Baptists Supporting Christians in the Academy: A Personal Perspective

Abstract

In the New Zealand context, where anti-intellectualism is a deeply
embedded attitude, ministry to the academy faces particular
challenges. Yet the University clearly remains a setting of great
significance. The first part of this essay reviews a number of calls
for thoroughly Christian scholarship. How are these to relate to the
ministry of churches? How are we to encourage what Bartholmew
and Goheen describe as ‘integrally Christian scholarship’? I suggest
that a path forward may be found through recent explorations of
the theology of work. The second part of the essay notes various
approaches and metaphors for this task. It then suggests a range of
strategies by which churches may equip Christians to inhabit the
academy more confidently.