The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind

While attending a Christian college definitely supports the evangelical “life of the mind” concept, it certainly does not automatically apply it. One has to make a conscious and concerted effort to apply this way of thinking to one’s life. The curriculum for practically every subject at a good Christian university (such as JBU) is integrated with the principles of faith and God’s Word, but it is up to the individual to make a point to take note. Once the individual has taken note of the way that seemingly-unrelated subjects (such as faith and economics) are integrated, one can begin to look at other things in his or her life through the lens of biblical values and partake in an overall “Christian” way of thinking.

We don’t want to simply accrue knowledge about various subjects and keep it stowed away like a dusty reference book in the back of our disorganized personal library of a mind; we need to strive to exercise our minds to do more than just go through the motions. We need to take it upon ourselves as individuals in Christ to not only study His Word, but to learn about the wide expanse of possible fields of study as well as the world in an of itself. We should study His creation through His eyes not only so that we may better ourselves and use what talents, opportunities, and insight that He has given us for His glory, but also so that we may begin to better understand our Creator.

Intrinsic Goodness

          Intrinsic goodness is a rather difficult and abstract concept to explain because we live in a rather concrete-thinking, purpose-driven society. However, I will do my best to explain this convoluted conundrum of a seeming lexical gap. Intrinsic goodness implies a quality that does not require an external force or entity to vindicate its existence.


          To make this concept a bit more concrete, here is a list of things that I believe to be intrinsically good (in no particular order):

-life

-music

-contentment

-literature

-truth

-friendship

-self-expression

-freedom

-novelty

-security

-harmony

-achievement

-consciousness

-justice

-mental acuity

-balance

-adventure

-forgiveness

-compassion

-love

  These things do not seem to have easily discernible purposes, do they? Sure, after much time and effort, one could come up for reasons why these things are good, but the reality remains that they, themselves, need no rationalization.


           Experiencing friendship is a rather interesting phenomenon. The feeling of acceptance from one’s peers, one’s closest relationships, is a comforting thing. Just being with friends, talking about nonsensical subjects or exchanging witty quips about pointless matters gives me, personally, a sense of goodness being done (if that makes any sense). The rapport, the camaraderie, is brilliant and socially fulfilling. But what function does it, or sociality for that matter, serve necessarily? While you can surely search for explanations, you know from experience that it is intrinsically good, that the virtue of friendship is so deeply-rooted in us that it needs no argument.

Pedagogy of the Oppressed: What is Education?

          When I hear the word “education,”the first thing that comes to my mind is the process of gaining knowledge through the means of classroom teaching. I was surprised to read how denigrating Paulo Freire’s thoughts were about the current system of education. Intrigued (although confused), I read on. He spoke of how it is like a “banking” system.  “Education thus becomes and act of depositing, in which students are the depositories and the teacher is the depositor” (72).

          It was as if the teachers were the main focus of education, not the students. The teachers were the sources of knowledge who just put it upon students, and the students did nothing but mindlessly file away facts and figures. The teachers were the subjects, the students were the objects.

This made me take a second look at my personal definition of education: the process of gaining knowledge through the means of classroom teaching. In reality, that is only one form that education takes. Education is really a much broader term, I think. Education is often seen as an obligatory step--a rite of passage, even--into the “real world.” However, I do not think that education is not something that just happens to you. Gaining knowledge is not a passive action.Therefore, I believe that education is the pursuit of gaining knowledge, of taking information and mulling it over in one’s mind to best understand it in order to apply it; bridging the gap between knowledge and understanding, understanding and wisdom. This learning is what education should be understood to be, not a mandatory, mechanical mishmash of methods and other matters.

Unconventional Curriculum

  “I wish we weren’t graded on this.”

  “I hope this isn’t taken for a grade.”

“I’m so worried about the grade that I don’t think I’m actually learning.”

At one time or another, practically every student has said at least one (if not all) of these statements regarding the current grading system in education. Then, boy, does Evergreen State University seem all the more attractive with its alternative narrative-style evaluations. But, in reality, is it the best solution?

This college’s approach to academics is rather different than JBU’s in one obvious aspect: the appraisal of the student’s learning progress. While the current letter grade system is an an attempt at objectivity, it is much less subjective than the narrative method; however, it is also much more intensive than this alternative. Evergreen’s programs consist of a very wide range of subjects rolled into one class that is lead more so than taught by a group of professors.

