Living Faith

Goshen College Professor of Bible, Religion and Philosophy Keith Graber Miller’s new book Living Faith: Embracing God’s Callings (Cascadia Publishing House LLC, Dec. 2012) explains why the primary Christian calling is to be a follower of Jesus Christ and what this entails for vocational life. Written from an Anabaptist perspective but relevant for any denominational group, the book is perfect for intergenerational settings and ideal for both group and individual study of vocation. It offers both historical and contemporary insights for discerning passions and pursuing callings.

Boston University Professor of Sociology of Religion Nancy T. Ammerman said, “Graber Miller calls all Christians to discern their passions, to be followers of Christ in vocations that matter. With the charm of a master story-teller, the vision of a teacher, and the insight of a seasoned scholar, he ranges from Mennonite history to today’s urban and professional Mennonite culture in a way that will inform and challenge lay readers and theologians alike.”

Living Faith can be purchased online for $12.95. It is also available in the Goshen College Bookstore.

North American volume in Mennonite Global History series

Goshen College Professor of History Steven M. Nolt and co-author Royden Loewen, professor of history at the University of Winnipeg in Manitoba, wrote Seeking Places of Peace (Good Books & Pandora Press, Oct. 2012) as the fifth and final volume of the “Mennonite Global History” series sponsored by Mennonite World Conference.

Seeking Places of Peace strives to create a comprehensive history of Mennonites in North America with a focus on people and places. It is one of the first to treat U.S. and Canadian Mennonite history as an integrated whole and explores how various people worked and lived in North America to express their religious devotion. Nolt and Loewen investigate the everyday lives of Mennonite men and women to illustrate their way of life.

The authors are “both masters of the North American story, and they have charted a fresh journey through remarkably diverse experiences,” said John A. Lapp and C. Arnold Snyder, who have overseen the Mennonite Global History series. “They both bring the insights of social history, which means that they focus on people in many geographical environments rather than on institutional development and theological controversy.

Together, they describe their task as writers of this inclusive and sweeping history as “seeking to answer a single question: How did Mennonite men and women live out their distinctive religious calling to follow Christ in North America? The answer is that they did so as ordinary people, in everyday life. In their lives they often aimed for holiness, neatness and orderliness, but the fact is that life is not always neat, it is never sin-less and indeed it is often messy. There have been joys and tears, moments of achievement and times of failure.”

In addition to teaching history, Nolt is an internationally-recognized expert on the Old Order Amish. He is the author or coauthor of nine other books, including The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Perilous World (2010), Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (2007), Mennonites, Amish and the American Civil War (2007) and A History of the Amish (2003).

Seeking Places of Peace, a 400-page book, can be purchased online. It is also available in the Goshen College Bookstore.

Pastor and Professor

Retired Goshen College Professor of Bible Don Blosser authored the new book Pastor and Professor: A Public Faith (Wipf and Stock Publishers, Aug. 2012). The book is one pastor’s story of a rich life filled with experiences that tested his faith and demanded growth that was both exhilarating and painful. It is the personal story of moving from faith as right doctrinal belief to faith as a liberating response to a loving God — a God who is always present, continually drawing followers into the future. This dynamic understanding of faith is based on the belief that the kingdom of God is a present reality where followers of Jesus are to be pastoral in spirit while prophetic in living.

Blosser weaves personal experience with public expression of an emerging faith that wrestles candidly with the realities of life and deals with the pastor/professor tension of integrating academic scholarship in the classroom with pastoral proclamation in the pulpit. Pastor and Professor invites the reader to share a journey where faith is often challenged, sometimes doubted, yet lived with enthusiasm as it is shared from the pulpit and in the college classroom. It invites the reader to find fresh insights in the Scriptures, and to live with new hope, to embrace life more fully, and to share more gently one’s own story with others.

Blosser, who received his doctorate from St. Andrews University in Scotland, is an ordained Mennonite minister who pastored congregations in Freeport, Ill. and Akron, Pa. He is the author of Dictionary of the Literature of the Bible (1993), and contributor to Jesus: His Life and Times (1998). He taught at Goshen College from 1979 to 2001.

