A University of Hope

A fourth distinctive of a Christian university, along with truth, compassion and reconciliation (see the last four blogs) is hope. Where there is truth, compassion, and reconciliation, there is hope for shalom, for human flourishing. Hope is the message of the Gospel. It is at the heart of the Gospel narrative, the story of a loving God and the people he loves. Hope is the promise of a faithful God that the best is yet to come, that there are Kingdom ends, and that in the end we shall be like Christ, united with him, and flourishing in the life he has called to, a life for which he created us in the very beginning. A Christian university teaches hope. It is forward looking and anticipates the day when wisdom, truth, grace, love, and peace shall reign.

While many universities dwell on the despairing teachings of Nietzsche and Marx, the Christian university studies them in the context of hope. While many universities teach and propound the hopelessness of the human condition and the flawed nature of man, the Christian university emphasizes the promises of God to do new things and His ability to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, as the Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians. The Christian university teaches the presence, power, and providence of God in every situation and in every circumstance in life. Teaching in the Christian university is informed by people's direct experience of God's mercy and grace and his answers to prayers and petitions. Christian universities are communities of faith, hope and love in action, action that leads to shalom, mercy and justice.

A Christian university teaches from a position of faith, hope and love. it looks to the ends of all of its endeavors and embraces Kingdom ends of truth, compassion, reconciliation and hope. Its research and discovery, teaching and learning, and its service and engagement with the larger community and the world is carried out in fidelity to its essence, Jesus Christ, toward the fulfillment of Kingdom ends.