UESI Foundation day celeberation

Engaging the Whole University for Christ

- Benalin. C.R (Vimal)

Few Stories

A Hindu teacher taching Bible from Hindu perspective in BHU

A pro communist teacher teaching English lit from communist perspective

Many Christian and other students interested to join Bible studies avoiding Bible

studies by giving reason

'we want to study'

A Christian alumini in BHU avoiding EU-EGF

meeting to concentrate in academics

WHY THIS DISCONNECT?

UESI in the 20th and 21st Centuries

20th Century

Success: “students reaching students”

21st Century

Challenge: “engaging the whole university”

So as to transform the student community as

UESI's vision statement states.

NOT ENGAGING THE WHOLEUNIVERSITY. WHY?

● What do we normally conduct?

● What efforts we could have done?

● What constitutes a whole university?

What constitute a Whole University?

People

Undergraduates Graduate students Faculty Research staff Administrators Workers

Programs

Teaching Research

Critical thinking Search for truth

Tackling the big issues • In scholarship• In the world

Biblical Basis for engaging university

Colo 1 : 15- 20

Gen 1 & 2, Adam naming

Lk 4 43: Establishing Christ's kingdom in campuses

Theological Framework for engaging

Colo 1 : 15- 20 – God is the owner of all field of study. He created them for His great plan

and purpose

Man with his sinful nature has corrupted many of these fields by his fallen priorities without any acountability to God. But God

acounted for its redemption in Christ

Our call to be responsible stewards in field of studies

Problems faced by India and the world calls for engaging

What hinders us from engaging the whole university?

• A narrow understanding of the gospel seen only in terms of personal salvation

A divided understanding of life in terms of 'sacred' and 'secular'

So we ended up making “Christian” students instead of “Christian students”

Quotes

“God has called me to work at the university. I can have as much influence there as pastors can in a church, in a way. It sounds kind of mystical, but there’s that inner urging. I think even a non-Christian can understand that. There’s this desire, this goal, and that’s what God puts in people. That basically is what calls them to their profession or where they’re to be.” (microbiology professor)

3 Diamensions of Engaging the university

• Understanding the culture and dominant worldviews of the modern university

• Forming learning and witnessing Christian communites• Seeking to influence universities so that they become

more humane and just institutions, instruments of the Kingdom of God rather than mammon

Forming Learning and witnessing communities

• Students, researchers, faculty, administrators engaging holistically, dialogically and prophetically with the diverse conversations, academic and the non academic.

• This is more than evangelism and apologetics• It makes us open to learn from others and to make Christian

contribution to study, research, administration and teaching• This eventually proves as to how Christianity of the Bible is

the answer to the problem of mankind.• This constitutes Christian mind contributing to nation building

The Dialogic model of engaging

Takes the university seriously on its own terms Regards the university ministry as a distinctive

calling, not a reproduction of the local church on a university campus

Engages the mind

Injects faith into all conversations in the university

Seven Principal Features It is proactive. It brings Christ to the great issues of major universities and

the great issues to Christ

It is expansive: it nurtures the minds of Christian students and engages Christian faculty

It is comprehensive: it shines the light of Christ into every corner of the university

It respects the intellectual gifts of the students and faculty It is relevant – it takes on the big issues of current academic life

It listens as well as speaks

It enjoys intellectual community

Fundamental Shifts The Christian mind is enjoyed as enthusiastically as the

Christian soul

Christians move from the edge of the university into its heartland

Christians learn “to think Christianly” about every issue encountered by the university

The barriers between students and faculty are reduced

Christian students are prepared to be leaders in every sphere: society, government, the market, the church, the media, science, technology, public administration, sport

