DEPARTMENT OF EPIA

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 Department of Ecclesiastical Policy and International Affairs (EPIA)

Harvest Christian University

The EPIA department is committed to examining how faith, spirituality, and moral philosophy—including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Indigenous traditions, and other belief systems—have shaped societies from the earliest civilizations to the modern era.

Students under Dr. Barnes’s leadership explore the ways that religious principles intersect with political systems, studying a wide spectrum of governance models: democracies in North America and Europe, constitutional monarchies in Asia and the Middle East, tribal and communal leadership in Africa and the Pacific Islands, socialist and authoritarian structures in various regions, and hybrid systems where faith and law intersect. 

Through comparative analysis, students learn how moral and ethical frameworks rooted in religious thought have influenced laws, diplomacy, human rights, and social cohesion across cultures.

The department emphasizes critical engagement with sacred texts, historical case studies, and the lived experiences of communities, encouraging students to move beyond conventional interpretations and surface-level teachings.

 Dr. Barnes inspires students to develop an authentic, nuanced understanding of how religion and ethics can inform leadership, policy-making, and international relations, enabling them to contribute to the formation of equitable and morally grounded institutions worldwide.