Conversation at the Union
One of the greatest joys we have in ministry is getting to have deep conversations with amazingly brilliant international students and visiting professors! Every week, I have the privilege of teaching a class for the IFC (International Friendship Center) called American Beliefs and Culture. I teach it online with students from around the world using Zoom, then I teach the same lesson with an in-person class at the IFC room at the Upper House on campus and in the heart of the downtown district.
We explore the intersection of beliefs and culture so that our students, professors, and spouses from overseas can better understand and relate with Americans. This benefits them greatly in their studies, jobs, research, and adjusting to life in the USA. We always go back to the foundational religious principles which have profoundly influenced American culture: the Christian faith. I explain that America is not a 'Christian nation' per se, but that principles and values from the Bible have influenced our culture greatly, even though much of our culture now is so far from God's Word that it stands directly opposed to biblical values. Teaching them to think critically about American culture and their own culture helps them to compare the two and thus make sense of their unavoidable culture shock and crucial relating with Americans on a professional and friendship level.