AUSTRALIA NEEDS A CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY. WHY? THIS IS WHY > UNIVERSITY RATIONALE ALPHACRUCIS COLLEGE 2015 FIVE SIX INFLUENCE Purpose The Influence of the Christian of Church on Education Australian Society & Education NOUN / VERB EIGHT TEN The capacity or The Influence of The Opportunity power of persons Universities in to help Cement or things to be a Australia Values compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behaviour & opinions of others. TWELVE / THIRTEEN Two Stories & Conclusion 3 WHY A CHRISTIAN PURPOSE OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA Australian Christian Churches has a vision to see Alphacrucis College (AC) transition to become the first Pentecostal Many writers on the purpose of education have expanded on Mortimer Adler’s “the Paideia program” that education University in Australia. has a threefold purpose: Since 1948 the College has been training men and women for effective Christian ministry. This continues to be a strong • the development of citizenship; emphasis of AC and is being enhanced by the college offering education and training for the broader marketplace. AC’s • personal growth or self-improvement; mission is to equip Christian leaders to influence all spheres of society, including business, education, politics, media, • occupational preparation. 1 and arts and entertainment. This is reflected in the College’s growing array of vocational and higher education awards. The vision to transition from college to university is primarily based on the rationale that universities exert powerful In essence, education is a social good that contributes to the development of the whole person and to the influence influence on culture and society and that a distinctively Christian university would contribute to the church’s mission to of that person on society. A key part of the educational process is the “socialising” of the student to a set of social influence all spheres of society. It would offer a quality alternative for students seeking an education that incorporates norms that reflect the explicit and implicit values of the educator and of the educational institution. Australian Christian worldview and values. universities typically endorse secular humanism and are ambivalent or antagonistic towards the incorporation of Christian faith in curriculum and university life. One consequence of this is that many students from church This paper seeks to elaborate on the rationale for a Pentecostal university in Australia. backgrounds repress or abandon their faith upon entering university and students from other or non-faith based backgrounds are not exposed to Christian principles and values. These students deserve the opportunity to choose a university education that incorporates the development of citizenship, personal growth, and occupational preparation with Christian worldview and values. A Pentecostal University would be firmly rooted in the Christian tradition and would seek to incorporate the philosophical and moral assumptions of that tradition into the design and development of its curriculum, learning environment, and intentional community. It would be committed to “Christian intellectual engagement” 2 with scholarship and with other faith traditions. It would base its approach to education on the understanding that faith in Christ stimulates believers to study God’s created universe and inspires them to seek to enable others to achieve their full potential as God’s creation. Students would not be required to be Christians. The image of God is found in each individual, even if they have not yet encountered God in Jesus Christ. All students would be provided the opportunity to encounter Christ in a learning environment committed to the integration of faith and scholarship. 1 Adler, M.J. (1998). The Paideia Proposal: An Educational Manifesto. New York: Touchstone 2 Millis, B.D. (2004) Faith, Learning and Christian Higher Education page 10. D.Ed. thesis, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD. 5 4 Life Church - Taree; 4 Life Church - Telegraph Point; Abundance Christian Church; Abundant Life; Abundant Life Cairns; Abundant Life Centre; Abundant Life Centre - Mareeba; Abundant Life Centre Busselton; Abundant Life Church - Lauderdale; Abundant Life Church – Blayney; Abundant Life Church - Cowra; ACC Roselands; Activate; Activate Community; Adelaide Full Gospel Church; Albany Hills Christian Church; Alice Christian Family Church; Alive Community Church; All Nations Church; All Nations Mission; Always Kingdom Church; Amazing Church; Ambassadors Of Christ Fellowship; AOG Korean Newcastle Church; Apu Cross (Cross on a Hill) Ministries; Arabic AOG; Arabic Calvary Chapel; Ark Ministries; Armidale Community Church; Assyrian AOG; Aurukun Christian Fellowship; Australia