Faculty Testimonials
Joseph Bentz, Ph.D.
Joseph Bentz, Ph.D., professor of English, teaches courses in American literature and writing at APU, is the author of four novels, and recently took the Faith Integration courses.
Bentz described how the classes provided a unique opportunity to study with professors from other departments. He explained that an "understanding" of one another’s work came about. The classes are small and allow faculty from many departments to develop relationships.
The Faith Integration courses also impacted Bentz spiritually. Fowler taught the classes how to read and approach the study of the Bible in a new way. He took this knowledge with him into his own classroom, doing a study on the story of Lot’s wife from Genesis and used the tools from his courses in his literature and writing classes. The story was discussed in a literary way, and had he not taken the courses, he never would have approached it in that way.
Bentz felt the courses were "inspiring, refreshing, and stretching."
Kimberly Battle-Walters, Ph.D.
Kimberly Battle-Walters, Ph.D., is a professor in the area of grant and proposal writing, research, policy, family violence, and general sociology. She also teaches for the APU Operation Impact Program, which allows her to teach throughout the world. She is an ordained minister and speaks and participates in ministry in the Los Angeles area and the world
The classes have been personally beneficial for Kimberly Battle-Walters, Ph.D., associate professor of social work, especially in regard to message planning for her ministry. She has become more rigorous in her planning and sees the necessity and benefit of seeking more resources.
She is more sensitive to the title and role of "Christian," and how often Christians take that name and their faith for granted. Battle-Walters has become more sensitive to the value of being called a Christian. In the classroom, she has become excited about integrating faith into all of her courses and desires to seek out natural integration and connections to the subject matter.
When asked about her most meaningful experience in the Faith Integration classes, Battle-Walters said that two words have remained in her mind, "prophetic utterance." This originates in the Old Testament. Prophetic utterance is when God speaks through a person. In 1 Samuel, Hannah weeps because she is unable to have children and prays to the Lord to bless her. When she is done praying, Eli says "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him" (1 Samuel 1:17 NIV). Later in the chapter, Hannah conceives and gives birth to a boy, whom she names Samuel. As Christians, we have the ability to speak the Word of God. There is power in the language Christians speak. Battle-Walters became fascinated/interested with this idea, and the importance of recognizing the power that Christians have when they speak, and what it means to be in tune with God’s spirit. Battle-Walters posed the question to herself, "how often are we that bold in our faith?" She has realized the powerful calling given to Christians to speak life and sees this as challenge that must be reflected upon and discussed both in and out of the classroom.
