LUTHERAN
CHURCH-RELATED HIGHER EDUCATION
A draft copy
by
John D. Sorenson
Introduction
Marsden (1994) documented the movement of many colleges away
from their historical roots related to the church in pursuit of enhanced
academic reputations. For
Marsden this trend toward “secularization” of colleges and universities was
very troubling.
In response to that phenomenon, Professor Blosser wrote
an essay arguing that church-related colleges have a number of advantages over
“secular” institutions. For the
most part, I am in agreement with that analysis. However, I think we are facing
another question at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
The question is not
whether Lenoir-Rhyne University should be a church–related college.
Lenoir-Rhyne has been, is now, and will be a college related to the
Lutheran Church. The question we
face is “What kind of a church-related college do we want to be?”
This essay is not a complete or systematic case for Lutheran
church-related colleges, but is the result of my reflections from thirty years
experience as a faculty member and administrator at three different ELCA
colleges. I will begin with a brief
explanation of basic assumptions under girding Lutheran church related colleges.
Then I will identify five characteristics of a college related to the
Lutheran Church.
A
Foundation for Lutheran Church related colleges
The foundation for church-related colleges can be inferred
from Luther’s concept of the “orders of creation.” For Luther, the “orders of creation” are social
institutions established by God for the purpose of making life enduring and more
secure. Most importantly the benefits of these institutions are available to
both the godly and the ungodly.
Without taking too much time or detail, let me say something
about each of these “orders of creation.”
The first and most important, “order of creation” is the family.
The family is where children are physically nourished; it is where
children are sheltered from the elements; it is where children are educated; and
it is where children receive spiritual nourishment.
The task of educating children was so important that Luther
spent much time and effort to create the Small and Large Catechisms.
He recognized that many clergy of his day did not have the knowledge
necessary for educating children, and he recognized that training teachers and
clergy would take time. The catechisms were an answer to the problem.
Not only was Luther an educational leader, he also had advice
for parents, including advice on how parents should treat their own children.
Luther cautioned against “beating” or abusing children because they
would have a difficult time understanding the concept of a loving God when their
parents, who they were to trust, treated them so harshly.
Now you may be asking, “What does this have to do with the
foundations of church-related colleges?”
In Luther’s day not all families were capable of educating children by
themselves. Schools for teaching
and learning were established to help parents fulfill this responsibility.
Melancthon is widely regarded as the leader in shaping the gymnasium
(school system) for Germany. Formal education in schools and universities was to augment
the family’s resources and provide educated citizens who would be able to
carry out their vocation in the culture. (Hughes & Adrian, 1997)
The second “order of creation” was civic government.
Government derived its power from families who needed protection from the
powerful and unjust. As with the family, government is instituted by God to make
life more secure and enduring. Like
the family, civil government is for the benefit of both the godly and ungodly.
Although some reformers of that time advocated a theocracy,
Luther rejected the notion. Of the
desire to build a Christian utopia with Christian rule, Luther is reported to
say, “It is better to be ruled by a just Turk than an incompetent
Christian.” (reference) While it
was not a requirement for Luther that officeholders be Christian, they were to
promote justice and protect the weak from the tyranny of the powerful.
Luther also enlisted the aid of government officials to establish schools
for children in their locality.
The third “order of creation” was the visible church.
The church provided a context for the teaching of faith, preaching, and
celebrating the sacraments; however, the family is the primary institution, and
each of the other orders is legitimized by serving the needs of the family.
When we move to the American scene, we find that families,
government, and the church in this new land were faced with a massive job of
educating their children. There
were few institutions of higher education, so they used a typical American
approach of creating another voluntary association, the church-related college,
to help carry out the task.
What then are the characteristics of such colleges?
Let me suggest five characteristics of such institutions.
Five
Characteristics of Lutheran Church related colleges
There
is freedom to pursue the truth with no reservations in the Lutheran
church-related college.
Some religious groups believe and advocate a “Christian
biology,” or a “Christian chemistry,” or a “Christian psychology.”
