Pepperdine University Appoints Nicholas Cumming as Director of the Center for Faith and Learning
MALIBU, California – Pepperdine University has appointed Nicholas Cumming as director of the Center for Faith and Learning (CFL), a University-wide initiative that advances Pepperdine’s Christian mission by equipping faculty to thoughtfully integrate faith and scholarship across academic disciplines.
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A triple alumnus of Pepperdine Seaver College, Cumming earned a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications in 2010 and master’s degrees in both ministry and divinity in 2013. He later completed a PhD at King’s College London, where his studies focused on the history and theology of early modern Christianity.
Since joining the Seaver College faculty in 2017, Cumming has become a respected teacher, scholar, and leader within the Pepperdine community. His scholarly work includes numerous academic articles and book chapters, as well as his recent monograph, Francis Turretin (1623-87) and the Reformed Tradition. Cumming also serves as an elder at the Hollywood Church of Christ, where he fulfills a variety of roles, including preaching, teaching, and pastoral care.
“Professor Cumming is a celebrated teacher and leader at Pepperdine,” said Provost Jay Brewster. “I am inspired by his expansive vision for the Center for Faith and Learning, leveraging the strengths of the past while seeking to deepen the impact of the center across the University’s six schools.”
Founded in 1999 by inaugural director Richard Hughes, the Center for Faith and Learning has served as a primary catalyst for helping faculty see their Christian calling as integral to their work as teachers, mentors, scholars, and researchers. Through seminars, invited speakers, retreats, and grant-funded programs, CFL provides opportunities for faculty development and the thoughtful integration of faith-based perspectives across the curriculum and co-curriculum.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead the Center for Faith and Learning into its next chapter and to build on the remarkable work it has done over the past 25 years,” said Cumming. “My hope is that the Center will continue to serve as a vital resource for Pepperdine and for Christian higher education more broadly. I am especially eager to help the Pepperdine community engage the practices and perspectives of the historic Christian faith, not as ancillary to academic life, but as foundational to it.”
Brewster also recognized the Center’s longstanding impact and leadership, including the contributions of associate directors Jennifer Tran Smith and John Peterson.
“The center stands out as a central example of Pepperdine’s unwavering commitment to our Christian mission,” Brewster said.
For more information about the Center for Faith and Learning, visit pepperdine.edu/spiritual-life/centerforfaithandlearning.
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About Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is a private Christian university located 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles in Malibu, California. Rooted in the Christian tradition, Pepperdine is committed to both the relentless pursuit of truth through academic and scholarly excellence and to embodying Christian faith and values. With students at the heart of the educational enterprise, the University prepares approximately 9,000 scholars for lives of purpose, service, and leadership across its flagship liberal arts school, Seaver College; the Pepperdine College of Health Science; and four graduate schools—the Caruso School of Law; the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School; the Graduate School of Education and Psychology; and the School of Public Policy. Follow Pepperdine on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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