Pastor and Professor can be purchased online for $22.40. It is also available in the Goshen College Bookstore.

The Classical Theory of Fields: Electromagnetism

Professor Emeritus of Physics Carl Helrich wrote the new graduate text in physics, The Classical Theory of Fields: Electromagnetism (Jan. 2012), published by Springer, a leader in scientific literature. It is based on a class that he taught at Goshen College and gives a thorough and logical exposition of the theory of electromagnetism, enriched with historical details. Some other features include high quality diagrams, end of chapter questions and a separate complete solutions manual.

“The study of classical electromagnetic fields is an adventure. The theory is complete mathematically and we are able to present it as an example of classical Newtonian experimental and mathematical philosophy. There is a set of foundational experiments, on which most of the theory is constructed. And then there is the bold theoretical proposal of a field-field interaction from James Clerk Maxwell,” writes Helrich. “This textbook presents the theory of classical fields as a mathematical structure based solidly on laboratory experiments. The student is introduced to the beauty of classical field theory as a gem of theoretical physics.”

This book can be purchased online for $81.49.

Adoption chapter in interfaith book

Professor of Bible, Religion and Philosophy Keith Graber Miller also recently had a chapter on adoption published in the just-released book Children, Adults, and Shared Responsibilities: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives (Cambridge University Press, Nov. 2012). The book is edited by Marcia J. Bunge and Graber Miller’s chapter in this interfaith book is titled “Orphans and Adoption: Biblical Themes, Christian Initiatives, and Contemporary Ethical Concerns.”

Motivation and critique chapter in art education book

Professor Emeritus of Art Marvin Bartel contributed a chapter on motivation and critique for an anthology on choice-based art education. The book, titled The Learner-Directed Classroom: Developing Creative Thinking Skills Through Art (Teachers College Press, Sept. 2012) is edited by Diane Jaquith and Nan Hathaway.

Intercultural chapter in Christian higher education leadership book

The new book Thriving in Leadership: Strategies for Making a Difference in Christian Higher Education (ACU Press, Aug. 2012), edited by Karen A. Longman, includes contributions by 16 other senior leaders in Christian higher education across North America, including Goshen College Associate Dean for Intercultural Development & Educational Partnerships Rebecca Hernandez. Her chapter is titled “Beyond ‘hospitality’: Moving out of the host-guest metaphor into an intercultural ‘World House.’”

This compilation represents an engaging introduction to leadership approaches and strategies in Christian higher education, designed to strengthen the leaders of today and inspire the leaders of tomorrow.
 

Faith mentoring chapter in spiritual formation for college students book

Campus Pastor Bob Yoder had a chapter published in a recent book titled Building a Culture of Faith: University-Wide Partnerships for Spiritual Formation (Abilene Christian University Press, Aug. 2012). The title of his chapter is “Strengthening a Christian College as a Faith-Mentoring Environment through Knowing-Being-Doing.” The book is a collection of 14 different essays on the influences of various parts of the university on student spiritual formation. Yoder’s chapter shares some of the findings of a two-year study he recently conducted.

Dale Brown Book Award

In 2012, Professor of Bible, Religion and Philosophy Keith Graber Miller received the Dale Brown Book Award for the text he edited titled Prophetic Peacemaking: Selected Writings of J.R. Burkholder (Institute for Mennonite Studies, 2010). The award is given for a new book that is “judged to advance significantly the scholarship in Anabaptist and Pietist studies,” and is given annually by Elizabethtown College’s Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies. Burkholder was a long-time religion, ethics and peace studies professor at Goshen College, and a mentor for Graber Miller during and since his seminary studies. Prophetic Peacemaking was chosen from a pool of 25 nominated books this year.

View a video of Graber Miller delivering the Dale Brown Book Award Lecture in October at the Young Center, and Burkholder offering a response.

Building on the success of its master’s degree programs in environmental education and nursing, Goshen College will offer a new Master of Arts in Intercultural Leadership, starting in January 2013. It will be led by (left to right) Associate Dean of Intercultural Development and Educational Partnerships Dr. Rebecca Hernandez, Associate Dean Dr. Ross Peterson-Veatch and Academic Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs Anita Stalter.

