Huntington University to Host Christian Thinking as Pilgrimage Conference

Conference will explore what it means to think like a Christian in today’s world

HUNTINGTON, Ind. — Huntington University’s Center for Faith Integration and Vocation will host Christian Thinking as Pilgrimage, a one‑day gathering exploring what it truly means to think like a Christian in today’s complex world.

In an increasingly post-secular age, faith, learning and personal identity are deeply intertwined. Traditional approaches that sharply contrast Christian and secular thought no longer fully address the realities Christian educators and students face. Instead, the conference frames Christian thinking as an intellectual pilgrimage — a journey marked by intentional self‑reflection and active engagement with differing perspectives.

This model of pilgrimage thinking offers new pathways for participants to better understand themselves, engage constructively in public discourse and contribute meaningfully to the ongoing vocation of Christian academic inquiry.

“At Huntington University, we are committed to fostering thoughtful, Christ-centered teaching and scholarship,” said HU President Dr. Rob Pepper. “This conference reflects that commitment by inviting faculty from a wide range of higher education contexts and traditions who are interested in the integration of faith and learning. We are grateful for the support of the CCCU and NetVue, as with their help, we believe this gathering will create space for rich dialogue, mutual learning and a shared pursuit of truth across diverse academic disciplines and communities.”

Attendees will hear from Douglas Jacobsen and Rhonda Hustedt Jacobsen, authors of Christianity and Intellectual Inquiry: Thinking as Pilgrimage (Oxford University Press, 2025). Together with scholars from a variety of Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) institutions and disciplines, they will lead a lively, thought‑provoking conversation on what it means to be a Christian intellectual pilgrim.

The conference is sponsored by the CCCU with additional support from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), a program of the Council of Independent Colleges.

Featured speakers and participants:

• Douglas “Jake” Jacobsen, PhD (Distinguished professor emeritus, church history & theology, Messiah University) — Co‑director, Religion in the Academy (RITA) Project; co‑author, Christianity and Intellectual Inquiry: Thinking as Pilgrimage (Oxford, 2025)
• Rhonda Hustedt Jacobsen, EdD (Professor emerita of psychology; former director of faculty development, Messiah University) — Co‑director, RITA Project; co‑author, Christianity and Intellectual Inquiry: Thinking as Pilgrimage
• Karen Lee, PhD (Provost, professor of English, Wheaton College) — Poet, fiction writer, critic and translator; former voting member, National Book Critics Circle; NEA Individual Artist’s Grant recipient
• Rob Pepper, PhD (President, Huntington University) — Experienced higher‑education leader with service spanning student life, graduate programs and university partnerships
• Alison R. Noble, PhD (Provost & SVP for academic affairs, Fresno Pacific University) — Chemistry scholar and higher‑ed leader; mentor with the Lilly Network Faculty Fellows program
• Jeffrey Tabone, PhD (Director of programs & student formation, John Wesley Honors College, Indiana Wesleyan University) — Scholar of faith‑and‑learning integration
• Kent Eilers, PhD (Professor of theology, Huntington University) — Author/editor of multiple volumes; co‑editor, Soteriology and Doxology series; Reading Theology Wisely finalist for Christianity Today Book of the Year
• Kimberly Fenstermacher, PhD (Dean, School of Nursing, Palm Beach Atlantic University) — Co‑author, Called to Care: A Christian Vision for Nursing
• Todd C. Ream, PhD (Indiana Wesleyan University; Senior fellow, CCCU; publisher, Christian Scholar’s Review) — Author/editor of 19 books; hosts the “Saturdays at Seven” series
• Jordan Monson (Professor of missions & Old Testament; director, Center for Faith Integration & Vocation, Huntington University) — Contributor to Christianity Today, published biography of Katharine Barnwell in 2025

Attendees are encouraged to register online. Additional details (agenda, session descriptions and logistics) are available on the Huntington University event page.