College of Theology

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.

Dr. Rich Holland, Assistant Professor in the College of Theology, has some interesting stories to tell about his books, his teaching style and the feedback he has received from students about how he intertwines philosophy and theology. But it all comes down to this: “Being able to have an impact on our students is what gets me up in the morning,” he said.

Deborah Haralson, IT and IT/cyber faculty lead, wore virtual pink hair and asked students to fill out an online poll about the RAM on their computers. Mechanical Engineering Technology instructor Dina Higgins hit play on her first “Safety Minute” segment. College of Education Assistant Professor Dr. Brandon Juarez started class with a prayer and said he would help students look into how they can become great classroom teachers. Professors and students navigated the first day of class online in the COVID-19 world while looking forward to Sept. 28, when they’ll see each other in person for the first day of on-campus instruction. “While not under the best circumstances, it was a great first day overall,” said technology student Alex Schaeffer.

Dr. Jason Hiles, Dean of the College of Theology, wanted to build a website that would benefit students but also churches, Christian schools and the general public. His vision has resulted in theologycommons.org, which features an audiobook as well as an ebook. “We’re trying to offer some resources to people who want to go a little deeper,” Hiles said.

The College of Theology’s Barnabas Pastoral Program, which begins in the fall semester, quickly has caught on with students who felt a nudge from God to become a pastor. There’s a consistency to their stories that proclaims God’s power to speak through them when they least expected it.

Alexander Manire never thought that his attempt to prove the Bible wrong would result in his conversion to Christianity, nor did he know that it would turn him into a Christian author. Now, with multiple books published under the pen name Chris F. Walker, Manire has taken on a new journey: the path to his GCU degree in Christian Worldview.

Christian Worldview 101 often inspires students, and now they have another class that could expand their faith. Beginning with the fall semester, Christian Life: The Way of Jesus will help them apply their faith to their career. “I think it will be good for students in any program,” said Brett Berger, part of the three-man committee that crafted the CWV 316 curriculum.

A lot happened at GCU near the end of the 2019-20 academic year, but nothing could come close to the significance of COVID-19 forcing students off campus in March. Athletics also felt the brunt of the pandemic with the WAC Basketball Tournament and spring sports being canceled, but the hirings of new basketball coaches Bryce Drew and Molly Miller made for a promising future.

From remote graduation parties to a graduation ceremony on Zoom to a social-distance-minded graduation dinner al fresco from a parking lot across from a Texas Roadhouse, GCU’s Lopes found a way to celebrate even though they couldn’t be together on campus for Commencement.