Faith - and Values
Questions of faith and values blend comfortably into all aspects of life on a Lutheran college campus. And well they should. Martin Luther was both a Catholic priest and a university professor when he started the Reformation in the 16th century. “How dare you NOT know what you CAN know?” he once roared, insisting that ALL questions should be asked because there was so much to be learned about the world.
Translated into the 21st century classes students take at Lutheran colleges, that means professors don’t teach “Christian Chemistry” or “Lutheran Literary Analysis.” Because the Lutheran tradition values every student’s gift for learning, academic integrity is never compromised by slanting education to agree with a particular religious bias.
One of the most important questions Martin Luther raised dealt with the concept of “vocatio,” the root of our modern term “vocation.” Challenging the belief that only priests were called by God, he asserted that all people are called to serve their neighbors, and that they could do so in every occupation. By encouraging students to make career decisions that are consistent with their own faith and values, Lutheran colleges educate students for a wide range of careers.
Today this Lutheran approach to education attracts and welcomes students from all faiths. The campus communities are formed by discussions of faith and values, and enriched through the sharing of varied religious traditions. next » |
