Biola University announced the launch of the Winsome Conviction Academy this week, a major new initiative designed to prepare Christian leaders who can communicate with both truth and love amid rising polarization on campuses, in churches and in society at large. Supported by two-year grants from the Templeton Religion Trust and Arthur Vining Davis, the academy will provide research-driven curriculum, leadership development and practical training for students and Christian communities seeking to cultivate civility in an increasingly uncivil age.

“At universities and in churches today, we are witnessing deep fractures in how people engage one another,” said Dr. Tim Muehlhoff, senior director of the Winsome Conviction Academy. “The Winsome Conviction Academy offers a transformative model for forming Christian leaders who speak courageously and compassionately, rooted in biblical wisdom and committed to the ministry of reconciliation.”

The academy responds to a documented rise in political polarization and ideological hostility which can cause distrust across college campuses — secular and religious alike. Research shows that relational breakdown and contempt, and even willingness to dehumanize opponents, are increasingly normalized among young adults. Religious communities are not immune to these trends.

The academy’s mission echoes Ephesians 4:15: to equip Christian leaders who can “speak the truth in love” in order to preserve unity and build bridges where cultural divides run deep.

The grant-funded academy will serve undergraduate students at both secular and Christian universities by equipping them with practical communication and leadership skills, as well as Christian communities, such as churches, Christian schools and ministry organizations, who will gain skills for healthier dialogue and bridge-building through the program’s initiatives.

A comprehensive Heart of Civility curriculum published by Tyndale House will be developed under the academy, integrating communication theory, psychology, theology and spiritual formation, which will launch in the latter part of 2026. The academy will also create a program for certifying moderators and trainers capable of guiding difficult conversations in classrooms, churches and community settings.

A distinctive component of the academy’s work is the development of an AI-powered dialogue simulation tool that authentically models individuals from diverse religious and cultural perspectives. This technology will allow students and church leaders to practice civil dialogue in safe, structured environments that mimic real-world complexity, helping participants prepare for high-stakes conversations before actually engaging in them.

Recognizing widespread student reluctance to engage controversial topics, the academy will reframe civility as a competitive workplace skill, not merely a political one. Students will be equipped with soft skills increasingly valued by employers, such as an intellectually humble approach to empathetic listening and perspective-taking.

“Winsome conviction is not about watering down truth,” said Muehlhoff. “It’s about expressing deep beliefs in ways that open doors rather than close them. That is the kind of leadership our fractured world desperately needs.”

The idea for the Winsome Conviction Academy has resonated with both Christian and secular educators and leaders.

“Biola’s Winsome Conviction Academy is forming Christian leaders who can engage in hard conversations without compromising either conviction or compassion,” said Simon Greer, founder of Bridging the Gap.

Senior editor of Christian Scholars’ Review and former provost of Wheaton College, Margaret Diddams, asserted the academy “equips Christian leaders to become salt and light to heal relationships in our homes, churches and local and global communities.”

For more than a century, Biola University has committed itself to biblical truth, intellectual rigor and the formation of reconcilers and peacemakers for the church and the world. The Winsome Conviction Academy extends this legacy by addressing one of the most urgent discipleship needs of our time: helping Christians navigate disagreement faithfully.

Visit the website to learn more about the Winsome Conviction Academy.

Written by Brenda Velasco, senior director of university communications. For more information, email media.relations@biola.edu.