Cedarville Magazine, Fall 2017

32 | Cedarville Magazine Cedarville Magazine 251 N. Main St., Cedarville, OH 45314 1-888-CEDARVILLE | magazine@cedarville.edu cedarville.edu/magazine When I interviewed with Dr. White about teaching philosophy at Cedarville University, he told me he wanted someone who would teach philosophy straight out of the Bible. He wanted to hire faculty members for whom the textual witness of the Scriptures was the paramount authority. I had no previous exposure to Cedarville, so it wasn’t until I arrived on campus that I discovered that this vision for Christian education was not merely Dr. White’s, but that it characterized the way the University views itself. This is the identity of Cedarville, starting with its charter in 1887. I quickly realized that Cedarville faculty members were deeply committed to honing their craft within the context of a Christian worldview. Since then, I have interacted with professors at other institutions who find it odd that our faculty would commit itself to such a mission. “Isn’t the whole religious angle a bit outdated?” they ask. My response has been the same: So long as it is true, it will never be outdated. The problem people have with an explicit doctrinal confession for a faculty is not really the confession. The problem is they are not convinced the doctrinal statement is true. But, at Cedarville, we are convinced. “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us” (1 John 4:16a). I explain it this way: Suppose an institution required its faculty to sign a document at the beginning of each academic year stating they agreed that two plus two equals four. Would anyone object? Perhaps, but most, I think, would sign the document without a second thought. Certainly, they would not fear that their signature would prevent them from pursuing research interests or teaching with great confidence. At Cedarville, our belief in biblical authority is like our belief in simple arithmetic. We are pleased to work for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ because we hold them to be true — so true as to be fundamental to our self- understanding and our understanding of the world. Far from a constraint, the truth sets us free (John 8:32). No r i s o u r b i b l i c a l wo r l d v i ew incompatible with producing effective scholarship or successful graduates. How else would one explain the University’s success in mathematics, engineering, and pharmacy? Or standardized test scores in social work, athletic training, and anatomy that exceed state and national averages by double digits? Just last year our placement rate for graduating students stood at 97 percent. We have surely been blessed. What of the future? How should Cedarville University navigate turbulent cultural waters and uncertain times? Our times are never certain, but God’s Word is. Our part is “… that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58). May the Lord help us to remain faithful until He comes, for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. John Gilhooly is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Theology and Director of the Honors Program. He earned his Ph.D. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Steadfast Identity, Unchanging Lord IN CLOSING