare leaders for the broader culture in every sector of society. Most faith-based institutions focus primarily on developing leaders for the Church. While developing mature ministry leaders is vitally important, SCS is called to serve those who engage from a Christian worldview the issues that shape their particular academic disciplines, subjects debated in the public square.

The Society partners with Crossworld for processing mentor applications; be prepared to submit the following information:

1. Personal profile
2. Short answer questions
3. Curriculum vitae
4. A consent form

Once you have submitted this information, Crossworld will evaluate it and arrange for a personal phone interview.

After the application process and the Society’s approval, which will take about 2 weeks, the Mentorship Director will notify you and add your name and bio to the Society’s list of prospective mentors. If you have any questions, please contact the Mentorship Director at rbrown@scshub.net.

Apply

If you would like to volunteer for our Editorial Services team to assist other scholars in research areas similar to your own by reviewing and making suggestions on their work, please e-mail our Senior Editor, Bruce Barron.

A Global Scholars fellow has made application to the fellows program, then has gone through an extensive vetting process to represent Global Scholars. For these reasons, fellows have access to an additional set of resources and benefits not available to other Society members. For example, fellows receive, among other things, personalised faculty care, personalised help with job placement services, and personalised assistance in fundraising. All Global Scholars fellows are members of the Society of Christian Scholars, but all Society members are not fellows. See the Fellows Program page on the Global Scholars website for more information.

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Annual Global Scholars Grant

Sowers Scholarship