Education combined with religi
My mind raced with numerous unanswered questions about the life of a college student as I joined the herd of students and faculty rushing towards a brick building with a large concrete cross firmly planted next to the door. During the mid-morning break, streams of people flowed into the wooden pews and filled the circular chapel. For a half an hour, the people shifted their thoughts from the academic world of subjects such as Physics and British Literature to a spiritual unity, seeking God through prayer, four-part a cappella hymns, and scripture readings from the familiar Biblical text. After turning in my red and white attendance sheet, I exited the peaceful, spiritual setting and plunged into the unfamiliar schedule of textbooks, notes, and lectures. I quietly chose a seat in the Science building, trying to ignore my fluttering stomach. Professor Jenny Jenkins entered the classroom with the normal array of teaching materials such as lecture notes, a few overheads, and some markers for the board, but she also carried an uncommon book for the classroom setting, a Bible. Her calm voice resonated through the air as she welcomed us to Health in a Changing Environment and began class with Bible reading and prayer. Suddenly, my palms
As portrayed in this personal story, Goshen College claims the identity of a Christian college affiliated with the Mennonite denomination. A Mennonite affiliation means that the Mennonite Church possesses ownership and operation rights and the Mennonite Board of Education directs the college. A portion of Goshen College's mission statement emphasizes the Mennonites' service-oriented structure with the statement that "we view education as a moral activity that produces servant-leaders for the church and the world" (Goshen College Catalog 2). Goshen College also joins ninety-five Christ-centered colleges as a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. For this reason, the college environment intends to "[help] each student toward intellectual, social, moral and spiritual maturity" in which "questions of faith can be explored and alternative lifestyles can be tested in thought and experience" (Goshen College Handbook 166). With 556 Mennonite full-time students, overhearing the Mennonite game in which students and faculty rejoice about finding an unknown third cousin once removed becomes a natural part of the campus atmosphere. Nonetheless, the campus programs remember the remaining 334 students whose backgrounds range from atheist to other denominations like Roman Catholic, Brethren, and Nazarene to different religions such as Eastern Orthodox, Hindu, and Islam. Sylvia Shirk Charles, the campus pastor, hopes that Goshen College can remain strong in their Christian identity while welcoming those who struggle with their faith or believe in other religions. The accepting, considerate atmosphere as well as the Christian values of this small, liberal arts school attracts students year after year. In a small survey of seven freshmen and sophomores, five out of the seven included Christianity on their list of criteria for choosing a college. A deeper investigation into the on-campus programs and the activities that students attend off campus reveal specific ways that Goshen College serves as a Christian college.
Some topics in this essay:
Goshen College,
Shirk Charles,
Tricia Kurtz,
Mennonite Church,
Praise Worship,
Taize French,
Worship Night,
British Literature,
,
College Handbook,
goshen college,
college students,
students faculty,
mar 2000,
shirk charles,
song prayer,
christian faith,
students attend,
28 mar 2000,
28 mar,
goshen college 1999,
college 1999,
goshen college handbook,
bible religion philosophy,
personal interview 28,
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Approximate Word count = 1779
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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