The spheres of faith and academia overlap even more than you might possibly realize.
What does it mean to engage in faithful scholarship?
During a special workshop entitled “Defining and Refining the Scholar of Faith: A Workshop for Mormon Scholars in the Humanities,” this question formed the core of the two-week-long scholarly conversation about the intersection of faith and academia. Overseen by English professor Matthew Wickman (Literature and Spiritual Experience) and sponsored by the Faith and Imagination Institute, the workshop helped 11 Latter-day Saint PhD students understand how their various disciplines within the humanities can complement and strengthen their knowledge of faith, religion, and spirituality.
Literature, Spirituality, and Dogma
From June 10, 2024, to June 15, 2024, on the fourth floor of the JFSB, these students engaged in discussions guided by professors from both BYU and other educational institutions across the country. Each discussion focused on topics such as spirituality, the current state of the humanities, how to deal with failure, academic philosophy, and the graduate students’ own academic and professional paths.
After spending significant time dissecting and contemplating these subjects, students began working on personalized, anecdotal papers that concentrate on the topics discussed during the workshop. These papers will function as an exercise in writing and a statement of the graduate students’ spiritual and academic standings.
On Tuesday, June 18, each student received a 15-minute slot in which they could read the drafts of their papers, share outlines, or present their main ideas. With an end-of-July deadline for their final drafts, graduate students had ample time to blend what they learned during the workshop with their own anecdotes and writing styles, hopefully creating something reflective of their academic and spiritual experiences. Once they have been reviewed and edited, their papers will be published to the Faith and Imagination Institute website.
Reflections on Faith-Based Learning
The spirit of scholarship, discipleship, and kinship filled the room from the start of the workshop until the very end. As the graduate students shared their thoughts and experiences about how faith and religion have shaped their educational theologies and journeys, their testimonies demonstrated the close nature of the academic and religious spheres.
Haleigh Burgon, a student studying French at Boston University, spoke about how her experience of becoming a mother introduced both joy and hardship into her life and likened her journey of motherhood to her academic pursuits and her spiritual journey. She said, “Motherhood has been a surprising place of growth [for me].” As she read off the draft of her paper, she relayed just how intertwined her roles as mother, scholar, and faithful Latter-day Saint really are and how they can all work together to create something good.
Joseph Rowley, an art history student at Emory University, explained how his own experiences and struggles with his faith helped him to realize that “truth is something to be careful with, something to take care of.” Just as academia requires continuous research and dissection, so does faith. He argued that “knowledge is the killer of pride,” a principle he said applies to both religion and academia.
During one of the last discussions, David Miller, a Slavic languages and literatures student at the University of California, Los Angeles, pointed out that true academic understanding can stem from “a heightened spirituality rather than a heightened intellect.” One example Miller gave of this observation is how his knowledge of gospel principles deepened his understanding of certain Russian terminology, such as the God-centric language they use in prayers and blessings.
As the graduate students left the workshop, they took with them new ideas and inspirations—most of which they will likely integrate into their papers. Using a range of personalized topics and stories, graduate students find ways to liken their experiences and passions to their journeys of faith and scholarship.
To learn more about the Faith and Imagination Institute—and to read the graduate students’ final papers once they’re finished—visit their website.