Discussion Questions
Here are suggested questions for discussion among students, faculty, administrators, alumni, trustees, and religious advisors within the college and university
CAMPUS LIFE
- For whose benefit does the institution exist?
- Where is the "higher" in higher education?
- What is the effect of religious pluralism on dorm life?
- What do we do with Christian spaces we have and the multi-faith communities we have?
- How is religious faith expressed on your campus?
- Do staff/faculty/administrators see themselves as learners or as "finished"?
- Is spirituality a necessary part of a learning community?
- How do people come and go into the university-setting?
- Presidents: Given expanding diversity, how can we afford to provide resources for religious/spiritual life?
CAMPUS WIDE SERVICES
- How does religious observance enhance/clarify/embolden the educational enterprise within institutions of higher education?
- What is your role in the "transformative" dimension of educating?
- How does the institution respond to civic needs, community building, and ethical/moral responsibilities in its immediate context?
- What does the institution promote by its structure?
- What are your experiences of education as transformative? Is it happening? How? (personal stories)
- Is spirituality part of the non-student world in the univeristy or is it a student service?
- Long-term systems of protestant colleges and chaplaincies. How/if to change?
- Would I give up my job for a multi-faith vision on our campus?
CLASS WORK
- What is the goal of education -wisdom or information?
- Is religion necessary for education? If so, why?
- If religious expression is part of a faculty member's daily life, how and why is it not in the classroom? (be specific to your college's situation)
- Are we in a post-traditional era regarding educational process?
- Does religious expression belong in the classroom? Why or why not?
- Does a teacher's world-view have a place in the classroom?
- Who evaluates you? (i.e. Who's your boss?)
- How is the connection made between a student's aims/calling/ideals and their course of study?
- Where does transformation occur? in the classroom? other places?
- How important is the ability to teach? How is "teaching" done?
- How often and by what standard do you measure your teaching?
- In your own teaching, how far are you from your academic "first love?"
- What investments does the institution hold? Does this matter to you?
- Is philosophy/theology important any longer for society? What place does it hold?
- What are the trends in religious observance on campus and in your generation? Is this commensurate with your ideal for education?
- What power do students have in the institution (such as in registration for courses, petition for change, student activism, etc.)?
DIVERSITY AND UNDERSTANDING
- Are religious people anti-intellectual?
- What is the relationship between religious pluralism and multi-culturalism?
- What is the relationship between religion and culture?
- Can you ever discuss multi-culturalism without religion?
- How do religious traditions speak to the importance of education? facilitate? hinder?
- Does teaching have a goal of conversion? of evangelism? (or an element of it, i.e. changing one's mind or way of thinking?)
- Is spirituality part of liberal arts?
- Is spirituality a luxury or a necessity?
- How important is it compared to career, jobs?
- What is gained/lost with multi-faith, multi-cultural? What is scary, threatening, dangerous?
- (What questions are effective?)
- Why bother? Why are we here?
- Why would ________ be concerned with religious pluralism?
(fill in the blank: the president; admissions; financial aid; alumni affairs; etc) - How can religious pluralism be used to your advantage?
- Recruiting-What are the advantages of a multi-faith campus?
- What are the practical, fiscal, etc. reasons for supporting multi-faith, religious pluralism?
- Who is your boss?
- What are the trends for students of religious practice?
- What are the impediments to having a multi-faith program?