Samoan CLC AOG Corporation; Australian Chinese Christian Church; Australian Gospel Outreach Fellowship; Australian Indian Christian Fellowship; Awesome Church; Bacchus Marsh Christian Church; Badu Island AOG; Balaklava Family Church; Barak Christian Ministries; Bathurst Christian Life Centre; Bay City Church; Baylife Church; Bayside Christian Church – Oaklands Park; Bayside Christian Church - Sheldon; Bayside Christian Church - Hervey Bay; Bayside Church; Beaches Church; Beaches Church Outreach - Balgal Beach; Beaches Church Outreach - Saunders Beach; Beachside Church; Bega Valley Christian Life Centre; Believe Church; Beswick Community Church; Bethany House of Blessing; Bethel AOG; Bethel New Life Christian Fellowship; Biloela AOG; Blue Mountains City Church; Boigu ACC; Bondi Life Church; Boort AOG; Boyne Tannum Christian Church; Bracken Ridge Christian Church; Breakthrough Christian Church; Breakthrough Church; Bridge Church; Bridge Church - East Campus; Bright Refresh Church; Brisbane Christian Centre; Brisbane Faith Centre; Brisbane Full Gospel Church; Brisbane In Christ Church; Brisbane Samoan AOG; Brisbane Tongan THE INFLUENCE AOG; Brisbane Valley Christian Church ; Burdekin Community Church ; Burpengary Samoan AOG ; Cairns City Living Waters; Calvary AOG - Auburn; Calvary AOG - Mills Park; Calvary Christian Church - Underwood; Calvary Christian Church – Botanic Ridge; Calvary Christian Church - Cairns; Calvary Christian Church - Sunshine Coast; Calvary Christian Church - Townsville; Calvary Christian Outreach Centre; Calvary Life Assemblies (Blue Cross Church Guyra); Calvary Temple AOG; Canberra Full Gospel Church (Korean); Canterbury Samoan AOG; Canvas Church; Capital Edge Community Church - Central; Capital Edge Community Church - South; Cardwell AOG; Carnarvon Aboriginal Outreach; Casey Life AOG; Casey Life - Lyndhurst; Casey Life Sri Lankan Church; Centenary Samoan Christian Fellowship; Centra Care Ministry; Central Christian Church - Seymour; Central Christian Fellowship; Central Hurstville Samoan AOG; Central Life Church; Centre Church for Harvest; Centre of Hope; Centrepoint Church; Centrepoint Church- -Bibra Lake Campus; Centrepoint Church - Maddington Campus; Centro Church; Centro Church - Collingwood Park; Champion Lakes Christian Church; Champions Church; Charismatic Worship Service - OF THE CHRISTIAN Sydney; Chinese Harvest Church; Choice Church; Chrisco Church (Christ’s Co-Workers Fellowship); Christ Connect Church; Christ Embassy Pacific; Christ Preachers Church Int; Christ’s Chosen Generation; Christian Community Centre - Wellington; Christian Community Centre Nyngan; Christian Family Centre - Airlie Beach; Christian Family Centre - Bowen; Christian Family Centre - Collinsville; Christian Family Church - Albany; Christian Family Church - Charters Towers; Christian Life Assembly; Christian Life Beaudesert; Christian Life Centre – Glen Innes; Christian Life Centre – Mona Vale; Christian Life Centre (Harvest International Centre); Christian Life Rushworth; Christian Ministry Centre; Christian New Life Centre - Frederickton; Christian New Life Centre - South West Rocks; Christian Power of Pentecost Church; Christian Revival Centre; Church for Life; Church for the Whole Family; Church in the Valley; Church of All Nations; Church of Hope - Melbourne; Church of Hope - Blacktown; Church of Living Water AOG - Campsie; Church of New Life; Church of the Living Word; Church on the Bay; Church on the Rise - Beerwah; Church on the Rise - Caloundra; Church on the Rise - Maleny; Church on the Rise - Mooloolah Valley; Citinorth CHURCH ON Community Church; City Church - Sunshine Coast; City Church - Lismore; City International Christian Church; City North Christian Church; City West AOG; Citygate Fellowship Church ; CityGates Church; Cityhope Church; Citylife Church; Citylife Church - Shellharbour; Citylight Church; Cityview Church; Citywest Church; Clarence Valley Community Church; Claymore Samoan AOG; Clayton AOG; Cloncurry Christian Church; Coal City Christian Church; Coast Church; Cobar Christian Fellowship; Coconut Island Assembly; Coen AOG; Colyton Church of Samoa; Commission City Church; Compass Church – Mount Compass; Compass Church - Bentleigh; Connect Christian Church – Mossvale; Connect Christian Church - Frankston; Connect Christian Church - Hastings; Connect Church - Runcorn; Connect Church – East Bendigo; Connect Church Australia; Connect City Church - Casey; Connect City Church - Northern/Main; Connect City Church - South East; Connect City Church - West; Connections Church - Inverloch; Coober Pedy Community Church; Cooktown Community Church; Coolum Christian Family Church; Cornerstone AOG – Epping; Cornerstone Christian Church - Alderley; Cornerstone Christian Church - Windsor; Cornerstone Church AUSTRALIAN - Joondalup;