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Distinctively Christian Higher Education as the Wholistic Formation of Students

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Innovating Christian Education Research

Abstract

Christian colleges are in a unique position to honestly address the spiritual and moral issues that people of every age face daily. What is distinctively Christian about Christian higher education is the wholistic formation of students—personally, professionally and spiritually. This chapter considers Excelsia College as a case study of the challenge of building a distinctively Christian higher education Institution, especially in the context of the increasing secular nature of higher education in Australia, the diminishing Christian student market and challenges brought about by the growth in international student enrolments. More specifically, this chapter investigates staff perceptions of student formation and considers their understanding of the College mission and their role in the wholistic development and growth of students. Using interviews, this qualitative study aims to understand how teaching staff at Excelsia College perceive student formation, their attitudes towards the varying dimensions of formation, and how they act in ways that might promote or hinder student formation. Key findings relate to student formation as involving development of a coherent worldview as well as rich relationships; challenges to formation in cognitive, psychological and social domains; and suggested strategies for optimum formation. Staff perceptions are discussed in light of psychological theory and Trinitarian theology.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Excelsia College, Sydney, Australia

    Sunaina Gowan & Maureen Miner

Authors
  1. Sunaina Gowan
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  2. Maureen Miner
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Correspondence to Sunaina Gowan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Christian Heritage College (CHC), Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Johannes M. Luetz

  2. School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Johannes M. Luetz

  3. School of Law and Society, University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), Maroochydore, QLD, Australia

    Johannes M. Luetz

  4. Tyndale University College and Seminary, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Beth Green

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Gowan, S., Miner, M. (2021). Distinctively Christian Higher Education as the Wholistic Formation of Students. In: Luetz, J.M., Green, B. (eds) Innovating Christian Education Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8856-3_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8856-3_14

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  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-8856-3

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