This is not consistent with the Lutheran philosophy.
Just as Luther rejected theocratic rule by Christians, he rejected the
notion that Christians had special knowledge just because they were Christians.
Being a Christian does not grant anyone more or less
knowledge of the world around us, nor does it mean having special knowledge of
the world. They are separate
approaches to reality and remain so. Paul
Tillich (1957) puts it well:
Knowledge of revelation cannot interfere with
ordinary knowledge.
Likewise, ordinary knowledge cannot interfere with knowledge of
revelation. There is no
scientific theory which is more favorable to the truth of revelation than any
other theory. (p.130)
He continues, “This ill-conceived resistance of
theologians from the time of Galileo to the time of Darwin was one of the causes
of the split between religion and secular culture in the past centuries.”
(p.130)
This freedom to pursue the truth implies that colleges of the
church be rigorous, where students are challenged and stretched to achieve their
full potential. This also includes
a commitment to assisting students in meeting high standards.
The
Lutheran Church related-college is ecumenical and diverse.
There is recognition that others have something to contribute
to our knowledge of the world and of revelation.
Here Tillich (1957) is again helpful.
He argues that in the realm of revelatory knowledge there is the
phenomenon of “preparatory” revelation.
Therefore, even though we believe in the final revelation in Jesus
Christ, there is recognition that other religions and other people have
revelatory processes and have something to contribute to us and to others.
Rather than assuming our culture is superior, there is an
acknowledgement that other cultures and other religious communities could enrich
our understanding.
The
Lutheran church-related college confronts the world with the claims of
revelation in Jesus Christ.
There should be opportunities for students in coursework and
co-curricular activities, and an opportunity for every member of the community,
to encounter the theology of the Christian church and in particular the Lutheran
tradition. This expectation
includes time set aside for community worship and reflection.
This mark of a Lutheran church related college raises the
issue of staffing. I do not have
the answer. On the one hand, I am
not implying some doctrinal test, or the hiring of only Lutherans, because even
Luther and Melanchthon did not require subscription to a doctrinal statement for
teachers. On the other hand, if no
one is Lutheran or Christian, how is the mission to be kept alive?
While I do not like the concept of critical mass because it
implies a large number of Lutherans, or Christians, I believe we need to address
the issue of how we staff all positions in the college.
The
Lutheran church-related college educates students in the liberal arts and
sciences.
Luther and Melanchthon viewed the classics and philosophy as
the foundation for education, and both were strong advocates of the liberal arts
and sciences. Luther advocated
study of the world, including history, the sciences, mathematics and music.
Luther even advocated training in singing.
Given that orientation, the tradition of great choirs in our Lutheran
Colleges is no accident!
The
Lutheran church-related College demonstrates a quality of uncommon caring that
is anchored in the freedom of the Gospel
Like families, institutions of Lutheran higher education
should be marked by a nurturing atmosphere.
Students should be affirmed, students should be disciplined, students
should be forgiven, and students should grow and mature. Like
the family, they should experience genuine love and caring.
The Lutheran related colleges and
universities should be governed by caring and just individuals who are dedicated
to serving all people. Students,
staff, and faculty members should find an environment free from harassment and a
place where all are treated with dignity and respect.
In summary, I would argue that the college of the church
seeks to be an INCARNATE college that through its faculty, staff, and students
seeks to live a life that embodies the freedom of the Gospel.
Furthermore, it is marked by academic excellence and a commitment to the
genuine growth of each member of the community.
References
Harran,
M.J. (1997). Martin Luther: Learning
for life. St. Louis: Concordia
Publishing House.
Hughes,
R.T. & Adrian, W.B., eds. (1997). Models for Christian higher education:
Strategies for success in the twenty-first century. Grand Rapids:
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Marsden,
G.M. (1994). The soul of the American university: From Protestant establishment to established nonbelief.
New York: Oxford University
Press.
Tillich,
P. (1951). Systematic theology: Volume
1. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press.
