Graduate Christian Fellowship Roundtable

“Spirituality” and “Values” are fashionable topics these days in higher education circles–perhaps in the wake of 9/11 and the recent financial crisis. While these discussions are primarily taking place at conferences of deans and presidents, rather than at disciplinary professional meetings, the fact that they are occurring at all raises interesting questions. What do they say about our culture? about the academy? about the perceived role of higher education in preparing future leaders of our society? To what extent do they reflect a reaction to the modern Western separation of “knowledge” from the categories of faith and values? To what extent are these discussions welcome to those who long for a return to the classical ideal of the academy as home to all Truth, Beauty and Goodness?