College of Theology

Dr. Mark Olmos, a member of the College of Theology faculty, loves to share with students the stories from his spiritual journey and never ceases to be amazed by their reactions. He also has a passion for board games, particularly because it’s a great way to meet people. Find out why he cringes every time he meets someone from a certain downstate university.

Photos by Elizabeth Tinajero GCU News Bureau Graduates of the Colleges of Education, Fine Arts and Production, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Theology were honored Saturday morning at GCU Arena.   

Chalk up another GCU event that worked out just fine even though the pandemic forced it to be virtual. The Songwriters Showcase, normally staged before a packed crowd on Canyon 49 Grill’s outdoor patio, was livestreamed Monday night and featured some of the songs that no doubt will find their way onto the next Canyon Worship album.

While Canyon Worship 2020 continues to draw the attention of Christian music listeners, Worship Arts students at GCU are tuned into a new project: The Grand Collective is designed to bring together as many students as possible to remake old hymns with new tracks. It is being led and produced entirely by students.

Michele Pasley relishes her role as a member of the Online Full Time Faculty in the College of Theology. Teaching Christian worldview to adult students means she gets to reconnect some of them to God if they have bought into inaccurate theology. But there’s another aspect of online students that’s fascinating as well — they have interesting jobs. Check out the exchange she had with a student who works in law enforcement.

Dr. Sammy Alfaro is a Professor of Theology, but he also is a church pastor and soccer player and has become an avid runner. He is passionate about the fact that the Gospel is being preached and practiced all over the world. His wish for his students: “I pray our students will become church leaders who embrace diversity and unify the church to take it to the next level,” he wrote.

Dr. Jacob Hicks, an instructor in the College of Theology, has a passion that’s particularly apropos with the presidential election 13 days away: He’s passionate about the relationship between religion and politics in the United States. He also explains why he enjoys teaching Christian Worldview 101 for online students and shares the secret to the food that is his guilty pleasure. Hint: It’s not pizza or steak.

Funny how being unable to attend classes in person for six months makes them that much more appealing. Whether they were returning to GCU or fresh out of high school, students were eager to resume the classroom experience this week. “It’s completely different being here as a student,” said one freshman. “It’s a big, amazing school, and there’s a completely different atmosphere than most colleges.”

The monthly One Foundation faculty gatherings won’t be Lunch and Learns this year because of the pandemic, but the program still will be conducted online. Faculty are urged to join in on discussions about the hot-button issues of our day, coming at them from a Christian perspective.

The making of the annual Canyon Worship album, with 10 songs entirely by GCU students, is always an interesting story. But this year it got a little too interesting — when the pandemic hit last spring, two tracks had yet to be recorded. But they scrambled and pulled it together, and once again it’s a masterpiece that, most importantly, honors God through music.