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 29:11, KJV)

3. Introduction • Educational Roles • Diversity, Tolerance, Options • Christianity • Historical requirement • Current denigration • Conflict • Spiritual battle • “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33, 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 17:14, 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 5:16, 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 16:33, KJV)

8. The Secular Workplace for Education • “Research on the religiosity of American professors has been limited” • (Gross and Simmons, 2009, p. 103). • “. . .Christianity’s record gives reason to fear that its adherents may fail to treat other positions fairly” • (MacKenzie, 2011, p. 688). • “. . .reformulations of secularization theory now taking place, . . .decoupling of higher education and religion” • (Gross and Simmons, 2009, p. 102). “And be ye kind one to another . . .” (Ephesians 4:32, KJV).

9. The Constitution in the Classroom • “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). • “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).

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 8:26, KJV) • “The university attempts to fulfill its obligation to fight 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, 3:2, 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 16:15, 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 • Affolter, J. (2013). Fighting discrimination with discrimination: • Public universities and the rights of dissenting students. Ratio Juris, 26(2), 235-261. doi:10.1111/raju.12012 • Baker, J. O. (2013). Acceptance of evolution and support for teaching • creationism in public schools: The conditional impact of educational attainment. Journal for The Scientific Study Of Religion, 52(1), 216-228. doi:10.1111/jssr.12007 • Benson, J. (2012). Religion into politics?. Dialog: A Journal Of • Theology, 51(3), 180-181. doi:10.1111/j.1540-6385.2012.00681.x • Bergman, J. (2011). The challenge of academic freedom. Journal Of • Interdisciplinary Studies, 23(1/2), 137-164. • Burke, K. J., & Segall, A. (2011). Christianity and its legacy in • education. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 43(5), 631-658. doi:10.1080/00220272.2011.590232 • Callahan, D. (2012). Out of step: God & me at Harvard & Yale. • Commonweal, (19), 14.

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17. References (continued) • Holden, R. H. (2009). The Public University's Unbearable Defiance of • Being. Educational Philosophy & Theory, 41(5), 575-591. • Huneycutt-Bardwell, S. (2013). Conflict and communication in the • workplace: An inquiry and findings from XYZ University’s study on religious tolerance and diversity suggesting ironies of cultural attitude, free expression and conflict in an academic organization. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications & Conflict, 17(2), 1-28. • Kessler, S. J. (2013). Religion and the public university. Philosophy & • Public Policy Quarterly, 31(1), 19-27. • Lathangue, R. d. (2012). Disenchantment and the liberal arts. Canadian • Journal of Higher Education, 42(2), 67-78. • MacKenzie, J. (2012). Holden's public university and its Rawlsian silence on • religion. Educational Philosophy & Theory, 44(7), 686-706. doi:10.1111/j.1469-5812.2010.00734.x

18. References (continued) • Mayhew, M., & Bryant, A. (2013). Achievement or arrest? The influence of • the collegiate religious and spiritual climate on students' worldview commitment. Research In Higher Education, 54(1), 63-84. doi:10.1007/s11162-012-9262-7 • Mayrl, D., & Uecker, J. E. (2011). Higher education and religious • liberalization among young adults. Social Forces, 90(1), 181-208. • Murray, F. B. (2012). Six misconceptions about accreditation in higher • education: Lessons from teacher education. Change, 44(4), 52-58. doi:10.1080/00091383.2012.691866 • Polinska, W. (2011). Engaging religious diversity: Towards a pedagogy of • mindful contemplation. International Journal Of The Humanities, 9(1), 159-167. • Ramsey, M. C., Knight, R. A., Knight, M. L., & Verdon, T. (2011). Telic • state teaching: Understanding the relationships among classroom conflict strategies, humor, and teacher burnout of university faculty. Florida Communication Journal, 39(1), 1-15.

19. References (continued) • Rasar, J. L. (2013). The efficacy of a manualized group treatment • protocol for changing God image, attachment to God, religious coping, and love of God, others, and self. Journal of Psychology & Theology, 41(4), 267-280. • Rudary, D. J. (2013). Drafting a "sensible" conscience clause: A • proposal for meaningful conscience protections for religious employers objecting to the mandated coverage of prescription contraceptives. Health Matrix (Cleveland, Ohio: 1991), 23(1), 353-394. • Schmalzbauer, J. (2013). Campus religious life in America: • Revitalization and renewal. Society, 50(2), 115-131. • Stevens, R. E., Williamson, S., & Tiger, A. (2012). Conflict resolution • strategies in an academic setting. Conflict Resolution & Negotiation Journal, 2012(4), 139-150.