Faith Formation

Definition:  New students will explore spiritually formative opportunities at Baylor through Christian worship, faith practices, and the witness of faculty, staff, and students.

Learning Outcomes—

Students will:

Identify at least two resources that assist students with developing and strengthening their understanding of faith.

1. Describe what is distinctive about attending a Christian university.
2. Begin to understand how faith integrates with and informs calling and academic life.
3. Begin to articulate how faith leads to an ethic of care, compassion, and empathy.

Achieved Through Programs Including:

Line Camp and Welcome Week Ceremonies, Two Religion classes and other curricular experiences, Pastoral and Community Support, Chapel Experiences, Resident Chaplain Ministry and other residential programming, NSE courses

Lesson Plans

My Chapel Plan - At Baylor, there are many ways that students can earn their required chapel credits. Use this lesson to ask students to lay out a strategy for how they will achieve this part of their education over the course of their time at Baylor. More importantly, it asks them to be intentional about how they will incorporate spiritual formation into their undergraduate educational experience.  

Religion, Spirituality, and the Classroom at Baylor -  For some students, the things they are learning as an undergraduate are not only challenging academically. They are also challenging personally. In other words, classwork can sometimes be disorienting, and this unit tries to provide some space for students to reflect on what they are learning and how they are learning it, especially as it relates to their spiritual lives. In this lesson plan, it is important that instructors support the work happening in the core curriculum (and beyond) at Baylor and allow for honest reflection on the student’s part.

Chapel Reflection  – In this exercise, students must attend one chapel experience and then reflect upon it in a one-page writing assignment. What was their experience like, and how might it help their spiritual formation as Baylor students?

Resources

Pastoral Care – Our Chaplain Burt Burleson Burt_Burleson@baylor.edu and the staff at the Office of Spiritual Life are willing and able to help your NSE class as you reflect on the importance of Spiritual Formation. Their office may be reached at (254)710-3517 if you would like to request their assistance with conversations surrounding faith formation at Baylor. 

The Spiritual Life staff has compiled a list of online resources for students, one of which is a virtual prayer wall.

Spiritual Life website - The Office of Spiritual Life maintains a useful website to assist you as you teach and understand faith formation as part of the Baylor undergraduate student experience. It includes resources for faculty and staff that you may wish to consider.  

Additional Online Resources - Although this resource is directed primarily at the student experience during the most difficult moments of the global pandemic, there yet remain a number of useful links and ideas for classroom use, including a virtual prayer wall.