Disciplinary Assumptions and Values
Humankind is comprised of biological, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions. These dimensions exist not in simple additive relationships, but in interactions; that is, persons form wholes which are greater than the sum of their parts. This model provides the framework within which the psychology faculty theorize, conduct research, enter scholarly debate, form pedagogy, and teach. Behavioral science and religious faith complement one another and provide multiple planes of explanation; however, they are not independent of each other. Faith informs one's hypotheses about human behavior, what one decides to study, and how one carries out behavioral research. Likewise, the scientific study of psychology may well carry implications for one's religious beliefs and experiences.

Philosophy of Teaching
Both faculty and students are learners; however, faculty in their role as teachers have the responsibility to model love of learning. Teaching and evaluation processes are to be motivating, redemptive, and rigorous. They should nurture critical thinking skills, include a variety of methods and engage a variety of cognitive modalities, and elicit the higher cognitive functions of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Philosophy of Research
The scientific method provides a primary process for grounding knowledge; however, it is not the only legitimate means of knowing. The phenomenological and metaphysical offer insights into areas of study less accessible to science. Ultimately, the scientific method should not lead to reductionistic perspectives on humankind.

Basic, applied, and action research complement one another, and each is to be valued. Research should be grounded in theory, methodologically sound, and ultimately applicable to serving the needs of God's human and non-human creation. Scholarship in psychology and its implications are to be translated to lay audiences, while maintaining the integrity of the scholarship.

Philosophy of Service
Followers of Jesus are called by his life and teachings to serve in gentleness, humility, and strength, and to seek out the marginalized and hurting. All teaching and scholarship should be perceived as service to God and on behalf of God's creation; the goals of which should be to model, prepare, and inspire students to seek out opportunities to serve in their world.