Be Known at Oregon's Christian University

2012-2013 Academic Catalog and Handbook

Seminary Distinctives

Distinctives of George Fox Evangelical Seminary

Christ-centered: Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection are central to our curriculum and the personal experience of the faculty. Jesus Christ influences our scholarship, teaching, and service. Our motivation is that the whole world might know the truth and love of Jesus Christ.

Church-focused: The seminary serves the Church by developing church leaders and preparing Christian scholars. The tasks of ministry and the character of the minister are as essential as knowledge of Scripture, theology, and church history. Therefore, the faculty is deeply involved in scholarship and in ministry in the local church, bringing fresh perspectives to the courses they teach.

Culturally relevant: The society in which our students serve is culturally diverse, postmodern, and postdenominational. The faculty understands this context and prepares students for effective ministry in a diverse world. Students are encouraged to confront and address the pressing issues of our world and to meet societal and personal needs in a responsively creative and culturally relevant way.

Spiritually intentional: Effective servant-leadership and scholarship require attentiveness to spiritual growth. The development of Christ's image in each student is foremost in our mission. Intentional spiritual formation is integrated into the entire seminary experience and focused in creative and traditional spiritual-formation courses and small groups.

Broadly evangelical: The seminary community reflects a diversity of age, gender, ethnicity, theological persuasion, and denominational background. Students learn in an environment that fully supports gender and racial equality in all aspects of leadership and ministry. The resulting seminary community provides a rich learning experience, helps students clarify their beliefs, and prepares them for appropriate ministry in their own denomination and in an increasingly multidenominational context.

Biblically based and historically grounded: Scripture is regarded as inspired and canonical, the supreme authority and guide in all matters of Christian doctrine and practice. Our curriculum grounds the student in the Scripture and in the history and theology of the Christian faith.

Technologically integrated: The seminary uses information technology to provide students with the best theological education possible and to help students prepare more effective strategies for ministry. Many courses are Web-enhanced and some are offered online. "Smart classrooms" provide a learning experience that models creative ministry through the use of technology.

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