The first humans were not placed in a finished paradise to lounge forever beneath the trees.

From the beginning, God had a job for us. In Genesis, he designates humans as his representatives, tasking them to push the borders of Eden outward and harness creation’s raw potential for the sake of his glory. As Biola professor Carmen Imes puts it in her excellent new book Becoming God’s Family (excerpted on page 35), Yahweh intends for humans to “extend the order and fruitfulness of the garden to every place.”

That vocation — to reflect God’s character as we create and cultivate — is woven throughout this issue of Biola Magazine. Our cover story highlights a transformational gift of more than $40 million for the Division of Technology, a historic investment that will equip generations of students to design products, build systems and imagine solutions that promote human flourishing. At a time when technology is reshaping nearly every aspect of life, this gift positions Biola to form biblically grounded leaders who will bring both expertise and ethics to their careers in engineering, robotics, computer science and more.

Creativity also takes shape in more traditional forms. At the other end of the technological spectrum is Jake Weidmann (B.A. ’08), a fine artist who brings old-world craftsmanship to his sculptures, paintings, jewelry-making and calligraphy. The odds are strong that you’ve already encountered Jake’s work; his hand-carved swan cradle has garnered millions of likes on social media and his “The Untamed Lion” drawing is one of the top images that pop up when you Google “C.S. Lewis.” We’re excited to take you inside his studio and the faith that drives his art.

In these and other stories, the call to create is alive and well at Biola. Students, faculty and alumni are pushing boundaries, stewarding their gifts and imagining what could be. My hope is that their stories encourage and remind you that God’s creative mission continues — and we get to be part of it.