的 process to articulate our 持久的承诺

西雅图太平洋神学院, 现在大学, 开始于一个教育的梦想,鼓励“智力和精神能力的发展和适当的训练。.” From the late 19th century to 今天, SPU has been an expression of the Free Methodist Church’s educational vision, which has committed to a Christ-centered holiness that prioritizes 正义 for the poor, the centrality of the Christian Scriptures for a Christian education, a liberal arts education that equips leaders for the manifold vocations of the kingdom, a world-wide perspective on education and mission, 最后, 一种非宗派的合作愿景,在耶稣基督的统一下,在高等教育环境中允许思想的多样性. 这是一份高贵的遗产, and one that the SPU Board of Trustees, 高级领导人, members of our faculty and staff, and generations of students have chosen to embody for over a century. 尽管这些年来大学不断发展,并继续适应当前的环境, it has continually chosen to maintain this important ecclesial relationship. 的 following document compiled, 写, 并得到董事会的批准是对这一教育梦想不仅仅存在于过去的承认, but that it must be lived out in 今天’s context, 帮助进一步培育大学的未来及其教育使命,同时保持与自由卫理公会的伙伴关系.

的 partnership between the church and the University is important, but not without challenges. 这种关系最近受到了赌博十大靠谱软件同性婚姻和人类性行为不同表达的分歧的考验,这些分歧导致了许多新教教会的分裂. And when this debate occurs on the heels of COVID-19, eight years of enrollment decline, 预算赤字, 各种诉讼, and 国家 political polarization, the test has proven critical. Within this fragile and contentious campus environment, the Board of Trustees voted twice, 在两年的时间里, 以维持目前员工的生活方式期望,从而也更新其与大学创始教派的关系. 随后, this decision prompted faculty and staff, 高级领导人, 和学生, 有不同的观点, to ask the Board to clarify the educational mission and articulate a vision for the University. 的 持久的承诺 代表了董事会对这些问题的回应,希望为大学社区提供更大的前进方向.

持久的承诺 阐明了董事会对好的赌博软件推荐的信念,即继续忠于自由卫理公会的创立,并希望与未来面临的教派保持持续的关系, 互惠互利的, 和地方, 国家, and inter国家 in its expression. 董事会还寻求平衡赌博十大靠谱软件独特的卫斯理身份与赌博十大靠谱软件的历史正统, 显然福音派, and genuinely ecumenical influences that define our community of faith as detailed in the SPU信仰声明.

有些人会认为董事会最近的决定是宗派主义的,或者是对《好的赌博软件推荐》中概述的大学“真正的大公主义”支柱的背叛. However, the reach of an ecumenical embrace must come about from a particular ecclesial location. 的 work of ecumenism is not an ecclesially rootless endeavor, for by attempting to be “of every church” the institution becomes of no church at all. 大学的普世主义, rooted in SPU’s Wesleyan holiness identity, 教育对神学思想多样性的承诺是否“基于历史正统和对基督共同而重要的信仰”.“对于SPU, “真正的普世主义”不是寻求神学共识最小公分母的中立立场, 相反,它是追求多样化,从而丰富对话,同时坚持大学的教会区别. 赌博十大靠谱软件的教会根源和对忠实对话的承诺将继续确保好的赌博软件推荐的未来. This is what the SPU Board of Trustees has affirmed and continues to affirm.

教育上, 这七项承诺确定了学术愿景的要素,这些要素既具有描述性,又具有启发性. 他们描述了对一种教育的长期承诺,这种教育有意地将信仰与学习结合起来,并寻求培养品格, 智慧, 还有一种使命感, while also preparing our increasingly diverse students for meaningful careers, 领导, 和服务. 的 seven commitments are also aspirational in that they, 作为一个整体, 铸就一个多元化的愿景, grace-filled, academic community that speaks truth in love, expresses disagreement and opposing viewpoints with respect and civility, 寻求神的平安, 正义, and reconciliation for all its members. 的 vision also looks to the city of 西雅图 and the world beyond SPU. 它承认当今城市环境的活生生的现实特点和世界范围内的巨大需求. 这一愿景呼吁战略性地调动赌博十大靠谱软件的学术和智力资源,直接应对挑战,并通过研究知情的解决方案解决现实世界的问题, 明智的判断, 和同情. 赌博十大靠谱软件的教育计划的核心是耶稣基督,福音的改变力量和上帝平安的希望.  

然而,, the institutional and broader higher education contexts, including those unique to Christian higher education, 不能最小化. 今天的高等教育格局与大学成立之初大不相同. 为工业时代而建立的高等教育机构,正不得不迅速向日益全球化的知识经济转变, 技术先进的, 相互联系的, and demographically different than any previous period. 入学人数的下降和上大学的高成本引发了人们对高等教育学位价值的严重质疑, the efficacy of the current business model, 除了学费上涨和相对适度的捐赠之外,还需要额外的收入来源. 学生们也希望能够轻松获得学术课程和服务. 基督教高等教育机构继续受到北美教会人数下降的影响, challenges to religious freedom, and ongoing political and cultural divisions. 西雅图 Pacific is not immune to these challenges.

值得注意的是,《赌博十大靠谱软件》不是传统规划意义上的战略计划或愿景声明. It is also not the new University vision designed to replace “Engaging the Culture, Changing the World.而是, 该文件旨在通过强调SPU的核心价值观,作为行政和学术决策的指南, 信仰, and commitments that are foundational to institutional strategic planning. 在这方面, it is a first step toward a more robust strategic planning process and vision statement.

现在的计划是为内部和外部利益相关者确定有意义的方式来参与七项承诺,并就SPU未来的影响进行对话. It is further hoped that the dialogue would inform current and future planning, 课程修订, 项目优先级, and emerging budget decisions.

过程:

这七项承诺是董事会三个月来与大学核心文件接触的结果, 网页, 以及赌博十大靠谱软件卫斯理/自由卫理公会信仰和基督教高等教育的核心价值观和模式的额外阅读.

的 process was facilitated by Dr. Margaret Diddams, former SPU associate provost, and former provost at Wheaton College. Once the core commitments were identified and affirmed by the full Board, individual trustees contributed to 写 sections resulting in a first draft. Dr. 皮特Menjares, 临时总统, 预览了他在大学国情咨文中的七项承诺,随后向校园内选定的个人和团体征求反馈意见. Dr. Menjares负责定稿,并得到了Alison Estep博士的帮助. Brian Lugioyo, and Ruth Jacobsen. 理事会于10月21日一致通过了《赌博十大靠谱软件》的最终版本, 2022.

Board of Trustee contributors:

约书亚加拿大
贝基Gilliam
院长加藤
马克•梅森
Dr. 皮特Menjares
Dr. 乔治·帕克
迈克奎因
莱斯利·范德·格林德
牧师. Dr. 马特·怀特海德
Dr. 黛博拉荒野
Dr. 乔伊斯·威廉姆斯