Faith & Learning

Mission

Pepperdine is a Christian university committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.

Vision

Pepperdine University will be a preeminent, global, Christian university, known for the integration of faith and learning, whose graduates lead purposeful lives as servant-minded leaders throughout the world.

Our vision statement declares what we intend to become. George Pepperdine envisioned an institution that would transform students' lives so that they would, in turn, impact culture. He imagined a vast body of alumni—men and women conscious of their good fortune, recipients of the generous gift of a Christian education—who would feel the moral imperative to serve others sacrificially. Hence, the school's motto: "Freely ye received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8).

Affirmation Statement

As a Christian university Pepperdine affirms:

• That God is
• That God is revealed uniquely in Christ
• That the educational process may not, with impunity, be divorced from the divine process
• That the student, as a person of infinite dignity, is the heart of the educational enterprise
• That the quality of student life is a valid concern of the University
• That truth, having nothing to fear from investigation, should be pursued relentlessly in every discipline
• That spiritual commitment, tolerating no excuse for mediocrity, demands the highest standards of academic excellence
• That freedom, whether spiritual, intellectual, or economic, is indivisible
• That knowledge calls, ultimately, for a life of service.

Since 1999, the Pepperdine Center for Faith and Learning (CFL) has been a primary catalyst for the pursuit of integrating the University's commitment to Christian faith with its pursuit of academic excellence.

CFL works to equip faculty in incorporating the integration of faith and learning in their teaching, scholarship, and life. Additionally, CFL provides opportunities for students, staff, administration, and the broader Pepperdine community to explore the intersections of faith and learning through various events and activities. With the support of faculty, staff, and alumni, students at Pepperdine have the opportunity to explore their vocations and to pursue programs that integrate faith and learning. 

The Center for Faith and Learning frequently collaborates with other departments at the University to contribute to Pepperdine's wider goals around spiritual life and formation.