College of Theology

By Laurie Merrill GCU News Bureau Separating faith from work is no easier than separating gender or ethnicity from work, Dr. Daisy Savarirajan told about 75 Grand Canyon University faculty during a “Lunch and Learn” session Friday. “I can’t separate one from the other,” said Savarirajan, a College of Science, Engineering and Technology microbiology instructor. “When I’m serving the students, I’m serving Christ.” Savarirajan discussed “Christ in the Classroom” during one of a series of peer-led talks about assimilating faith into teaching. The sessions are part of GCU’s Integration of Faith, Learning and Work initiative under Dr. Jason Hiles, College of Theology dean. She referenced John 4:35, which reads, “ … look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” This refers to people who would have eternal life in His kingdom, she said. “I see this campus as a field that is ready for harvest.” Teaching microbiology gives her the context for God’s calling, which is to save lives. Focusing on one’s true calling, or the big picture, gives work meaning, Savarirajan said. Otherwise it can feel demeaning, discouraging or draining. She believes her purpose in the classroom is to represent Christ and allow God’s spirit to work in her. She also uses […]

This week’s Antelope Intros feature a spirited new employee who’s passionate about a wide range of things, especially her husband, and a guy who sings the praises of his wife — and just likes to sing, period.

The College of Theology’s Ministry Forum tackled the three different views of communion (Memorial, Lutheran, Reformed) in a session Monday that sparked a lot of discussion. In the end, the three speakers — Dr. Joshua Greever, James Waddell and Dr. Shawn Bawulski — agreed that while there are definite differences among the three viewpoints, there also are a lot of similarities.

The second “Lunch and Learn” in the College of Theology’s Integration of Faith, Learning and Work was called “Communication and the Christian Faith,” and the talk Friday morning by Josh Danaher of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences sparked a lot of discussion. Danaher said that communicating effectively can be difficult at times for everyone, even those who do it for a living, and he suggested ways to be a better listener and, thus, get your message across.

Neither rain nor lightning nor dust storm nor traffic could detract from Grand Canyon University’s online commencement ceremonies Friday and Saturday. Once the attendees were safely inside GCU Arena, which took some doing when the dust started blowing Friday, there were congratulations for a job well done and triumphantly raised fists to signify an impressive achievement.

Sandra Seelhammer of Faribault, Minn., is showing how a degree in Christian studies can be utilized in the working world, and she certainly has a world of work: She’s a mom, an emergency dispatcher and a coordinator for multi-agency response strategies to domestic violence crimes. Yet she still is on course to graduate with honors.

What does the Bible say about whether babies should be baptized or whether the sacrament should wait until after an individual can profess his or her faith and join the body of Christ? As four faculty members from the GCU College of Theology pointed out during a Ministry Forum on campus Monday, a definitive Biblical answer is not available. The debate on paedobaptism (infant baptism) and credobaptism (believer’s baptism) continues.

Among the thousands of people who plan to participate a walk to benefit breast cancer patients, families and research later this month are GCU employees Woody and Allison Mason, who have been on a long cancer journey of their own. Woody’s identical twin, Dilon, is a three-time cancer survivor who got a new lease on life, thanks to his brother’s donation of stem cells, and Allison has been there every step of the way. GCU Today has a story about them that includes GCU’s heart for the walk and how you can sign up.

Photos by Darryl Webb GCU News Bureau Grand Canyon University on Monday had an open house at its new recording studio, and guests got to see a space that is roomy and functional — and even has a great view of the Valley. President/CEO Brian Mueller and Center for Worship Arts Director Bart Millard addressed the crowd, and Maddison Harris, Tanner Krenz and Desiree Aguilar performed their songs from the Canyon Worship EP.  

GCU’s new recording studio was unveiled for local church leaders Monday, and it was like being lost in space — there’s a lot of square footage in all those rooms on the fourth floor of the new engineering building. And Center for Worship Arts students won’t just have room to maneuver, they’ll also have a great view of the Valley from their new perch.