MCSC Spring Update
Dear friends,
Springtime in Michigan is notoriously unpredictable, with snow flurries following warm sunny days in quick succession. Uncertainty also characterizes the higher education landscape as university leaders try to anticipate and respond to national events, and faculty wonder what all of this means for their research prospects. Students, meanwhile, are gearing up for a three-week gauntlet of projects and exams before semester’s end. Amid it all, the Michigan Christian Study Center provides a thriving learning community reflecting Christian love and hospitality at the University of Michigan during uncertain times.
Student formation
Our core commitment continues to be equipping students to love God with heart and mind and to connect faith, learning, and living. In recent “Taking Your Faith to College” Friday lunches, students heard from U of M Astrophysicist Cameron Gibelyou, Michigan Law alum Susan Vogel-Vanderson (pictured below), and Michigan Engineering alum Jon DeGaynor.
Our Exploring Christian Theology course is drawing to its conclusion. Also, I’m excited to announce a partnership with Spring Arbor University, which will provide academic credit for our History of Christianity course next fall transferable to students’ U of M degree programs.
Fostering Christian thinking
In our most recent faculty Christian faith and scholarship conversation, Business professor Jane Dutton discussed the ways her faith informs her research into how organizations are structured (or not structured) to demonstrate compassion toward employees and customers.
Over the past month, student Brady Nichols and I categorized and shelved hundreds of books in the Center's emerging library of Christian resources, which serves as a visible expression of the Center’s commitment to Christian thinking in all of its depth and variety. I doubt that there’s another place on campus where Augustine, John Calvin, Tim Keller, C.S. Lewis, Dorothy Sayers, and Tish Warren share the same bookshelf. We are grateful to several Center supporters who have contributed to this valuable and growing resource.
A thoughtful Christian presence in the university
On March 11, the Center hosted a symposium on one of the most salient topics facing the University of Michigan—and academia in general—entitled “Diversity in the University: A Christian Conversation.” Panelists Melodie Marske (Midwest Regional Director for InterVarsity), Matthew Wixson, (Assistant Dean for Diversity at the School of Medicine), and Ryan Wilcox (UM Associate Professor of Medicine) provided insights, dialogued with each other, and answered questions from the audience. One attendee commented, "It was a refreshingly thoughtful conversation on a timely and difficult topic. It’s so nice to see Christians engaging issues like this in such a faithful and responsible way."
As a representative of the Center, I serve on a university-wide steering committee for the promotion of religious and interfaith engagement across campus. While the Center stands firmly rooted in historic Christian orthodoxy, I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the promotion of university culture in which all religious faiths can flourish and have a seat at the table.
You can learn more about Christian presence at the U of M by attending our upcoming Zoom event, “Faithful Christian Presence at the University of Michigan: Student and Faculty Perspectives,” on Thursday, April 10.
Our foundation: Christian community
Amid all of these activities, the Center provides students with Christian community and a sense of belonging that form the foundation for spiritual growth. Sometimes that means not discussing theology but cheering on the Wolverines in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, the “Leaders and Best” were second-best to Auburn last Friday evening, but nearly seventy students enjoyed an exciting evening nonetheless.
I’ll give the last word, therefore, to one of the many students who have made the Center part of their U of M college experience, fourth-year Sociology major Tessa Scully:
“The Center has been a welcoming place on campus for me, one that reflects the love of Christ through kindness and generosity. I have been able to grow intellectually and spiritually by attending events hosted by the Center discussing how we can bring faith into the various aspects of our lives. A highlight was the Faith and Politics event where two Christian scholars shared their perspectives on the political atmosphere in America. Through this panel, I was able to become more biblically grounded in my approach to politics.”
Thanks for your partnership in transforming lives and impacting the University of Michigan.
Rick
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Dr. Rick Ostrander
Executive Director, Michigan Christian Study Center