What?

Personally, I do not think that this approach would be the best idea. Maybe it works for some people, I don’t know, but it certainly seems like it would dilute all of the material and make the learning process much less effective in its impression. Although this new way of assessing a student’s understanding of certain subjects appears to prepare one for the “real-world” review that one would receive from one’s boss, I doubt that employers could properly gauge the accuracy of such a subjective grading system. Simple changes in word phrasing could make or break one’s success with employment in the future, whereas letter grades and the knowledge of the college’s programs’ levels of difficulty are much more easily recognized and judged. It would be nice, not having the stress and pressure of making individual grades, but I do not think it to be the wisest replacement of the usual modus operandi.

A Stranger in the Crowd

       The caf was buzzing with continuous conversation and chattering when I walked in after a tiring practice. Knowing the task set before me, I begrudgingly began to look for a group of unfamiliar people with whom I could sit and talk with. (I am not exactly an extroverted individual; I am definitely hesitant to get out of my social comfort zone).

     I saw a table of a few seemingly friendly guys, and I decided that I should just go ahead and get the awkwardness over with. I walked over and asked if it was alright if I sat there, and was somewhat surprised to be greeted rather kindly. Shortly after exchanging the typical who-are-you information, it turned out that each knew friends of mine.  Conversation quickly picked up, and we began talking about college life, classes, and friends--like practically every first conversation in which college students partake.

     Before, I felt apprehensive, afraid. Afraid that I would be rejected, not accepted by others. Afraid that they would think that I was not worth the time and effort of even casual conversation. Afraid that they would think me boring or average or simply plain. In retrospect, it seems such a silly thing to worry about, but it was such a powerful emotion beforehand that I was in a negative mood just thinking about it.

      As the conversation went on, I became much more comfortable, much more at ease. I thought, “This isn’t too bad. They seem to be treating me like any other human being.” I wondered why they weren’t as cold or indifferent towards me as I expected, but I was comforted by their warm and inviting attitudes. I began to listen intently as one of them was explaining his experience as a freshman the year before, and he gave helpful advice on involvement without overcommitment.

     Afterwards, I wondered why I had felt so negatively about finding someone I did not know, for it was a rather fun and interesting experience in the long run. Interacting with “new” people need not be such an uncomfortable dreading of awkward situations, but rather an expectation of new and exciting opportunities.

Thoughts, Hopes, and Dreams

         My mind is constantly running, never quite reaching a point of stillness or tranquility. Taking time out of my busy schedule to just sit down and think about my life seemed, at first, a rather bizarre thing for me to do since I am always running about doing something. However, upon being asked to do so, I supposed it couldn’t be too difficult.

          It took quite a while to quiet down my interior monologue enough to where I could just sit in silence. 

          “What is my dream?”

          At first it seemed such a simple question. Yet this dream was supposed to be what I really wanted, not what I feel pressured to do by friends, family, or society. I paused mid-thought when I came upon this obstacle. 

          “What do I really want to do in life?”

          I have such varied interests and passions, and I felt somewhat overwhelmed by the prospective “dream.” I love theatre and acting; I enjoy listening to and playing music; I am intrigued by the inner workings of the human body and mind; I am interested in the histories and cultures of the world; I like the intricacies and nuances of language and linguistics; but how could I possibly choose between these things as my dream?

          I feel as though I can do so many things, that I have so much to contribute--but I sometimes fear that I cannot do or be enough. I feel as though there is such a waste of potential with having to narrow down my training and education that I simply cannot have enough time to truly become the best at what I do.  Despite this time of meditation and solitude, I have yet to come up with an answer that I am proud of, that I feel is truly right. I feel as though I can never do it justice if I label it, pin it down with a name. While I can occasionally command the English language in a way that conveys my thoughts and emotions, words fail when it comes to describing or explaining what I see in my mind. It is in times like these that I seem to be capable of thinking in only colors, pictures, and other abstract media. Because it seems as though I cannot think in concrete terms on this particular subject, I feel as though I have failed. What I have seemingly failed, I do not know or understand. (The mind is funny like that, I suppose).

