Journal of Research on Christian Education, 20: 113–116, 2011

Copyright # Taylor & Francis Group, LLC and Andrews University

ISSN: 1065-6219 print=1934-4945 online
DOI: 10.1080/10656219.2011.592801

EDITORIAL

FEAR

LARRY D. BURTON
Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA

May 22, 2011. On that date, Joplin, Missouri was hit by the dead-
liest tornado in United States history. As I finished my final editing
on this piece, more than 150 persons were still listed as missing and
more than 130 were confirmed dead.
May is a notorious month for tornadoes. However, the
weather during April 2011 had already produced more tornadoes
than any other April on record, so many forecasters hoped for a
relatively quiet May. But the month of May continued with deadly
storms on an almost weekly basis. At the sound of thunder or
severe weather sirens people across the Plains, throughout the
Midwest and along the East Coast looked skyward with apprehen-
sion and fear in their eyes. From the Gulf Coast to New England,
from California to Vermont, almost every region of the United
States experienced severe weather during this 2-month period.
It seems that many of us have lived with fear as a constant
companion since the arrival of the nuclear age in 1945. Children
in that first generation grew up wondering and worrying about
nuclear war. Today, the big fear is more likely to be a terrorist
attack on civilian targets—or, as we saw during April and May
2011, perhaps killer storms dropping from the sky for those who
live in Tornado Alley.
Fear, whatever its source, can become a controlling factor in
a person’s life. Fear can channel one’s energies away from areas

Address correspondence to Larry D. Burton, Andrews University, Information

Services Building, Suite 101, 8490 East Campus Circle Drive, Berrien Springs, MI 49104.
E-mail: jrce@andrews.edu

113
114 L. D. Burton

of perceived threats and into directions that seem safe. Fear is no

stranger to those in academe, both professors and alumni. From
my experience I have observed or experienced four types of
fear: fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of success, and fear
of secularization. These fears in the academy have the potential
to divert a potentially productive career into a path of mediocrity
and disappointment.

Fear of Failure

For many us, the doctoral dissertation research project looms over
our shoulders like a monolith casting a long shadow over the
post-doctoral pathway. The thought of continuing the agenda
started during doctoral studies may trigger memories of the
exhausting and often overwhelming experience of completing
the dissertation. After the oral defense, the degree is awarded
and the committee that supported, and sometimes controlled, the
research process vanishes. As a new doctoral graduate, many begin
new positions in higher education or prekindergarten through
twelfth grade (PK-12) schools with little support for the research
expectations of the job description. Some may not feel capable
of taking the next step in extending the research agenda now that
the dissertation is completed.
Often the workloads of new (and seasoned) professors are so
full that they cannot seem to find any space in for scholarly work in
the daily schedule. Days are filled with classes, class preparation,
grading, office hours and committee meetings. While many of
these responsibilities are scheduled for or required of professors,
no one requires them to schedule time for research and scholar-
ship. The real chance of failure raises its ugly head for many –
and sometimes shuttles the unsuspecting professor down a path
that relegates scholarship to a minor or even nonexistent role,
while privileging other aspects of the job description.

Fear of the Unknown

At times, fear of the unknown may be the demon that seeks to

divert scholarly efforts. Attempting something new is inherently
risky and therefore a potential source of stress and fear. For newly
minted professors who move into a higher education position,
 Fear 115

almost everything may fit in the realm of the unknown. For those
who entered higher education from PK-12 teaching backgrounds,
the most familiar, and therefore ‘‘safest,’’ parts of a university
appointment are the teaching and service aspects of the job.
Thus the relative ‘‘unknown’’ status of research and scholarly
work, even with a successfully defended dissertation accomplished,
makes it an easy area for procrastination. The task of opening a
new research agenda, applying for grant, or trying to publish an
article may not have been part of the doctoral training or experi-
ence. The new professor may have had no opportunities to learn
how to collaborate with colleagues on research projects. The sheer
volume of new tasks to learn and master can seem overwhelming
and force a pattern of reduced scholarly productivity or even
non-productivity.

Fear of Success

Not all scholarly fears arise from lack or skills or preparation.

Many new professors have well developed research skills.
Research experiences during doctoral training were excellent.
They have added new skills during tenure in higher education
through post-doctoral experiences, training, or workshops. Many
professors have expanded their repertoire of research designs
and analysis models. In short, many have a well-laid foundation
for scholarly success.
However, most readers and contributors to JRCE do not teach
in Research 1 institutions where scholarly expectations are high
and support structures are well developed. Some do not face a fear
of failure or the unknown, but a fear of getting in too deep without
adequate support from academic institutions or departments.
Issues may exist with the institutional review board, the office of
grants administration, technology support, or a host of other ser-
vices that can impede the successful completion of a serious
research project. Some small institutions may not even provide
some of these services. In such cases, researchers may come to feel
like strangers in their own institutions, begging support for that
which most of their colleagues cannot understand the need. Others
have to deal with open jealousy from colleagues within their insti-
tutions or departments which can lead to broken relationships and
in some cases punitive actions by the majority culture.
116 L. D. Burton

Fear of Secularization

The Christian who enters the realm of creative scholarship and

research may experience challenges that other scholars would
never imagine. One of the most powerful of these challenges is
the fear of secularization. The root of this fear may often be traced
to the type of doctoral training received.
Many professors in Christian higher education completed
doctoral degrees at public universities. Thus the terminal training
for these individuals included no element of faith integration. Many
of their mentors in research were not persons of faith. Most of the
examples of researchers in their fields never allude to matters of faith
nor include them in their research agendas. As a result they may
come to mistakenly view the path of scholarly pursuit as a road away
from Christ and toward secularization. Even the examples of pro-
fessed Christian scholars who exhibited arrogance, pride, or other
negative personal characteristics may have pushed other Christian
scholars away from the pursuit of knowledge through research.

Conclusion

Thus a great need for new Christian scholars is the visibility of a

recognized community of knowledge producers that have met these
fears (and others) and conquered them while maintaining a close
connection with Christ. One of the purposes of JRCE is to provide
a recognized, rigorous publication outlet for such scholars. In this
issue you will find empirical research articles, scholarly essays,
and book reviews created by scholars who have overcome any per-
sonal demons that may have tried to keep them from publication.
Once again I invite readers of JRCE to become authors for this jour-
nal. Find ways to overcome and fears that confront you and add
your voice to the community of researchers on Christian education.

Larry D. Burton is Director of Graduate Programs in Curricu-

lum & Instruction in the School of Education at Andrews Univer-
sity, Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA. His areas of research include
science education, mathematics education, and faith-learning inte-
gration. His favorite research methods include mixed-methods,
multiple types of qualitative research, and evaluation studies.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

TITLE: Fear
SOURCE: J Res Christ Educ 20 no2 My 2011

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