As a Christ-centered educational community, the founders of today’s Samford University turned to the legacy of the British reformer John Howard (1726-1790) for inspiration.
That inspiration yielded a focus on the relationships shared by faith and intellect, virtue and benevolence—relationships that have animated the university’s commitments and patterns of life for almost two centuries.
As an expression of the benevolence of Marvin and Frances Mann, the Mann Institute for Christian Faith and Learning advances those commitments and patterns of life amongst Christian educators, the ways those educators serve the Church, and through the vocations the Church seeks to nourish.
Our Mission
The Mann Institute fosters the integration of Christian faith across the disciplines to form educators for faithful service to students, the academy, and the Church.
By fostering the integration of Christian faith across the disciplines, the Mann Institute:
- Initiates, resources, shares, and celebrates advanced research, teaching and service offered by Christian educators
- Serves as a catalyst for connectivity amongst Christian educators serving the Samford University community
- Offers ongoing vocational discernment, formation, and community for Christian educators
- Nurtures relationships shared by Christian educators and the local and global Church.
“The integration of Christian faith with rigorous academic and professional education is the most important educational distinctive at Samford.
The university’s Christ-centered mission compels us to form graduates and citizens who can think critically and Christianly about the world around them and the disciplines they study. We seek to develop people who can employ biblical and theological perspectives as they endeavor to act justly, love mercifully and walk humbly with our Creator. Given the resources Samford will direct towards this new initiative, the Mann Institute will immediately be one of the largest university centers for faith-learning study and work in the world.”
— Beck A. Taylor, President
“The mission of Samford University is to nurture persons in their development of intellect, creativity, faith and personhood. The Mann Institute for Christian Faith and Learning will support this mission, furthering efforts in the scholarship and practice of faith integration and service as a critical educational distinctive at Samford.”
— David Cimbora, Provost and vice president for Academic Affairs