GOSHEN, Ind. – Building on the success of its master’s degree programs in environmental education and nursing, Goshen College will offer a new Master of Arts in Intercultural Leadership, starting in January 2013. The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools approved the program on Aug. 22.

“This program is a natural extension of GC’s longstanding expertise in the area of intercultural and international education,” said Academic Dean and Vice President for Academic Affairs Anita Stalter. “The curriculum is designed to meet the demand for leaders with the knowledge, skills and capacity to lead increasingly diverse organizations.”

The program is designed for mid-career working professionals, including business managers, educators, health-care professionals and non-profit leaders, who want to enhance their preparation for engaging the multiple cultural contexts in which modern organizations operate. The 18-month program consists of three 9-day residential sessions on campus (in January, July and January) as well as online coursework. Tuition for the program will be $6,300 per semester (3 semesters total), plus textbook fees. Numerous current Goshen College faculty members will teach in the program, which will be led by Associate Dean of Intercultural Development and Educational Partnerships Dr. Rebecca Hernandez and Associate Dean Dr. Ross Peterson-Veatch.

“Students will gain practical skills as well as expertise in organizational theory, with a unique emphasis on understanding how culture informs effective approaches to leadership,” said Hernandez. “In addition, students will design and implement a major action research project which links learnings from the program to their professional contexts. Throughout the program, students will demonstrate and reflect on their growth using an electronic portfolio.”

This master’s degree is one of several initiatives that were part of a $12.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., which Goshen College used to establish the Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning (CITL). The work of the center, launched in 2006, has focused on three areas: researching the resources and challenges that changing demographics bring to a rural Midwest community and to higher education, creating an intercultural learning environment to benefit all students and strengthening current efforts in recruiting and retaining regional Latino and other minority students. More specifically, it has established scholarships and recruited minority undergraduate cohorts, provided cultural programming on campus, connected with the local Latino community, improved student support services on campus, offered opportunities for faculty to learn Spanish, developed multiple research initiatives, created a “bridge” program to assist minority students in preparation for college, presented research findings at national conferences, partnered with other educational institutions and helped assess and renew the college’s general education curriculum.

“With the launch of this program, we seek to address a major challenge of the 21st century, which is the need to promote systemic global awareness in all our institutions, organizations and communities,” said President James E. Brenneman. “This new master’s degree is closely tied to the college’s vision and our core values of Christ-centeredness, passionate learning, servant leadership, compassionate peacemaking and global citizenship will provide the framework through which the program will operate.”

For more information about Goshen College’s Master of Arts in Intercultural Leadership, contact Rebecca Hernandez at (574) 535-7800 or rhernandez@goshen.edu.

For more information about The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools go to www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org or call (312) 263-0456.

GOSHEN, Ind. – An “exciting new chapter” has begun at Goshen College, according to the college’s President James E. Brenneman on March 24 as he launched three institutes, all focused on the college’s distinctive academic strengths as they relate to faith.

“Today, I’m pleased to formally announce the creation and launch at Goshen College of the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism, the Institute for Ecological Regeneration and the Institute for Latino Educational Achievement,” said Brenneman at a gathering on campus. “Naming these distinctive programs as identifiable institutes will make explicit the quality of our academic work and I believe these institutes will enhance our vision of becoming a truly interdisciplinary, integrative liberal arts college.”

Academic Dean Anita Stalter added, “An institute is a place of study, reflection, analysis and education. The focus of each institute will be achieved by conducting and collaborating on research, delivering academic programming, and sharing what is learned with others.”

Institute for Ecological Regeneration

The Institute for Ecological Regeneration, under the umbrella of Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, “will be committed to bringing renewal and vitality to ecosystems through research and education,” said Luke Gascho, executive director of Merry Lea and director of the institute. “Humankind is part of – not separate from – local, regional, national and global ecosystems. Humans have adversely impacted many natural systems — necessitating the call for transformative practices. The institute will study natural history, biotic and abiotic systems and the intersecting human dynamics. The institute will use the best investigative techniques and apply imagination to achieve an improved care and stewardship of creation. Principles of faith and shalom will guide the choice of actions to bring regeneration to ecological issues.”

