Christian Faculty in a Secular Education Workplace

1
Christian Faculty in a Secular Education Workplace

• EDU 746-D01
• Conflict Resolution Project
• Deborah Davis
• Liberty University

2
What to expect

• Introduction
• Research Summary
• Problem Summary
• Conflict Summary
• Conclusion

• For I know the thoughts that I think toward you
  (Jer 2911, KJV)

3
Introduction

• Educational Roles
• Diversity, Tolerance, Options
• Christianity
• Historical requirement
• Current denigration
• Conflict
• Spiritual battle

• In the world ye shall have tribulation (John
  1633, KJV)

4
Research the Issue
How are school requirements defined, and where do
Christians fit?

• (1) establish learning standards for a no-
  frills curriculum,
• (2) administer assessments to measure their
  achievement, and
• (3) impose sanctions if the standards were not
  met
• (Murray, 2012, p. 53)

• They are not of the world, even as I am not of
  the world (John 1714, KJV)

5
Schooling at the Collegiate Level

• three overarching faiths or comprehensive
  beliefs coexist in uneasy union,
• Relativism
• Materialism
• Ideological Indoctrination of Change
• (Holden, 2009, p. 579).

• . . . override whatever affirmative discourses
  of devotion, honour, praise, and joy (Lathangue,
  2012, p. 69).

• Let your light so shine before men, that they
  may see your good works, and glorify your Father
  which is in heaven (Matthew 516, KJV)

• . . . a pedagogy of mindful contemplation
  (Polinska, 2011, p. 160)

6
The Constitution in the Classroom

• The amendment was merely intended to ensure the
  freedom of the states to order the relationship
  between faith and government (Holden, 2009, 578).

• There is an important difference between
  restrictions on religious discrimination and
  restrictions on sexual orientation
  discrimination (Affolter, 2013, p. 236).

Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
of speech . . . . (U.S. Constitution)
7
Summarize the Problem
What challenges to students and faculty face when
faith comes into conflict with their collegiate
presence?

• religious employer"
• (1) have the primary purpose of inculcating
  religious values,
• (2) primarily employ only those who share its
  beliefs,
• (3) primarily serve individuals of the same
  faith, and
• (4) qualify as a nonprofit organization under
  Sections 6033(a)(l) and 6033(a)(3)(A)(i) or (iii)
  of the Internal Revenue Code (Rudary, 2013, p.
  355).

• In the world ye shall have tribulation (John
  1633, KJV)

8
The Secular Workplace for Education

• . . .reformulations of secularization theory now
  taking place, . . .decoupling of higher education
  and religion
• (Gross and Simmons, 2009, p. 102).

• Research on the religiosity of American
  professors has been limited
• (Gross and Simmons, 2009, p. 103).

• . . .Christianitys record gives reason to fear
  that its adherents may fail to treat other
  positions fairly
• (MacKenzie, 2011, p. 688).

And be ye kind one to another . . . (Ephesians
432, KJV).
9
The Constitution in the Classroom

• It may seem, following the various court
  decisions separating church and state and, more
  specifically, religion and education, that the
  relationship between religion and education has
  long been settled and that religion is indeed
  absent from the halls of public education and its
  discourses
• (Burke and Segall, 2011, p. 631).

• The French exclude all religion from political
  life. They demand a secular state
• (Benson. 2012, p. 180).
• Confessional education, with institutional
  statements of faith, and sometimes also codes of
  conduct, to be in principle a violation of such
  unqualified academic freedom
• (Heibert, 2014), p. 423).

10
The Challenge of Academic Freedom

• The Bishop Case
• restricting Bishop's speech was a part of the
  university's right,
• reprimanded for his expressions solely because of
  the religious viewpoint presented in it

• . . . students have a right to be exposed to
  all points of view, and that the academic freedom
  for educators to express various points of view
  is an important constitutional right

• . . . open discussion of religious issues in
  the classroom is imperative

• academic freedom is universally regarded as a
  central requirement of a free society and a
  prerequisite for social and scientific
  advancement

(Bergman, 2011)
11
Address the Conflict
How can educators deal with conflict in the
workplace and religious discrimination?

• Interpersonal conflicts by their very nature
  make up one of the most difficult types of human
  relationships with which to deal
• (Stevens, Williamson, and Tiger, 2012, p. 130).

• Speak to the world those things which I have
  heard of him (John 826, KJV)

• The university attempts to ful?ll its obligation
  to ?ght harmful discrimination by adopting a
  policy that forbids several forms of
  discrimination
• (Affolther, 2013, p. 236).

12
Conflict Resolution Systems

• Build a culture of CR
• Self-determination
• Loop-backs
• Proactive CR
• Informal CR
• Formal collaborative CR
• Formal adjudicative processes
• Separate power-based action
• Peacebuilding
• Ethical Issues
• Feedback

• For in many things we offend all. If any man
  offend not in word, the same is a perfect man,
  and able also to bridle the whole body (James,
  32, KJV)

(Barsky, 2007)
13
Conclusion

• As Christians, we are commanded to Go ye into
  all the world, and preach the gospel to every
  creature (Mark 1615, KJV).
• To censor our Christian speech in the name of
  academic freedom is a violation of the
  Constitutional rights under the First Amendment,
  and more importantly, a violation of our
  Christian duty.

14
Questions?
15
References
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18
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19
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