          I just want to be the best at whatever I put my hand to. I have a desire to prepare myself in every way, shape, and form. I want to learn new languages, play new instruments, portray new characters, discover new facts, understand more of everything. (I am a collector--if not hoarder--of information, it seems).

          In any case, I want to be able to help others through my gifts, talents, and skills. Whether that means helping in the physical rehabilitation of an injured child or even bringing joy and laughter to people’s faces through comedic musical theatre, I do not know. However anticlimactic and dull an answer it may appear to be, my dream as of yet is to develop every skill I can so that I may best help others to realize their own dreams.

An Audience of One

     Practically anyone would agree that we are born with a innate desire to be accepted by others. As small children we constantly seek the approval of our parents through everything we do, even if we do not entirely understand what they find acceptable behavior--but that doesn’t stop us from trying, now does it? When we become a little older, our peers become another audience from whom we feel that we must earn respect.

     Personally, I feel the pressure to perform for my parents, my peers, and people in general. My parents have raised me with somewhat high expectations, and they have instilled in me an attitude of excellence. Because of this I feel as though I must make them proud by excelling at absolutely everything I do. While this is, in fact, impossible to do, I still have the drive to live up to their standards. For friends and colleagues I feel as though I must prove my worth through academic prowess and intellectual adeptness. As for everyone else, I feel inclined to show them that I can do anything expected of me.

     Mindsets such a this are proof that many of us have taken our focus from the one  audience that truly matters: God. In our attempts to keep treading water in the face of the overwhelming flood of schoolwork and other extra-curricular commitments and please others while doing so, we often forget how to refocus our eyes on God. In order to do this, we must make a concerted effort to put Him first in all that we do, even if it seems as though we may suffer imperfections in our work, social life, etc. If we can make sure to be in the habit of not only reading God’s Word but acting upon it on a daily basis, then may more easily keep ourselves aligned with God’s Will. Our Audience of One is, in the long run, much less stressful and much less disappointing for whom to perform.

Serving man, or serving God?

     The phrase “The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him” essentially means that good works done in the name of Christ often take precedence (albeit unconsciously) over the actual attitude of serving God. Much of the time people get so focused upon doing charitable and “religious” acts such as helping at homeless shelters and going on missions trips that they often forget the reason behind why they are doing those things in the first place. Some become absorbed in good works to the point that they want to become associated with and labeled by them, which leads to a prideful ambition to be seen doing good things. They then make good works the “god” of their life by letting the act of service take priority over actually worshipping God.

 Students, especially at Christian colleges, are bombarded with opportunities to serve others. Oftentimes, after long periods of time of serving others in the name of Christ, it becomes an habitual motion, an automatic response. This mechanized gesture of kindness obscures the original intent of glorifying God by acting like Him. Another common result of the push towards serving is the mentality that if you are seen doing good things for others, then you gain points in the books of your friends. The inherent desire for acceptance by one’s peers and authority figures is a powerful incentive to do good things in God’s name, but it definitely takes the focus away from actually serving Christ and being devoted to Him and puts it upon the whimsical approval of men. Seeing this, students (myself included) should make it a point to evaluate their motives and to reflect on how their everyday deeds bring glory to God.

Stories and Change

      Since arriving at JBU I have found that, although I have not changed dramatically, I have become much more comfortable in who I am as a person. I have typically been rather introspective and shy around those who I do not know, not wanting others to see the nerdy and slightly awkward girl that I really was. However, I have made the acquaintance of incredibly supportive peers who have accepted me the way I am. This feeling of acceptance has given me a greater sense of self-confidence, enabling me to feel much less apprehensive about meeting new people.

     Lately, I have been thinking about what I am doing with my life--as all college students do at one point or another. My original plan for my life was to become a physical therapist so that I may help in the rehabilitation of others. However, I soon realized that I did not have a specific reason or passion behind it. Through conversations with others about random subjects, the theme of Dry Gulch (my church's summer camp) kept coming up. I was not entirely sure why, until I revisited a memory that really changed my outlook on life. I was very blessed growing up, being in a healthy Christian household, but I was a bit of a social outcast as a child. At Dry Gulch, I reached out to those who were rejected by their peers, for one reason or another, and I did my best to show them that they are loved. My ambition in life is to take this passion and apply it. I want to show underprivileged children the love of Christ through not only medical care, but by healing them emotionally and spiritually as well.

