Liberal Arts Education Reflection

By James Vincent

         Separation of church and state.  This particular phrase is no stranger when it comes to education.  Although the term makes no definite appearance in the United States Constitution, it is generally given tribute to under the first Amendment which reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” (Legal Information Institute).  In a country created and designed for individual freedoms and expressions, I find it generally hard to express one's true ideas and preferences when it involves religion.  For centuries, it has been debated; when is enough, enough, and when is too much, too much?  In my opinion, it is the study and analysis of religion that forms the basis of this country and should be of great importance to every individual.  How does religion tie in to a liberal arts education?  Religion has played a major factor of my personal liberal arts educational experience.

            I believe the importance of a Manchester College liberal arts education is found in the heart of Manchester's Mission Statement, “graduating persons of ability and conviction who draw upon their education and faith to lead principled, productive, and compassionate lives that improve the human condition”.  (Manchester)  To meet the expectations set by the faculty, staff and administrators, the students are immersed in a curriculum unlike any other.  The immersion of religion, culture, art, drama, music, architecture and dance, as well as a strong foundation in critical, analytical and comparative thinking, adds to Manchester's development of its students and staff.  As for the importance of a liberal arts education in regards to teacher preparation, the advantage is phenomenal.  The diversity of classes and opportunities experienced at Manchester College provides the education-majors with a well-rounded education as well as first-hand insight to the wide spectrum of children in the classroom.

            The heart of Manchester’s liberal arts education is to expose students to a variety of possibilities, and I believe the faculty and staff have successfully completed the task.  Throughout my time at Manchester, I have experienced several shifts and changes in thoughts and desires, debating with myself of whether I really want to teach in a classroom or a non-traditional setting.  There have even been times where I have thought about changing majors altogether.  Even now, as I write this paper, the thoughts of several different possibilities fill my mind.  It’s a never-ending battle I have to face until I make the ultimate decision: to teach or not to teach.  For now, my path is hidden from me, but hopefully it will be revealed soon.  If I do decide to teach, I feel confident with the education I have acquired here at MC that I will be a successful professional in whatever field I should enter.

            I have enjoyed taking several of my liberal arts classes, especially the religion classes.  Every one of my classes has had a different effect on the way I now view education.  I have noticed the preparation and development the professors, staff, and faculty at Manchester College have tried to instill in each student.  Much of our liberal arts education stems from five little words in the college Mission Statement: “persons of ability and conviction”.  I have personally felt challenged in several of my classes to think critically and analytically; to strip myself of prior biases, beliefs or ideas and to view things from different sides of the spectrum.  My religion classes—Old Testament and Religious Classics—have forced me to view my religious ideas and question the validity of those ideas and beliefs, finding support and foundation for those such beliefs.  Experiencing the Arts, Essential Skills in Music, Rhetoric of War and Cultural Anthropology are classes designed to raise the standards of educated students, bringing Manchester students onto a higher level of understanding and knowledge, thinking and perceiving, challenging and accepting.  It is classes like these that make Manchester College students exceptionally unique and more critical.  These classes not only bring out a different side of you, but also bring out a different side of those around you.  As students begin to develop a higher level of thinking and understanding, the attitudes and perceptions of the world we live in develop as well.  What once was seen as an easy solution now becomes a very complex situation, jeopardizing all prior conceived conceptions and opinions.  The world evolves from a very egocentric environment into a larger, more complex and strenuous society.

            I have to admit there have been times I have fallen into grouping people into different stereotypes.  It comes so natural to me that it is hard to “reprogram” myself to remove those stereotypes and break the barriers that each of us commonly place between ourselves and “other” people.  Since my experience here at Manchester College, I have opened my eyes and mind to other beliefs and ideas, yet I continue to holdfast to the beliefs instilled in me as a child.  I am more open to accepting people for who they are rather than what they believe in.  Although people's views differ from each other in regards to politics, religion, ethnicity, sexual preference, etc., I have found myself befriending those who have varying differences from my own.  It makes life more interesting that way!

            I have inwardly grown more mature and spiritually sound.  Throughout the time spent at Manchester I have taken several religion classes, partially due to the need of them for graduation requirements, but also due to my interest in religion.  I have grown fond of studying the different beliefs of people throughout the world and researching why it is they believe the things they believe.  One of the most influential classes I have taken is Religious Classics.  Not only did we study Christianity, but Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Islam were some of the many varying religious ideologies addressed in the class.  Apart from studying various religions, the professor teaching the class asked us to study deeper into our own personal views and ideas, analyzing the possible solutions as to why we overcame to the ideologies expressed by our parents.  We were then asked to compare and contrast the religious timeline of our faith with the historical timeline, identifying any correlations or events which may have influenced the development of religion during that specific frame in time.  This idea of studying and exploring my religious faith has become a large part of my search for identity and a sense of belonging.

            When I imagine my role in society from a global perspective, I picture a scene from Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, a screenplay adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's book.  In this scene, Merry and Pippin have been denied assistance from the Ents, mystical creatures with tree-like features.  Merry besieges the Ents one last time, stating, “You have to help!  You're part of this world, aren't you?”  The idea of making myself known and getting involved when needed is embedded in my mind.  As members of a society on a global perspective, we should all be held responsible for our actions and we should hold ourselves as well as each other to the guidelines we have set for each other.  Manchester College has allowed me to feel open to expressing my views and ideas, and has enabled me to open my mind to larger and more important things in life.  I have studied and analyzed several other cultures and societies as well as my own, and have come to the conclusion that they are not all that different from each other.  Through challenging its students to develop decisive thinking and critical reasoning skills, Manchester College truly does “graduate persons of ability and conviction.” 

Resources:

Legal Information Institute http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html#amendmenti

Manchester College Website

http://www.manchester.edu/Common/AboutManchester/Mission.htm

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