Abstract

The Introduction begins with a discussion of the misalignment in higher education between the expanded aims of many institutions and the actual organization of their learning. Three key elements of the Lilly Endowment’s Program on the Theological Exploration of Vocation is examined in this context: the theme of vocation and its integration of curricular and co-curricular learning to address the “whole student,” practices of reflection drawn from different religious traditions and their successful adaptation by the vocation programs, and the educative power of learning communities comprising students, faculty, and staff. The Introduction concludes with an overview of the research project on which the book is based, along with an outline of the arc of argument that spans the following chapters.