St. Edward's University Hosts National Scriptural Reasoning Training Hub

NetVUE-sponsored gathering convenes faculty and staff from 13 universities to explore inter-religious text study for undergraduate vocational discernment

AUSTIN, Texas — St. Edward’s University this week hosted 31 faculty members, staff and scholars from across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom for the Scriptural Reasoning Training Hub. 

The three-day intensive conference was organized through the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), a program of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The event brought together educators from 13 member institutions to learn how to implement Scriptural Reasoning on their campuses to support students in vocational exploration and life discernment. 

Scriptural Reasoning is an inter-religious and cross-disciplinary practice where small groups read and reflect on sacred texts from multiple traditions. Originally developed for interfaith engagement, the practice is increasingly utilized in undergraduate settings to help students explore questions of meaning, identity and calling. NetVUE is developing a nationwide Scriptural Reasoning for Vocation Reflection program to scale this approach across the country. 

“This gathering exemplifies what NetVUE envisions for Scriptural Reasoning in undergraduate education—a space where faculty and staff from diverse traditions and disciplines can come together around sacred texts and explore questions of meaning and vocation in a genuinely collaborative way,” representatives from NetVUE and the Council of Independent Colleges shared in a joint statement. “We are grateful to St. Edward’s University for its extraordinary hospitality and to Lilly Endowment Inc. for making this work possible.” 

Conference sessions included: 

• An opening lecture on "Considering the Ravens throughout the Bible" by Ashleigh Elser of Saint Louis University.
• An outdoor Scriptural Reasoning session at Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve led by Nick Adams of NetVUE. 
• Small-group practice sessions and a presentation on first-generation student support led by Adams and St. Edward’s University leadership.
• Culminating workshop on campus implementation led by Adams.

The event was coordinated by a St. Edward's University team including Vice Provost for Academic Initiatives and Faculty Success Monique Jiménez-Herrera, Holy Cross Institute Executive Director Richard Bautch, Senior Associate Director for Campus Ministry Liza Manjarrez, religious and theological studies professor Kelley Coblentz Bautch, graphic design professor Kim Garza and prospect researcher and writer Joseph Howe. 

Participating institutions included:

• Abilene Christian University
• Canadian Mennonite University
• Concordia University Texas
• Endicott College
• Grove City College
• Jarvis Christian University
• Saint Louis University
• Southwestern University
• St. Edward’s University (host site)
• Texas Lutheran University
• University of Birmingham
• University of Scranton
• Wiley University 

About St. Edward’s University 

St. Edward’s University is a private university in the Catholic, Holy Cross tradition with approximately 3,000 students. Located in Austin, Texas, it is one of the top universities in the state and offers more than 55 undergraduate, seven master’s degree programs and a doctorate program. St. Edward’s delivers a premier, highly personalized education that provides students distinctive academics and extensive internships, research and service learning opportunities on a vibrant and inclusive hilltop campus in a world-class city. St. Edward’s has been recognized for 22 consecutive years as one of “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2026 Best Colleges rankings, St. Edward’s ranked #5 in the Best Regional Universities in the West. 

About NetVUE and the Council of Independent Colleges 

The Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) is a network of more than 230 colleges and universities affiliated with the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) that are committed to deepening the intellectual and theological content of programs and practices supporting student vocational discernment. The Scriptural Reasoning for Vocation Reflection initiative is made possible through generous funding from Lilly Endowment Inc.