The Circle

"Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations wherever you come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone; whereby in them you may be a blessing, and make the witness of God in them to bless you."

— George Fox, 1656
Cofounder of the Religious Society of Friends

Welcome! 

Your early years at George Fox will be full of the possibilities and unknowns that come with a new experience. We have designed the early GFU career faculty experience, which we call The Circle, to help you navigate this experience and foster a Christ-centered academic culture among our faculty. Over the first five years, you will encounter our institutional folkways while developing reflectively as a faculty member at a faith-based university.

The Circle is rooted in the Society of Friends thought and practice. Quaker circles are places for seeking the voice of God together. They use questions to cultivate individual discernment and community practices—all in the effort to pursue Christ in everything. Circles are fundamentally places of deep listening: to God, to one another, and to ourselves. In 1910, a year before becoming George Fox's president, Levi Pennington wrote a piece claifying Quaker theology. He summarized that "Only through the living can God accomplish his work. We must pray and we must give – but no giving can meet the world’s need and God’s requirement unless we give ourselves." As a faculty community, we continue this commitment and practice of giving our very selves to God.

What to Expect

Every year, The Circle will center on building intentional community and forging meaningful connections between faith and work, especially in the areas of teaching, scholarship, and service. To accomplish this, faculty participate in small group meetings in cross-enterprise triads, fall gatherings, a May Deep Dive retreat, and individualized coaching. Throughout the year, they are encouraged to adopt a selection of rhythms and practices to enhance their learning. How this looks specifically will vary based on a faculty's previous experience and background.