Richard Langer

Richard Langer (PhD, University of California, Riverside) is professor of biblical and theological studies at Talbot School of Theology and director of the Office for the Integration of Faith and Learning at Biola University. Together with Tim Muehlhoff, he is the co-author of Winsome Persuasion, which received a 2018 Christianity Today book award in apologetics/evangelism. In addition to teaching and writing, they are co-directors of The Winsome Conviction Project, which seeks to introduce civility and compassion into our discussion of differences.

He specializes in the integration of faith and learning, and has also published in the areas of bioethics, theology, and philosophy. He has a passion for helping Christians of all ages understand the connection between the Gospel and all the diverse facets of the created order in which we live. Prior to coming to Biola, he served for over twenty years as a pastor at Trinity Evangelical Free Church in Redlands, California.

Affiliations Faculty, Alumnus
Position Director, Office for the Integration of Faith and Learning
Position Professor Emeritus of Theology
Degree Masters Divinity ('85)

Author's books

mission-driven-colleges
Buy product

Mission-Driven Colleges: Keeping First Things First in Christian Higher Education

By,

In Mission-Driven Colleges: Keeping First Things First in Christian Higher Education, Scott Rae and Rick Langer argue that a successful Christian university goes beyond simply incorporating religious studies. They propose that the entire institution, from its leadership to its curriculum, must be designed to nurture a distinctive Christian worldview. Through four foundational questions, Rae and Langer demonstrate how to build the structural framework that empowers a Christian university to thrive. They guide educators and administrators in strategizing, planning, and implementing practices that ensure both a deep Christian identity and academic rigor. Mission-Driven Colleges is a vital resource for anyone committed to the success of Christian universities, offering a clear path to realizing their full educational mission.

Release date: February 1, 2025

Buy product
winsome-conviction
Buy product

Winsome Conviction: Disagreeing Without Dividing the Church

By

We generally assume that those sitting around us in church share our beliefs. But when our personal convictions are contested by fellow Christians, everything changes. We feel attacked from behind. When other Christians doubt or deny our convictions, we don’t experience it as a mere difference of opinion, but as a violation of an unspoken agreement. Tim Muehlhoff and Rick Langer offer a guide to help Christians navigate disagreements with one another.

Buy product
winsome-persuasion
Buy product

Winsome Persuasion: Christian Influence in a Post-Christian World

By

How are Christians to engage the broader culture? How might we be both persuasive and civil, and both challenge the beliefs of others and offer love and respect? The task of bearing faithful witness to Jesus is complicated by persistent—and not altogether baseless—cultural stereotypes. In our post-Christian society, thoughtful Christians are considering again how to engage the dominant culture as a minority, a counterpublic, amid varying perceptions and misperceptions. Tim Muehlhoff and Richard Langer’s Winsome Persuasion presents a model for cultural engagement that integrates communication theory, theology, and Scripture. Penetrating, wise, and relentlessly practical, this timely book includes test cases and historical examples, such as William Wilberforce and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Buy product