Many evangelical Christians know very little about Biola University—a concerning fact, given that since its inception over one hundred years ago (est. 1908), its faculty and staff have continuously and faithfully worked to enact a rich tradition of reconciling creation with its Creator via the power of Scripture. This relentless commitment, however, should not come as a surprise, given that the word “Biola” was originally an acronym that stood for the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Accordingly, since the first day of instruction, its classrooms and offices have been filled by committed Christian professors, administrators, staff, and students who desire nothing more than to live out the two greatest commandments (Matt. 22:36–40). This desire has been clearly expressed in the three values held by the institution: truth, transformation, and testimony. The idea is simple: Through the education of the mind (truth), one’s heart will be solidified in God’s will while engulfed in loving desires (transformation) culminating in one’s ability to bring shalom and redemption wherever God may lead (testimony).
That is the ethos and telos of the institution, which is clearly exemplified within both its mission and its vision. The mission is “biblically centered education, scholarship and service—equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ,” and the vision is “a community abiding in truth, abounding with grace and compelled by Christ’s love to be a relevant and redemptive voice in a changing world” (“Mission, Vision and Values”).
These core beliefs have guided and shaped the work of numerous well-known authors, professors, and administrators—during the past 120 years—who have worked or currently work at the university. A few examples are J. P. Moreland, William Lane Craig, Elizabeth Hall, Todd Hall, Sean McDowell, Scott B. Rae, Fred Sanders, Barry Corey, J. Vernon McGee, June Hetzel (one of the editors of the book being reviewed), and Utche Anizor. (Disclaimer: I apologize to all others who should be included but are not due to space limitations. God knows there have been many beyond this list.) Their coherent effort has successfully equipped thousands of students who have gone into the world as witnesses to and reflection of the light of the world (John 8:12; Matt. 5:14–16).
[T]he Biola faculty in the School of Education recently produced yet another excellent tool by which to carry out the university’s purpose. It is an edited textbook titled Biblical Integration Models for Educators (Hetzel and Coddington).
Within such a rich tradition of Christian leadership, scholarship, and service, the Biola faculty in the School of Education recently produced yet another excellent tool by which to carry out the university’s purpose. It is an edited textbook titled Biblical Integration Models for Educators (Hetzel and Coddington). The editors, Dr. June Hetzel (the founding dean of the School of Education) and Dr. Lorelei Coddington (the chair of the Liberal Studies Department and Interim Associate Dean), challenged the School of Education’s faculty to put together chapters elucidating models of education by which K–12 educators could integrate their faith within their classrooms—in short, models that could help Christian teachers shine light into darkness within their profession. The result became a sixteen-chapter textbook with the ability to equip teachers to do just that within any sort of educational milieu: in public, private, charter, home, missionary, virtual, or international schools.
The Structure of the Textbook
The textbook is organized into five main sections: the introduction, “Foundational Models,” “Relational Models,” “Cross-Disciplinary Curricular Models,” and the conclusion. Each of these sections is composed of different chapters written in plain, non-academic language, including colorful illustrations of the models that help augment the reader’s understanding.
The Introduction
In the introduction, the two editors, as well as Dr. Nicholas Block (the textbook’s theological reviewer and the author of some of the chapters), offer the rationale and structure for the process one will find within the rest of the book, along with a brief explanation of each of the models. This introductory chapter also presents a succinct yet great explanation of the working definition of “biblical integration,” as well as a brief answer (i.e., one paragraph) to the question, What does the textbook mean by “a model” for living out one’s faith in the classroom? (For a free copy of this chapter, use the link in the Works Cited list below.)
“Foundational Models”
In this section, readers will find the chapters “Truth, Transformation, and Testimony,” “Worldview Model,” “John the Baptist Model,” and “Conversation Model.” All of these have been deemed foundational models because they provide teachers with a “starting place for looking at some broader, big picture” approaches to integrate faith into the classroom (6). In other words, these models suggest that the Christian teacher—similarly to what has been expressed above regarding Biola alumni, staff, and faculty—should always be aware of how education can and must be a conduit for truth, transformation, and testimony. This realization by the teacher should become a catalyst that leads students back to the Creator by recognizing how complex, grandiose, and beautiful the universe is (Pss. 8:3–4; 147:4; Job 38). This is an abridged version of this article. To read more, subscribe to Christian Educators Journal.
Works Cited
Hetzel, June, and Lorelei Coddington. Biblical Integration Models for Education. Kendall Hunt, 2023.
“Mission, Vision and Values.” Biola University, www.biola.edu/about/mission. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Luciano Cid is an associate professor of education at Biola University, where he also directs the Elementary Education Program. One of his main professional foci is the integration of biblical truths into the educational system, particularly with regard to classroom and behavior management.