The projects and programs of the institute will be designed on the integration of four core themes: land, community, faith and peace. “The intersection of these four themes will create a powerful synergy,” Gascho said. Conducting research, maintaining field collections and data, delivering formal academic courses, hosting symposia and disseminating learnings through various media to an array of publics will achieve the goals of the institute.

“The institute provides a context for studying, integrating and applying the interdisciplinary constructs of resilience of the land, responsibilities of people in community, and commitments to peace and justice,” Gascho said.

The current and planned programs of the institute include the agroecology summer intensive and a sustainability semester in residence for undergraduate students, a master’s in environmental education, and conferences and symposia on topics of ecological stewardship. Undergraduate and graduate students will have direct involvement in the goals of the institute through various research projects.

For more information about the Institute for Ecological Regeneration, visit www.goshen.edu/institutes/eco. Questions about the Institute for Ecological Regeneration can be directed to Dr. Luke Gascho: (260) 799-5869; lukeag@goshen.edu

Institute for Latino Educational Achievement

The Institute for Latino Educational Achievement is the research arm of the Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning (CITL) at Goshen College. The research agenda of the institute is focused on factors that impact the academic success of Latino students in higher education settings, particularly in small liberal arts colleges in the Midwest.

“Findings from research will be used to improve educational practices at Goshen College that impact the academic success of Latino students,” said Rebecca Hernandez, director for CITL and the institute. “Improving the educational success of Latino students is a relevant issue locally, regionally and globally. The Latino population continues to grow across the United States and it is imperative that the factors leading to their academic achievement be both identified and put into practice in higher education institutions.”

The current and planned research of the institute includes a three-part series titled “Latinos in Northern Indiana”; research on faculty and students of color in the Council of Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU); and community, schools and families action research. Undergraduate students, along with faculty and visiting research fellows, will participate in the institute’s research agenda.

For more information about the Institute for Latino Educational Achievement, visit www.goshen.edu/institutes/latino. Questions about the Institute for Latino Educational Achievement can be directed to Dr. Rebecca Hernandez: (574) 535-7775; rhernandez@goshen.edu

Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism

In recent decades, the most dramatic growth in the Anabaptist-Mennonite family of faith — as in the Christian church more generally — has occurred in countries outside of Europe and North America. There are 1.7 million Anabaptist-Mennonites in the world, representing 227 groups in 83 countries. “From the perspective of five centuries of Anabaptist history, this is a phenomenal development that is transforming the character and future of the tradition,” said John D. Roth, director of the Mennonite Historical Library, Goshen College Professor of History and director of the new Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism. “Mennonites in North America are vaguely aware of this transformation, but we have not been clear about the details of what is unfolding or about its larger significance and meaning.”

The institute – a program of the college’s Mennonite Historical Library (MHL), one of the world’s most comprehensive collections related to Anabaptist and Mennonite history– will build on a rich tradition at Goshen College of Anabaptist-Mennonite studies, the unique oncampus resources of the Mennonite Church USA Archives and the expertise of faculty. The institute will help to nurture a new generation of scholarship and exchange explicitly oriented to the global Anabaptist church. “The institute will serve as a visible and vibrant point of intersection between Goshen College students, Mennonite Church USA, the worldwide Anabaptist communion and the rapidly expanding global Christian church,” Roth said.

The current and planned research of the institute includes the Global Anabaptist Wikipedia, a Global Anabaptist History publication series and participation in the Multi-Nation Anabaptist Profile. The current and planned programs of the institute includes regular conferences, international partnerships with Anabaptist Study Centers, visiting scholars and church leaders and hosting of global church partners. Each year, the institute will identify a Goshen College international student who is associated with a Mennonite church to serve as a student intern or research assistant, as well as offering other student research opportunities.

For more information about the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism, visit www.goshen.edu/institutes/anabaptism. Questions about the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism can be directed to Dr. John D. Roth: (574) 535-7433; johndr@goshen.edu

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The collegeÕ’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.