Building on a strong legacy

In 2014, Wheaton College launched a center called Opus: The Art of Work with a generous grant from the Kern Family Foundation. Kern extended this grant every year for a total of more than $2 million. Built around a Christian vision for vocation and human flourishing, Opus introduced and encouraged conversations about Christian calling and the theology of work at Wheaton College. It provided training for dozens of faculty and staff from all divisions to be vocational mentors and teachers for students. These faculty and staff were enabled to create vocational discernment opportunities for students, mentor Wheaton students vocationally, and introduce evangelical voices to public discussions around faith and work.

Dr. Chris Armstrong, the Founding Director of Opus, and Ben Norquist, Assistant Director, worked to support the development of an ecosystem of teachers and mentors who would provide students with a Christian vision for their future work and introduce them to the spiritual disciplines that would shape them to be leaders in their vocations. Over 160 unique lessons, lectures, and activities were introduced into the curriculum; faculty from 60% of Wheaton’s departments received in-depth training; dozens of students were trained in redemptive approaches to entrepreneurship; and more than 15 original articles and essays have been authored and read across the institution.

After the first five years of partnership with the Kern Family Foundation in advancing this work, Wheaton College is expanding Opus’s scope and impact. To reflect this change, Opus has taken a new name: the Wheaton Center for Faith & Innovation (CFI). Designed to preserve and build on Opus’s legacy, CFI continues to serve Wheaton faculty and staff. But CFI now also serves Wheaton students, alumni, and workplace practitioners across the country.

The Wheaton Center for Faith & Innovation’s work will lead national faith and work conversations with conferences, writing, and student projects that emphasize the Christian calling to whole-life discipleship. This discipleship includes the integration of faith and theology with the daily work and vocational callings of believers. As Wheaton faculty and other scholars generate research that integrates theology with leading-edge marketplace practices and ideas, CFI helps disseminate those resources through scholarly publications, ongoing blog posts, and a book series. The new vision for the Wheaton Center for Faith & Innovation is led by a team of directors—Co-Directors, Executive Director, Dr. Hannah Stolze and Director of Theological Integration, Dr. Keith Johnson (School of Bible, Theology and Archaeology), and Benjamin Norquist (Lead Innovation Manager)—and reports to Dr. Sarah Miglio (Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs).