John Leland Center for Theological Studies

The John Leland Center for Theological Studies engaged science in the curriculum and beyond. Two core theological courses were revised to include and engage science. Dr. Ken Pruitt, President, engaged with perspectives from clinical psychology to enhance his core course, Pastoral Care & Counseling. Dr. John Lee, Academic Dean and project lead, engaged neuroscience in his course, Spiritual Formation in consultation with Dr. Erin Smith, psychologist at California Baptist University. Furthermore, Dr. Lee brought in scientific help to update the Leland Center’s academic assessment strategy, incorporating methods and frameworks from developmental and educational psychology in consulation with Dr. Tim Curby at George Mason University, and brought faculty their first teaching workshop to focus on the online classroom, incorporating insights from broad engagement with psychological sciences and science-informed pedagogical best practices, as well as perspectives from science and technology studies. These engagements represent some of the broad opportunities for institutional science engagement and the development of capacity for such engagement across multiple dimensions of theological education.

The John Leland Center for Theological Studies is a Baptist-affiliated seminary located in Arlington, Virginia.