A Calvin Seminar in Christian Scholarship

Directed by:

• Steven L. Rundle of Biola University
• C. Neal Johnson of Belhaven College

From the seminar website:

The last ten years have seen an explosion of interest in the role of faith in business, and specifically in how business can be both (1) a ministry in itself, and (2) an essential partner for other Christian ministries. By one estimate, there are now at least 1,200 organizations that promote, in various ways, the integration of faith and work, not to mention dozens of events held annually around the world that encourage businesspeople to "bring their faith to work." Yet, while many professionals are embracing the idea of business as a calling and a ministry, little scholarship has been produced that addresses the many legal, managerial, missiological, and ethical questions related to the integration of faith and business. Furthermore, many churches and academic institutions continue to undermine this movement by reinforcing the view that the most praiseworthy Christian service entails working directly for the church or other charitable organizations.

The purpose of this seminar is to address those problems by exploring the opportunities and challenges related to "bringing one's faith to work" and stimulating new ideas for research, teaching, and preaching. Scholars from the fields of theology, business, or ministry/missions, as well as pastors, are encouraged to apply. It is anticipated that while many participants will have done some studying, teaching and/or preaching on this topic, there will be others who are relatively new to this subject who can bring fresh thinking and new analytical skills. In either case, care will be taken to ensure that all participants have proven track records as scholars or have influential roles within academia and/or the church. The two-week program will consist of morning sessions, Monday through Friday, and some afternoon sessions. There will be three guest speakers, and one field trip to a faith-based business. As an end-product, participants will be expected to begin writing, preaching, and/or presenting papers to wider audiences within their respective disciplines. One possible venue for publication is a collection of essays on Business as Ministry being edited by the co-directors.

For more information, visit the seminar website.