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Olivia Wilder
Professor Lauber
Gospel Church & Culture
3/8/13

Quest. Each students time here at Wheaton College begins with a longing
to further their knowledge of how to be in this world: a quest for wisdom. Students begin this
journey through deciding a major, then entering into their exploration of Gods world through
that specific lens of study. Although many do not see this time in a Christian liberal arts
education as a pursuit or quest for wisdom, it is quite evident that faith and a search for godly
wisdom must be an integral part of a successful education. This time at Wheaton should be
viewed through the lens of Gods creation, grace, and shalom. When these principles are applied
to our studies, the wisdom and guidance are provided to lead us to the vocation God has planned
with a better knowledge of how to righteously live in His world.
My studies at Wheaton College will largely consist of both Psychology and the Arts. As I
am thrown into my second semester of this Christian liberal arts education, I have begun to
ponder how essential my faith is as a part of my pursuit of knowledge in these two areas. I have
realized that there are three Christian principles with which I wish to continually view my
education: Gods creation, grace, and shalom. If I am to work and study in light of these
fundamental ideas, I will be able to live life with the purpose God has provided.

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The doctrine of creation is an essential part of Christian faith; an integral part of our story
as followers of Jesus Christ. Believers in the doctrine of creation testify that before there was
existence or breath, there was God. God took emptiness and formed life. God created the world
and everything in it as an act of love. Cornelius Plantinga Jr. describes this act as one suitable to
the nature of God.
Creation is neither a necessity nor an accident. Instead, given Gods interior life that
overflows with regard for others, we might say creation is an act that was fitting for God.
It was so much like God to create, to imagine possible worlds and then to actualize one
of
them. Creation is an act of imaginative love. (23)
Creation illuminates the actuality of Gods creativity, and should evoke in us a certain
curiosity and longing to study those things that He has created. Reflection on creation allows us
to see the nature of the Creator more clearly and through that, His purpose for our lives. While
taking psychology and acting classes I am daily reminded of the intense and intricate beauty
woven into the minds and bodies of human beings. We have been created with intention;
therefore we should carry out our educations with purpose and intent. This doctrine of creation
changes the way I approach my education because I am called not only to marvel at Gods
creation, but also to be an imitator of Him in his creative and giving nature. These ideas
challenge me daily to reevaluate how I go through readings and materials in my classes.

Because I believe in a creative and selfless God, I desire to mirror His nature and reflect His light
to this world in a way for which I was uniquely created.
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Next to creation, grace is arguably the most important of Christian doctrines. Christians
believe that salvation is Gods gift of grace through faith (Bock 64). Through the death of His
Son, Jesus Christ, God provided a way for all people to be saved by grace. We are told numerous
times in scripture that our sins are continually forgiven and wiped away as we are saved by this
miracle of grace. Romans 4:23-34 says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.
The effect grace has on my everyday life is intensely humbling. I often have a hard time
accepting this gift that I have been given freely, but I cannot escape the truth. I have already
been entirely and completely accepted by Jesus Christ and I have no reason to hesitate in
following the path or occupation He has placed before me. Gods grace allows me to experience
life and education in such a way that I feel free to make mistakes or choose the wrong major. I
have already been given this gift. Plantinga words this idea perfectly,
This is one of the reasons a Christian college education is such an adventure for
believers in Christ. In a community of faith, blessed with an abundance of intelligence,
devotion, and experience, bound together by mutual respect and accountability,
Christians can explore the heights and depths of (among other things) the
contemporary world. Together, faculty, students, and staff can explore the world and its
cultures before presuming to appraise them; and to appraise them with an educated
judgment gained from communion with Jesus Christ (99).

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The final Christian principle I strive to live under both during and following my years at
Wheaton College is the promise of Gods shalom. To believe in shalom means to trust that God
will provide peace and well-being for His children in life on earth. God has promised to leave
His Holy Spirit inside of those who trust in His Word, and that Spirit brings peace to those who
will receive it. This idea of peace and shalom is illustrated in the gospel of John 14:27. Peace I
leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your
hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. God desires His people to be at peace in the world, and
to rely on Him for that peace.
Gods gift of perfect peace is something that can be received and used every moment of
the day. As education in a Christian liberal arts school becomes rigorous and challenging, there
is a temptation to fall into the trap of anxiety and self-doubt. We must be reminded of the reason
we are students in the first place. Loving and serving God should be the foundation for
everything else that you do at college. It is a requirement, not an elective (Ryken 16). When we
are presented with this unspoiled gift of peace and shalom, why are we ever anxious? It is most
important to remember this precious gift that God has so lovingly placed inside us because it
completely changes the way our lives are lived. God has already slain the enemy, there is
nothing to fear.
A Christian liberal arts education is both challenging and rewarding. Through this
journey to knowledge, there are many opportunities to set God and faith off to the side. But in
doing so, there is a neglect of the things that are necessary to a true understanding of the world in

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which we live. In order to fathom the story and nature of this world, it is vital to have knowledge
of the Author of this masterpiece.
To that end, a Christian liberal arts education grounds us in the truths of the Christian
faith even as it orients us to the world that lies all before us. As out restless hearts make
their way through the world, such an education can illuminate the darkness and point us
to the end, which is---and who is---Jesus Christ (Lundin 79).

Word Count- 1,240

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Works Cited

Bock, Darrell L. Recovering the Real Lost Gospel: Reclaiming the Gospel As Good News.
Waterville, Me: Christian Large Print/Gale Cengage Learning, 2010. Print.
Davis, Jeffry C, Philip G. Ryken, and Leland Ryken. Liberal Arts for the Christian Life.
Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012. Print.
Plantinga, Cornelius. Engaging God's World: A Christian Vision of Faith, Learning, and Living.
Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans, 2002. Print.