Thanks for this quick descriptor, Chris. One of the interesting bits here in the Triangle area of North Carolina has been the shared vision between InterVarsity's Graduate & Faculty Ministries and the local Study Centers. Unlike your general description of InterVarsity at an undergrad ministry level, the grad/faculty ministries share some of the same vision for Christian scholarship, Christian pedagogy, and Christian intellectual formation of students. The developement of the study centers (I helped start the one at Duke where I've served as IV's GFM Staff for years, even your years here) has exponentially increased the resources given to the academic formation piece of the mission. It does seem that IV hold oneo to factors that serve the mission of the centers. One is the creation of communities and not just programs. These are formational communities both spiritually and intellectually. The other is the concern for witness beyond the Christian communities. Demonstrating the hope of the gospel and inviting the non-believing members of the academy to consider the claims of Christ seems at times missing the the study center model but remain in the parachurch. These lines get blurred, wonderfully so. If I had imagined a faculty and grad ministry at Duke that would be thrilling and transformative, I would have been delighted by what now exists here, something that could not have happened without the parachurch AND study center contirbutions. At leasst at Duke and UNC, the intellectual mission is a shared mission.
Steve, so glad you added this. At Anselm House too, we work closely with IV. The problem with brief descriptions is that they tend to oversimplify. I recognize that IV has long held a faith-learning engagement goal along with your other work--especially in the grad-faculty branch. I still remember the powerful intellectual wallop of the conference I attended in Chicago put on by IV GF back in . . . maybe 1998?
As for the study center movement sometimes missing the dimension of challenging members of the academy to consider the claims of Christ - I do see that. You'll be glad to know that I was hired to Anselm House in great part to engage faculty and grad students - though more usually not in an evangelistic mode, but in support of Christian academics' sense of Christian vocation in the midst of this pluralistic university. Nonetheless, we are aware that non-Christians do attend our events, etc., and I know opportunities arise to share Christ with folks. But yes, that is a mission that has long characterized the parachurch campus ministries - and thank God for you all!
I could also have added that Anselm House takes spiritual formation seriously too, in the midst of the intellectual work. And yes, community formation is crucial to our work. I think of it, even, as the special charism of Anselm House!
I'm delighted you're working with Edward Dixon - he's a good guy and that's a great center.
As for the meeting at their center Aug 4-6, I suspect I will just miss you guys, and that will be sad. I will have to fly out on the afternoon of the 6th . . .
Maybe we can connect on the 5th, later in the day. We will hopefully be partly recovered from jet lag. And if not, seeing you would be more than worth any "discomfort" even if we have grown a bit older!
Thanks for this quick descriptor, Chris. One of the interesting bits here in the Triangle area of North Carolina has been the shared vision between InterVarsity's Graduate & Faculty Ministries and the local Study Centers. Unlike your general description of InterVarsity at an undergrad ministry level, the grad/faculty ministries share some of the same vision for Christian scholarship, Christian pedagogy, and Christian intellectual formation of students. The developement of the study centers (I helped start the one at Duke where I've served as IV's GFM Staff for years, even your years here) has exponentially increased the resources given to the academic formation piece of the mission. It does seem that IV hold oneo to factors that serve the mission of the centers. One is the creation of communities and not just programs. These are formational communities both spiritually and intellectually. The other is the concern for witness beyond the Christian communities. Demonstrating the hope of the gospel and inviting the non-believing members of the academy to consider the claims of Christ seems at times missing the the study center model but remain in the parachurch. These lines get blurred, wonderfully so. If I had imagined a faculty and grad ministry at Duke that would be thrilling and transformative, I would have been delighted by what now exists here, something that could not have happened without the parachurch AND study center contirbutions. At leasst at Duke and UNC, the intellectual mission is a shared mission.
Steve, so glad you added this. At Anselm House too, we work closely with IV. The problem with brief descriptions is that they tend to oversimplify. I recognize that IV has long held a faith-learning engagement goal along with your other work--especially in the grad-faculty branch. I still remember the powerful intellectual wallop of the conference I attended in Chicago put on by IV GF back in . . . maybe 1998?
As for the study center movement sometimes missing the dimension of challenging members of the academy to consider the claims of Christ - I do see that. You'll be glad to know that I was hired to Anselm House in great part to engage faculty and grad students - though more usually not in an evangelistic mode, but in support of Christian academics' sense of Christian vocation in the midst of this pluralistic university. Nonetheless, we are aware that non-Christians do attend our events, etc., and I know opportunities arise to share Christ with folks. But yes, that is a mission that has long characterized the parachurch campus ministries - and thank God for you all!
I could also have added that Anselm House takes spiritual formation seriously too, in the midst of the intellectual work. And yes, community formation is crucial to our work. I think of it, even, as the special charism of Anselm House!
I'm delighted you're working with Edward Dixon - he's a good guy and that's a great center.
As for the meeting at their center Aug 4-6, I suspect I will just miss you guys, and that will be sad. I will have to fly out on the afternoon of the 6th . . .
Maybe we can connect on the 5th, later in the day. We will hopefully be partly recovered from jet lag. And if not, seeing you would be more than worth any "discomfort" even if we have grown a bit older!
Great - let's figure out a way to do that! And thanks for being willing to suffer discomfort just to connect with little ol' me - I'm honored.