Examples of Reachingthe Whole University

Undergraduates & Graduate Students

Advanced Graduate Students & Faculty

The Whole Campus

Staff

Example: Undergraduates & Graduate Students

in New Delhi, India

Summer Study Program

6 weeks, 5 days a week, 5 hours per day

Reading 2-5 books per week Christian readings Other readings

• From the Ruins of Empire by Pankaj Mishra

• Empire by Niall Fergusson• The Black Economy in India by

Arun Kumar• The Ascent of Money: A

Financial History of the World by Niall Fergusson

Topics

• Black Money Laundering• Cloning• Protest against

Government• International Trade

Negotiations• Climate Change Summit

debates

www.summerstudy2013.wordpress.comhttp://issjournals2013.wordpress.com

Example: Doctoral Students in U.S., Australia

Student Passion Talks, Stanford University

10-15 minute talks

Student research & intersections with faith

Topics:• Artificial intelligence & game

design• Computer science and

hacking, open-source software

• Psychology and neuro-science

University of Queensland

Topic: Christians Engaging the University

20 faculty, post-docs, graduate students

International relations, biochemistry, physics, computer science, law

Example: Whole Campus, University of San Carlos,

Guatemala

Arts Festival for Justice

Christians in Guatemala mostly silent on violence, corruption, inequality, racism

Goal: show a different face of Christianity to the university

Approach:• An arts festival on campus focused on justice• Authorized as part of campus-wide student program• Students wrote ‘mini-plays’ to perform on stage• Student wrote a theme song• Students created a painting exhibition—a collage on justice

Results: 100 people performing on stage -- 600-700 attending festival

Example: Campus-wide Impact, Nigeria

NIFES Social Response Unit

Goal: “quest for total and absolute engagement of our students with contemporary social realities.”

Approach: Social Response Unit

Programs:• HIV/AIDS tests, education• Free medical checkups• Stress management seminars • Job training• Corruption seminars

See SPAN for more . . . .

Example: Project Gratitude, Singapore

Goals• Mobilize entire student body to express appreciate to campus workers (e.g., cleaners,

bus drivers, security guards)• Create a “culture of gratitude and compassion.”

Approach: • Offer a small gift—a piece of fruit, a cup of coffee—to campus workers • Present workers with a note of gratitude for their work• Create a public exhibit of photo essays

Results:• Surprise and gratitude from workers• Campus-wide coverage, including student newspaper

See SCAN for more . . . .

Future Example? Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (1958)

Things Fall Apart, “after Ghana’s independence, for many Africans, the most important event for a whole generation.”

A powerful critique of Christianity

8 million copies sold – translated into 50 languages

How can we use this novel now to engage the university in Africa? In the Global North? Elsewhere in former colonies?

What conversations could we have in the university with Christians and non-Christians about the themes of Things Fall Apart?

See SPAN for more . . . .

Process

“the goal of UESI is to release the creativity of young people.”

Gideon Para-Mallam Exciting IFES innovations come from students

Young people do not know that something cannot be done

They don’t know that something is impossible

They invent AND they act

May we, who are older, give them the oxygen to breathe new energy into IFES movements

Questions to ponder

Why do you think your academic field is very precious in God's sight?

Can you write down few points as to how you can integrate your subject with the redeeming gospel?

What activity can we think of this academic year for engaging the whole university?

Prayer by samuel johnsonAlmighty God, in whose hands are all the powers of man; who givest understanding, and takest it away; who as it seemeth good unto Thee, enlightenest the thoughts of the simple, and darkenest the meditations fo the wise, be present with me in my studies and enquiries.

Grant, O LORD, that I may not lavish away the life which Thou hast given me on useless trifles, not waste it in vain searches after things which Thou hast hidden from me.

Enable me, by the Holy Spirit, so to shun sloth and negligence, that every day may discharge part of the task which Thou hast allotted me; and so further with Thy help that labour which, without thy help must be ineffectual, such success as will most promote thy glory, and the salvation of my own soul, for the sake of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Sources● Articles published in “Campus Link” (UESI's bi-monthly magazine)

http://issuu.com/uesicampuslink/docs/campuslink_julyaug_2013

– Engaging the University by Raj Mandol

– Students... Engage your campus as stewards by Reji Koshi Daniel

– Rethink UESI by Sathish Joseph Simon

● Audio lectures:

– Henry Martin lecture on “Engaging the University” by Dr. Vinoth Ramachandra

http://www.martynmission.cam.ac.uk/pages/centre/lectures-amp-seminars/lectures.php

– Word and World – Engaging the university by Dr. Terence Halliday

http://ifesworld.org/media/audio/wa2011-aen-engage-terence

● Some online resources:

– IFES Engaging university fb group https://www.facebook.com/groups/193305160731645/

– http://meetjesusatuni.com/

– http://blog.emergingscholars.org/

– http://cs.redeemer.ca/derek/blog/

Thank you