Research at the Center for Christian Thought

Research Fellowships

Each year, the Center for Christian Thought awards a variable number of Research Fellowships, for scholarship on a selected theme (e.g., the 2012-2013 academic year is devoted to work on Neuroscience and the Soul). These Fellowships are awarded both to Visiting Research Fellows and Biola Research Fellows. Research Fellows meet weekly for roundtable seminars with the Center's leadership, to share ideas, present their research, and sharpen each other’s thinking around their research project. 

Research Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in private roundtable seminars with Visiting Scholars, all of them experts from their respective fields, on topics related to the theme. Research Fellows will also have the opportunity to share the fruit of their research with the public:

• through the popularization efforts of the Center (see our Resources page and our blog, The Table, for examples of these efforts),
• during the Center’s Annual Conference (scheduled for the end of each academic year), and
• through contribution to a published volume, edited by the Center, on the selected yearly theme.

Pastor-in-Residence Fellowships

One of the goals of the Center is to serve the local Church. One of the ways we hope to facilitate this service is through Pastor-in-Residence Fellowships, awarded to two recipients for each theme year. 

The purpose of this fellowship is to bring Christian pastors into meaningful conversation with the scholarly work of the Center, in order to facilitate thoughtful teaching and pastoral counsel on these important topics. Recipients of this award will have the opportunity to:

• discuss the most pressing issues in psychology and spiritual formation with top scholars at weekly roundtable meetings, and
• develop a sermon series that connects these issues to your congregation.

Course Development Grants

In addition to the above fellowships, the Center also offers Course Development Grants for the purpose of stimulating the development and implementation of courses (or course segments) on the Center's theme in university curriculum. These grants are awarded accordingly:

• Course Development Faculty Awards ($5,000): The Center offers two awards each year to university faculty members who hope to develop and teach an undergraduate- or graduate-level course on that year's selected theme. Applicants are asked to provide evidence that the course can be taught at least twice during the four year span after the course award is made, and to submit a detailed syllabus for the course under consideration.
• Course Development Host Institution Award ($10,000): Institutions of the course deveopment faculty awards will also be awarded, with the understanding that at least half of the institutional award will be set aside for professional development or course enhancement opportunities for the award-winning faculty member.