Exploring Christian identity and interfaith cooperation in higher education
An 18-month cohort experience for Christian faculty
The Carver Project and Interfaith America welcome university faculty to participate in an 18-month cohort experience focused on exploring Christian identity and interfaith cooperation on non-Christian campuses.
The Newbigin Fellows are currently running from 2022-2025, and at this time all of our cohorts are full.
Discovering common ground in a pluralistic university environment
Christian faculty working at non-Christian universities are uniquely positioned to lead and engage across deep differences, having two feet planted in the worlds of both church and university. Drawing upon the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love, Christian faculty can model dialogue and relationships with colleagues, staff, and students of other faiths and of no faith. Learning and understanding how to partner effectively and discover common ground in the pluralistic environment of the university is an essential prerequisite to implementing these skills and practices in a broader society where the stakes are much higher.
Our Namesake
The Newbigin Fellows are named after theologian Lesslie Newbigin. Newbigin, who lived from 1909 to 1998, was the author of foundational works such as The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, Proper Confidence, and The Open Secret. In many ways, these works capture the spirit and goals of this cohort experience. Newbigin worked on a Christ-centered theology of interfaith engagement as a missionary in South India and later, in his work in a largely dechurched London.