The doctoral years are challenging and exhilarating. This stage also raises a particular set of spiritual dangers. These dangers never fully leave the Christian scholar, but at first glance they seem to pale in comparison to the “more serious work” involved in cultivating the life of the mind and aiming for outstanding results. Why should we take our character seriously if we are evaluated on the basis of competent scholarship? Should good work-related goals serve as ultimate aims in our callings? What do we lose if we place too much emphasis on obtaining knowledge over loving people? By dismissing, overlooking, neglecting, or failing to attend to our own spiritual formation and life with Jesus, we miss the whole point. This session will address how to approach the academic life as part of the greatest offer you will ever have: life with God.
