Indoctrination, Liberal Education, and Evangelism in the University Classroom
Dr. Elmer Thiessen
Christian professors in pluralistic universities who are open about their Christian convictions in the classroom may be accused of indoctrinating students; and they may face similar challenges from non-Christian students attending Christian universities. Indoctrination is typically understood as the opposite of liberal education, and thus an immoral form of teaching. How might Christian professors respond in such concerns?
On Thursday, 17 February 2022 at 1400 UTC/GMT, Prof. Elmer Thiessen, retired professor of philosophy at Medicine Hat College in Alberta, Canada, will contend, drawing upon his own teaching experiences, that neutrality in the classroom is impossible. But professional and ethical constraints limit what should be done to evangelize students in the classroom. This webinar’s purpose is to help Christian professors think about classroom practices as they seek both to educate students and live their Christian faith.
In preparation for this webinar, read through the introduction and chapter 9, “Evangelism in Professional Life: The Academy,” of his book The Scandal of Evangelism: A Biblical Study of the Ethics of Evangelism (Cascade, 2018) or this review of the book.
You won’t want to miss this provocative and thought-provoking discussion about how effective teaching and evangelization intersect!
Free registration is available to INCHE members at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RO7tG3MKTVSd56OuBrBQ8w