Where do we find meaning in our lives? How do we discern our calling? What ignites our passions? Ideally, we seek God’s guidance to choose a vocation that helps us answer these questions. And often it is higher education that serves as a conduit, equipping students with the necessary skills to excel in their field, but more importantly, in life. College, especially the liberal arts, encourages and inspires students to contemplate big questions, develop self-expression, engage in rich conversations, and cultivate a commitment to excellence. Through this depth of learning and creativity, minds are renewed and souls are refreshed.
In a world where optimization often takes priority over meaning, efficiency surpasses stillness, and productivity gets more attention than human connection, we need Christian leaders and inspiring forward-thinkers more than ever. We need believers who are courageously faithful, willing to live out their callings and set an example of how to lean into a nuanced worldview, one that doesn’t resist newness but asks “How?” and “Why?” This is particularly important as the world grapples with the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI)—how do we engage with it while staying connected to what makes us human?
At the start of the 2025-26 academic year, Azusa Pacific University formed the AI Governing Committee, the AI Stewardship Group, and an AI policy, while also introducing Google Gemini as a tool for learning. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to explore how AI can be an asset when it exists within an ethical framework. Faculty underscore that students should use AI as an enhancement tool for learning. When used responsibly, it can spark ideas, organize thoughts, and point students toward resources they may not have considered. The work of researching, engaging with study material, developing ideas, and learning how to execute them should always be a student’s own doing.
A paramount role for educators is to prepare students for the workforce and society. Based on a recent survey by AIResumeBuilder.com, 58% of U.S. companies require employees to use AI tools. According to a survey by Hult, 97% of HR leaders say it is important that new hires have a strong fundamental understanding of technology-related topics such as AI, yet just 20% of recent graduates nationwide say they have this level of understanding. Responsibly engaging with AI technology is becoming necessary in a plethora of fields. Being an informed researcher, thinker, and Christian means grasping the nuance of AI usage. As any new technology can bring about enhancement, it can also introduce disruptions. Before AI, the Agricultural, Industrial, and Digital revolutions changed the way humans live while presenting disruptions and unintended consequences. So while we can be encouraged by God-given ideas that have enabled new technology, we need to also be cautious when some of these ideas bring about drawbacks that can be harmful to humans and the world around us.
In a setting where we commit to putting God First, our Four Cornerstones of Christ, Scholarship, Community, and Service tap into human connection as a driving force of how we live out our callings. With those values in mind, APU supports the use of any tool—whether that be AI, nursing simulation rooms, or theater sets—to enhance human connection. As the current digital lifestyle beckons us to be less interdependent and more isolated from each other, we need to be intentional about our efforts to listen to and converse well with each other. By doing so, we will not succumb to comfortable conveniences, easy answers, and the tyranny of performance and productivity. Further, Christians should lean into AI because it represents an opportunity to influence how this technology shapes our world. If we step back out of fear, we lose the chance to help guide it in ways that align with biblical values of justice, stewardship, and love for others. Leaning in doesn’t mean embracing every use of AI uncritically—it means being present, engaged, and thoughtful about how it is applied.
As faculty commit to learning more about AI and all its facets, the enduring value
of the liberal arts is clear. Some in society will approach AI with excitement and
others will see its expansion as anxiety producing. Pursuing education in the humanities,
arts, and sciences offers students the experiences, knowledge, and development of
their own perspective to answer a question people have asked for centuries: What does
it
mean to be human?
As technologies such as AI produce unprecedented, and at times superficial, advancement
to humanity, while introducing some unintended consequences, the liberal arts will
continue to play a vital role in anchoring
us in the profoundness of our humanity—truth, goodness, and beauty, which are things
technology can’t replace.
Rico Vitz, PhD, director and professor in APU’s Honors College, shared his views on the utility of
AI and the significance of studying the humanities. Vitz sees AI as a powerful research
tool, especially for students new to navigating academic databases. Its primary benefit
is efficiency: by quickly identifying relevant, discipline-specific articles, AI saves
students the extensive time typically spent manually sifting through thousands of
sources. This crucial time can then be dedicated to the more valuable work of writing
and developing their own critical thoughts.
In the age of AI, studying the humanities offers a valuable addition to vocational training. Inspired by St. Irenaeus—“The glory of God is the human person fully alive”—Vitz finds that studying the humanities teaches students how to love God and neighbor well, because of the emphasis placed on character. "Part of being fully alive is being able to see the presence of God everywhere in all things," Vitz said.
What is truth? What does it mean to be virtuous? What is goodness? It is only through engaging with great art and deep discussions that the answers make themselves known as God speaks to us. “To abandon the pursuit of a human being fully alive is to abandon the actions that glorify God,” Vitz said.
English and Honors humanities major Kinley Hartz ’26 expressed how a liberal arts education has refreshed her soul: “In all the work we’re doing, from reading philosophical texts to analyzing stories, everything is infused with the love of God, and there is a strong sense of purpose to this education.” Reading classical works has strengthened Hartz’s faith, as she finds that in secular and Christian pieces that have shaped history, God is present through it all.
A liberal arts education encapsulates many disciplines. Instead of merely training students with the hard skills needed for a career, the liberal arts form a student’s personhood as he or she explores the intricacies of the cell, the rhythm of a poem, the logic of a philosophical argument, and the order in a mathematical equation. Having a broad sense of what it means to live and be human is the groundwork for entering any field—whether it be in the arts, technology, helping professions, or elsewhere—and for approaching work with a meaningful mission.
Mark D’Leon ’26, a music composition major, says a liberal arts education has contributed to his growth as a composer: “Pursuing an education in art is often misunderstood, because it’s not just about learning how to be creative; it’s about studying what it means to be human—to feel, think, live, and express ourselves.”
The arts are rooted in formation. It takes an understanding of oneself, the world we live in, and the people who make up society in order to create art that speaks to an audience’s souls. “Studying music at APU has reminded me of what is good in our lives,” D’Leon said.
D’Leon’s mentor, assistant professor Michelle Jensen, DMA, has played a large part in helping him realize that even on the hardest days, the privilege to study and make music is a blessing. The ability to make art and connect with humans through music is how D’Leon’s soul is refreshed.
The world is always changing. Every era of history has presented innovations that challenge humans on how to navigate progress, and ultimately how to be human. That’s why writers tell stories, musicians make music, and scientists do research. Hebrews 13:8 (NIV) says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” No matter the time we live in, He refreshes the soul. We honor His plans for our lives by pursuing what makes us feel alive, asking big questions, and building meaningful relationships. Responsibly leaning into AI and embracing the liberal arts are ways to make that possible.
Louise Huang, PhD, is a professor, vice provost for academic services, and director of the Center for Research in Science. [email protected]
Joe Desuta, MS, MBA, is chief information officer. [email protected]
Saundri Luippold ’25 is a writer of poetry and creative nonfiction. saundriluippold.com