JOHN FARATZIS
Staff Writer
Professor Ron Highfield isn’t just your normal every-day Pepperdine religion professor. Highfield was elected as an elder in the University Church of Christ and has been joyfully teaching for 13 years now.
Committed to academic and religious excellence, Highfield is dedicated to making a difference in the community.
The Church of Christ is governed congregationally by the eldership, which is patterned after New Testament churches.
A New Testament church is one that is built around the Bible and adheres to its teachings strictly.
The elders are chosen by the congregation to make decisions that affect the church. They are chosen based on their experience, knowledge, maturity and good reputation.
Professor Highfield exhibits all of these qualities and is proud that he is able to help out with the church.
“It’s an honor to be selected to serve,” said Highfield.
The role of a church elder is to teach, pray and take care of the day to day decision making that goes on in the church. The elders serve as an inspirational guide to all those in the congregation. Only those men that can most effectively encourage the congregation as they serve Jesus Christ are chosen to be church elders.
A Church of Christ elder is one that the people can turn to in a moment of crisis. They are there to help out in a time of need and inspire the congregation to examine themselves and their beliefs.
Not only is Highfield a University Church of Christ elder, founder and co-coordinator of Restoration Theological Research Fellowship, a member of the American Academy of Religion and apart of the Christian Theological Research Fellowship, he is also a highly esteemed religion professor.
Highfield approaches teaching with a style that actively engages students and helps them too examine themselves and their beliefs.
He applies the same passion to his teaching that he does to being an elder in the church.
“I want to give students an opportunity to hear some great thoughts and examine themselves,” he said.
He believes it is important to offer a broad range of ideas to his students and to let them really think about what they are reading and learning.
He thinks about the tough questions and provokes deeper thought about life itself. By taking this hands-on approach to teaching and learning, Highfield is able to engage his students and really let them think about their religion.
Highfield isn’t the only one who thinks he is getting through to his students. His colleagues agree.
“Students really appreciate his teaching style, the passion he brings to his subject,” said Professor Michael Lasley, Pepperdine English professor. “They really appreciate the way he cares for them as individuals, not just students.”
As well as offering some profound theological questions, he can also offer some sound business advice.
“You better treat people well you never know who’s going to be your boss someday,” said Highfield in his sermon “The Church Angels See.”
Professor Ron Highfield is highly respected by not only his students but also his colleagues.
Professor Highfield has written numerous essays on Christianity, including “An Essay on the Christian Mission in Higher Education,” which won first prize in the Ted Ward Writing Award contest.
He has also given many lectures and speeches on a wide range of topics, mostly based around questions of theology.
Professor Ron Highfield attended Harding University and the Harding Graduate School of Religion. When asked about how the atmosphere of Harding differs from that of Pepperdine University he said, “Harding is in the south, there’s a general cultural difference.”
He chose Harding because it was a Christian school and a safe place. He also had friends who attended there and recommended it to him. Professor Highfield said that he had a great experience at Harding.
After Harding, he received his Ph.D. and M.A. at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
03-25-2008
