This August, the Office of Faculty Development hosted its second set of 2025 faculty workshops. The featured speaker was , professor of philosophy emeritus at Geneva College and senior scholar at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology.
www.亚洲色 is rooted in the Reformed Christian tradition, which serves as the foundation for learning and teaching. Each year, Redeemer hosts two conferences that help faculty understand how to integrate faith in the classroom and in their scholarship.
Her covenantal framework offers wisdom that strengthens the way we teach and also deepens our own knowing of God; this, in turn, shapes how we serve our students.
Meek gave three lectures throughout the conference that explored her theories on epistemology鈥攖he study of knowledge鈥攁nd artistry. Her research builds on the work of philosopher Dr. Michael Polyani and his theory of subsidiary-focal integration, which emphasizes the importance of tacit, experience-based knowledge in understanding and 鈥渋ndwelling鈥 the whole. A key example, she explains, is riding a bike: 鈥淥nce you become a bike rider, the world opens up as bike-path possibilities.鈥 She then extends this idea with her original concept of covenant epistemology, arguing that the best knowledge paradigm is not focused on explicit information, but rather the 鈥渢he interpersonal, conventionally constituted relationship鈥 we have with God. She further argues, 鈥淩eality is person-like, so we need to invite the real.鈥 She contends that knowing is about transformation鈥攁n act rather than simply an object. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not fixating on, but you鈥檙e wearing. And when you鈥檙e wearing it, reality opens up,鈥 she says.
鈥淚t was a tremendous privilege for our faculty to be enriched by Dr. Esther Meek鈥檚 insights into Reformed epistemology鈥攈ow we know what we know,鈥 says Daniel Gilman, interim faculty chaplain and sessional assistant professor of history. 鈥淗er covenantal framework offers wisdom that strengthens the way we teach and also deepens our own knowing of God; this, in turn, shapes how we serve our students. It was especially encouraging to hear colleagues from across disciplines respond with creativity to the ways her work can guide both our teaching and the formation we seek for our students to the glory of God.鈥
The schedule also included a chapel service with president Dr. David Zietsma, four research sharing sessions, two faculty reappointment sessions, a tenure paper session and a faculty-staff social. Director of teaching and learning Nicole Benbow also hosted a session for faculty on how to understand and apply data from student learning feedback surveys.聽
Meek鈥檚 hopeful presence left faculty members inspired to teach with grace, wonder and joy.
鈥淒elight is the result of every sound Christian epistemology,” she says.