Foundational Assumptions

1901 Photo of Baylor Campus, Yellowed by Time

Baylor’s Christian heritage and identity shape and direct the University’s entire mission. Assumptions grounded in faith will make our academic programs both distinctive and excellent, bring greater visibility to the University, and provide a framework for integrating our academic programs, our scholarship and learning, and our community relationships.

The foremost of these are:

That human decisions should be guided by God as His will and nature are revealed in the crucified and risen Jesus Christ;
That all truth is open to inquiry, though many truths will elude us and others may be accessible only through divine revelation;
That human life has a meaning and a purpose that is not simply a matter of human choice;
That we have a fallen nature that needs both healing and direction;
That we are a created part of nature but have been given responsibility as stewards — made in the image of God — for its care and management;
That we find the highest order of personal fulfillment in working constructively for the betterment of others, and that we have an obligation to do so;
That we need to be active, regularly worshiping members of the body of Christ as a context of our spiritual growth, as a source of encouragement, and as a partnership in the work of God’s kingdom;
That human beings flourish best in a functional and beautiful physical environment and among colleagues who respect, love, forgive, and support one another; and
That a university can be such a physical and social environment.