Abstract
The Cruciform Faculty addresses the division that is often made between professional development and spiritual development, calling Christian faculty members to see academic work as spiritual practice. “Cruciform” refers to the shape of a cross; the writers encourage instructors to become “cruciform professors,” meaning Christian in “substance as well as symbol, internally and externally reflective of gospel of Christ” (p. xii). The chapters address the professor’s role as Christian, teacher, scholar, mentor, and servant, and how each of these roles is an aspect of a whole identity for cruciform teachers.
James R Estep’s chapter on “The Professor as Christian” encourages professors to embrace an integrated identity by understanding the “symbiotic relationship between the spiritual and the academic, wherein they are no longer separate or distinct from one another” (p. 3). Drawing on the Apostle Paul and Thomas à Kempis, Estep cautions professors against a cognitive faith that is negligent of service to others or affective experience. He argues that the purpose of a professor’s education is a closer relationship with God, and that relationship should form the basis for service as an educator. He includes several practical means of spiritual formation for professors.
Octavio J Esqueda’s chapter, “The Professor as Teacher,” describes teaching as a gift to be received, rather than a professional goal. Drawing on the work of PJ Palmer, Esqueda describes good teaching as practice that comes to life in a community where both teachers and students are learners because teaching and learning are indivisible (p. 16). Esqueda points out that professors and students belong together in an integrated learning community because, “academic inquiry is based on the creator, because all truth is God’s truth and all academic disciplines belong to Him” (p. 15).
James R Estep’s chapter, “The Professor as Scholar,” addresses the disconnection between the church and the academy, and argues for the responsibility of Christian professors to be scholar-pastors—teachers who understand themselves to be in service to a community of learners that extends beyond their classroom. Citing Augustine, Estep points out that the church’s history has been formed by scholars who wrote not only for other scholars but for local congregations, arguing for the gospel’s intellectual viability. Estep uses Ernest Boyer’s schema for categorizing kinds of scholarship to discuss how each kind might have a community purpose, and he touches on practical challenges such as arrogance, competition from peers, dogmatic church traditions, and institutional culture.
Mark H Heinemann’s chapter, “The Professor as Mentor,” argues for mentoring as an ignored pillar of professional practice and personal formation. Mentors are coaches who understand both the practical rules of the game and who have mastered the inner game of motivation, temptation, and mental discipline. Christian professors who mentor should also encourage mentees to integrate faith and academics, to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ, and to discover resources for continued growth. This is an important chapter for any would-be mentor or mentee, as it addresses several misconceptions about mentoring, makes practical observations about who should mentor and why, and points to helpful research on productive mentoring practices.
Mark A Maddix’s chapter on “The Professor as Servant” underscores the arguments of the preceding chapters: pointing to the example of Jesus Christ, Maddix argues that the servant heart is central to the Christian life. Citing Robert Greenleaf’s description of servant leadership, he argues that a servant leader is focused on “whom and what he or she is responsible for, as opposed to focusing on his or her desires” (p. 51). Service to students is a professor’s top priority, but cruciform professors also serve colleagues, administrators, churches, the local community, and the academic community. Servant leadership should guide teaching practice and will influence student perceptions of leadership and their motivation to be servants in turn.
An invaluable part of this slim volume is the lists of challenging discussion questions at the end of each chapter, making it an ideal tool for faculty development or mentoring. Although it is written for new faculty members at a Christian institution, the concepts are important for any Christian teacher. Because the questions are incisive about what it means to be a Christian who teaches, it could be helpful for those considering teaching who are curious about the scholar-pastor identity. Additionally, this book could provide reflection and redirection for seasoned teachers who struggle with integrating their faith and academic life. I might have enjoyed some personal reflection from the writers about their own journeys toward becoming cruciform faculty, but that would have lengthened the text, and one of the charms of the book is its economy. In a very short text the writers have clearly explicated what Soli Deo Gloria means for teachers.