I read this two days ago, and it continues to race through my mind, especially point 5 on the education gap. I am a retired public high school teacher and principal of 40 years with a PhD in educational leadership from Saint Louis University, a life-long, active Southern Baptist and an active liberal Democrat. Yep, a true anomaly or a walking contradiction. This education gap is undeniably deadly in building community. What can I do in my remaining years to help the school, the church, the community?
Hi Mike, thank you for reading! As a recent Ph.D. watching the decline of higher ed, I think about this issue and what can be done every day. Existing institutions and their funding are really important, but at the same time I think there's a need for adult/life-long education offered by volunteers in public contexts like churches and libraries. The tricky thing is that the people who show up at an event or class tend to be those who already have a lot of education. For instance, I've been part of highly-educated churches that offer great adult education programs, but we need ways to share educational resources with communities that aren't already highly-educated (and to convince those communities that broader and deeper education can be helpful and not simply a threat!).
Stephen, thank you for your prompt reply. I am intrigued by your suggestions about community education. I launched a monthly book club eight years ago in my hometown of 243 and we are still meeting. We read a wide range of books—literary classics to pop fiction—and spend 2-3 hours in discussions. I suspect half voted Harris and half Trump. I have been in another book club through my small Baptist church where we are currently reading our 30th book on theology and doctrine from Augustine to CS Lewis to Tim Keller and John Piper. In the church group, I am the only social liberal and all others are fundamentalists. I have witnessed a moderating of the Trumpers in both groups through our courageous conversations over the years. I have just self-published a book, primarily a personal narrative on being an evangelical Christian and a social justice liberal that is intended to incite even more courageous conversations, and they are starting to happen as the book is increasingly discovered. One section advocates for public education and challenges the rise of Christian schools with other sections championing voting rights, gun control and climate change, all red hot topics in my white, evangelical community. I pray all of this is making some difference. I want to do all I can to enhance mutual understanding in my small corner of God’s world.
I read this two days ago, and it continues to race through my mind, especially point 5 on the education gap. I am a retired public high school teacher and principal of 40 years with a PhD in educational leadership from Saint Louis University, a life-long, active Southern Baptist and an active liberal Democrat. Yep, a true anomaly or a walking contradiction. This education gap is undeniably deadly in building community. What can I do in my remaining years to help the school, the church, the community?
Hi Mike, thank you for reading! As a recent Ph.D. watching the decline of higher ed, I think about this issue and what can be done every day. Existing institutions and their funding are really important, but at the same time I think there's a need for adult/life-long education offered by volunteers in public contexts like churches and libraries. The tricky thing is that the people who show up at an event or class tend to be those who already have a lot of education. For instance, I've been part of highly-educated churches that offer great adult education programs, but we need ways to share educational resources with communities that aren't already highly-educated (and to convince those communities that broader and deeper education can be helpful and not simply a threat!).
Stephen, thank you for your prompt reply. I am intrigued by your suggestions about community education. I launched a monthly book club eight years ago in my hometown of 243 and we are still meeting. We read a wide range of books—literary classics to pop fiction—and spend 2-3 hours in discussions. I suspect half voted Harris and half Trump. I have been in another book club through my small Baptist church where we are currently reading our 30th book on theology and doctrine from Augustine to CS Lewis to Tim Keller and John Piper. In the church group, I am the only social liberal and all others are fundamentalists. I have witnessed a moderating of the Trumpers in both groups through our courageous conversations over the years. I have just self-published a book, primarily a personal narrative on being an evangelical Christian and a social justice liberal that is intended to incite even more courageous conversations, and they are starting to happen as the book is increasingly discovered. One section advocates for public education and challenges the rise of Christian schools with other sections championing voting rights, gun control and climate change, all red hot topics in my white, evangelical community. I pray all of this is making some difference. I want to do all I can to enhance mutual understanding in my small corner of God’s world.
Thanks for your penetrating analysis. It was indeed a great event. Lots to think about.