In my perusal of scholarship over this past year, I was once again struck by Christian scholars’ tendency to critique their own Christian community versus creatively, critically, and redemptively engaging their own professional academic discipline or culture. As a result, I find few outward-facing models to recommend to young Christian scholars.

Thus, I think it is important to point students to models who do not receive significant attention outside of their discipline, particularly if they do not publish in disciplines that do not receive attention in arenas highlighted by the Christian press (e.g., CT book awards).

One of those models is John Witte, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of Law, McDonald Distinguished Professor, and Director of the Center for Law and Religion at Emory University. He has published numerous scholarly books and journal articles that directly address the role of Christianity in various areas of law. Plus, he has created a center to further this work. If young Christian graduate students and assistant professors need a model of how to engage their discipline from a Christian perspective, while also demonstrating the highest standards of scholarship, Professor Witte provides it. I encourage you to check out his web site and books as you plan your scholarly agenda for the new year.

We encourage you to check out the 50th anniversary issue of CSR that includes responses to George Marsden’s revised conclusion to The Soul of the American University Revisited. For example, Susan Van Zanten helpfully reflects upon the reprioritization that has happened in the contemporary university, “Although we still find interest in forming character, instilling public virtues, and developing a concern for others in higher education, those ideals often struggle for recognition and influence. Most R1 institutions have moved away from such goals…” Yet, she also points to some positive examples, such as Wake Forest University, that have reinvigorated their attention to character education. We encourage you to read these hopeful and imagination-spurring essays.

The start of the year is a good time to consider your conference travel plans. We encourage you to explore the upcoming conference dates for your Christian professional society at our web site: https://christianscholars.com/resources/#societies.

Sometimes Christian higher education does what you hope it will do. When my nephew, Zach Glanzer, graduated from Baylor University this past month, he shared Baylor’s influence on his life that captures what I believe we hope Christian higher education will do in every student’s life. I’ll let him share:

“For me, the most important aspect of my experience has been Baylor’s commitment to Christian-based education and culture. There is a certain spiritual vibrancy that shapes the environment here. Though publicly Christian, Baylor does well not to shove Jesus down anyone’s gullet. Nonetheless, Baylor ensures that every single person to walk campus makes no mistake: we believe in Jesus here.

Baylor establishes a culture in which it is ‘cool,’ to be Christian. There is a spiritual hum that pervades throughout the student body, one that that says, ‘this is the way of life worth doing,’ and invites all who desire to join.

I was transformed by this environment my freshman year. Entering in as a people-pleasing, self-doubting, excessively worrying freshman who did not know what to think about this Jesus guy in the fall of 2017 (I would not have identified as Christian), I am leaving as an assured, confident, and secure man who knows who Christ is and the plans He has for me. In many ways, I have this aspect of Baylor to thank for it.”

Zach will start his new job as a middle school band teacher in Plano, TX this week, but Baylor did more than prepare him for that job. It introduced him to Christ and a new life in Christ. May you engage in that work as well this coming year.