Destiny at Dry Gulch

     A slight summer breeze cools my skin as I am walking up the hill. The sun disappears and reappears behind tufts of cloud. The campers are talking and laughing together about all the fun they had while they were at the lake. Except one. She begins to lag behind the group on our way to the bunk, just shuffling her feet half-heartedly. I fall back with her so that she is not left behind, thinking that she is simply tired from all the activity. 

     As we walk up to the porch, I notice a single tear falling down her face.

     "What's wrong, Destiny?" I ask, concerned.

     She pauses at the edge. "I don't wanna talk about it. 'Specially not with everyone else around."

     I turn to the other girls and tell them to meet up with the other counselor inside the cabin.

     "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I'm more than willing to listen," I say encouragingly.

     She sits down on the porch, shaking ever so slightly. "I don't wanna go back."

     "Go back where?"

     "Home. I don't like it there."

     "Why don't you like home?"

     She slowly lifts her head, her eyes welling with tears, "My parents don't care about me. They just use me however they can," she says, her voice choking up with emotion. Her voice cracks as she begins to cry, "They don't care about me. All they care about is they drugs. They've made me push 'em for a long time. I don't like it at all." She hesitates before going further, "They've even tried to sell me for 'em."

     For a moment I am shocked into silence. I reach my arms around her shoulders and bring her to me. 

     "Oh, Destiny, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." I lay her head on my shoulder as she continues to sob. "I love you so much, Destiny. I may have only known you for a few days, but that does diminish how much I love you." I gently pull her out of the embrace. "You know what else?" I ask her.

     Her much-too-old-looking eyes gaze up at me, "What?"

     "God loves you even more than I do. God loves your beautiful face, your spunky personality,  He loves you more than anyone on Earth can love you. He doesn't want you to be treated this way. And He has such great plans for you." I pull her back into a tight hug.

     More tears fall down her face and onto my shoulder.

     My eyes begin to water. We rock back and forth, hugging and crying together. But the tears of sadness are beginning to mingle with tears of thankfulness and relief.

     "I love you, Destiny," I say through the emotions.

     "I love you too, Miss Amanda," she manages to say. "Thank you...thank you." Her arms squeeze tighter around me.

     This particular memory is extremely powerful for me. Hearing Destiny's story was a real eye-opener. I had grown up in a good Christian household, and I had lived a somewhat sheltered life from the evils of the world. I became a counselor at my church's summer camp after my sophomore year of high school because I felt called there, but I wasn't entirely sure why. However, after this I knew that I was supposed to me there for Destiny. Her parents had never told her that they loved her--if they ever did, it would have been a painful lie--nor had anyone really showed her God's love and Word. This experience not only made me appreciate my family, but also appreciate God's power. After my fellow counselor and I prayed with her, she wanted to dedicate her life to Christ. Even now, I am practically speechless. I cannot ever fully understand or express my gratitude for God using me for the betterment of another person's life.

"Human Flourishing"

          Students feel the need to control their lives because many of them have already put vast amounts of effort into being successful. While striving for success is an admirable goal, the illusion of “control” is not necessarily good. Trying to control one’s life by oneself can often seem like one is insulting God, even if that is not one’s intent. Students often don’t trust anyone but themselves to be able to help in the right way, but this behavior inadvertently pushes God’s extended hand away from them. This need for control and one’s acting upon it by oneself is not entirely biblical. If Jesus Christ is the Lord of one’s life, then why doesn’t one ask him for help?


          I, myself, am not exactly a great example of one who gives control of one’s life to God. I, too, get so caught up in the busyness of schoolwork, theatre, sports and other extra-curricular activities that I (unfortunately) forget that I have someone upon whom I can cast my trust and my cares and that He actually wants to help. As a student, I sometimes become so bent upon accomplishing my goals that my mind compartmentalizes my work and my God. While this is not a good habit in which to fall, I am constantly trying to make myself aware of the situations in which this occurs so that I may better my behavior. I believe that this is a prominent issue in today’s society, and I hope that others will realize its prevalence.

~Why does society stress the role of extreme  achievement?

~Why doesn't the Christian community take a bigger stand on this issue?