The U: Magnificent in Mission, Glorious in Achievements

In a few weeks I will celebrate thirty-seven years of engagement in the service of higher education. In January 1974, as a doctoral student, I was tossed into a developmental psychology course as the instructor. Thence began my journey from the University of Kentucky through brief stints at the University of Maryland (European Division; one year) and Arizona State University (four years), eleven years with the University of Hawaii (tenure and promotion to full professor) and then administration in three Christian liberal arts colleges (16 years: Wenham, Mass.; Greenville, Illinois; Winnipeg, Canada) until my most recent five and one half years at Trinity Western University. That's a total of teaching, research and administration in eight institutions since doctoral study days in the early seventies. I've come to know first hand that universities and colleges are among the most remarkable innovations in human history. Reflections of the flawed humanity of universities aside, universities and colleges are magnificent in mission and glorious in achievements.

Recently a loose slip of paper dropped out of a book that I rediscovered on a book shelf at home. The notes on the paper express some thoughts about universities worth sharing. The text is in my handwriting, but I have no recollection of authorship, whether it is my pensive pondering of the essence of the university or the captured thoughts of another. If the latter, I apologize for the absence of a citation and credit due. Here's what I wrote long enough ago to not remember the source . . .

The university is always in the process of becoming. At any moment it is both the product of the past and the seed of the future.

A university thrives when there is an ongoing dialogue about the most important questions and less a power struggle about who is to be allowed to speak based on who alone has "privileged knowledge."

A university suffers when there is a deficit of unity. (There is sometimes not much "uni" in the university.)

A university is at its best when it models reconciled diversity while manifesting itself as unity which preserves diversity and diversity which strives for unity.

A Christian university does not stand over against the world, but rather is sent into the world and exists for the sake of the world.

It strikes me that the word university above could be swapped-out for the word "church". A university, even a faith based one, is not a church. Nevertheless, in the very back of my mind, lost down in some cranial crevice, is the thought that the five statements above about the nature of universities may actually be paraphrases of the writings of David Bosch, the deceased missiologist from South Africa. A return to my office on Monday and a perusal of my Bosch writings off the shelves of my bookcases at work may occasion an updated citation. In the meantime, I marvel at all the universities and colleges in which I've had the privilege and joy of service. Each one is remarkable in its essence, mission, and achievements to the betterment of society and hopefully in attribution to the glory of God! They are magnificent in mission and glorious in achievement!