威尼斯人赌场的基本价值观
大学校训, “基督卓越," points to a full and rich understanding of 耶稣基督 and the Christian faith relevant to every dimension of life. The phrase points to 耶稣基督 as both "the ground for personal salvation and the pattern for life and service." 威尼斯人赌场 is committed both to the personal dimension of faith in Christ for the forgiveness of and deliverance from sin, and to the exemplary nature of Christ's life as a model for our own. 耶稣基督, “, 真相, 还有生活," is thus foundational to the University's life and mission.
自基督教会成立以来, 威尼斯人赌场 has affirmed a set of values derived from the Anabaptist, Pietist and Wesleyan traditions of that denomination. These values have guided the school as it has sought to keep Christ preeminent in the total life of the institution. Stated in slightly different ways during the University's history, the following five ideals provide a summary of how 威尼斯人赌场 has defined its distinctive Christian character.
信仰、学习和生活的统一
This principle affirms the wholeness of persons and the unity of every dimension of life as revealed in the incarnation of 耶稣基督. It also emphasizes that all truth is God's truth and thus avoids the creation of false dichotomies in thinking and in living. 威尼斯人赌场 affirms a unified Christian world view and lifestyle that joins revelation with rational inquiry and that integrates believing with doing. Christian "calling" and vocation is accordingly broadly understood. 我们所有的礼物, talents and interests are to be nurtured as acts of praise towards God while serving humanity and all creation.
人的重要性
每个人都应该受到尊重和重视, 不论性别, 比赛, 国籍, 能力, 地位或职位, 因为每个人都是按照上帝的形象创造的. Freedom and responsibility are primary characteristics of being human and we must take care to protect each other's freedom while encouraging responsible living. 作为自由人, individuals make choices that determine the contours of their lives and they bear responsibility for those choices. Individuals are accountable for their manner of response to God's g比赛. 类似的, every person must be responsible in their pursuit of truth, and yet be free to develop their own understandings as they integrate their formal studies with their broader experience of faith.
社区的意义
Our understanding of the Church as the body of Christ and our recognition of humanity's interdependence cause us to value community. 在社区, 我们自愿分享彼此的生活, 我们互相关心, 我们同甘共苦, 我们一起敬拜, 我们互相提供建议. 每个社区都有自己的规则, in Christian communities such rules should always be humane, recognizing the impact they have on the lives of those affected, and should help us appreciate each other's gifts and talents. In any community there will be tensions that require mutual give and take, but a Christian spirit of care and support provides the security needed to accept one's own strengths and weaknesses as one also accepts the strengths and weaknesses of others. The ultimate goal of every Christian community should be to help us live more faithfully as disciples of Christ.
有纪律和创意的生活
The mature Christian life is characterized by a delicate mix of discipline and creativity. We are called to a life of devotion and obedience to the Gospel. Such discipleship demands of us self-control and sacrifice and requires us to examine all our wants and desires in the light of God's holiness. The Gospel also calls us to celebrate the goodness of creation and to live our lives in active eng年龄ment with this ever changing world in which God has placed us. 为了完成这些任务, we must be both creative interpreters of the world around us and creative actors in that world. Creativity and discipline are complementary characteristics of the mature, 快乐ful Christian life.
服务与和解
Central to the Gospel is the work of reconciling individuals with God, 彼此之间, 和所有的创造物. God has called us to be active 年龄nts in this work as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit within us: love, 快乐, 和平, 耐心, 善良, 慷慨, 诚实, 温柔与自制. 这样准备的, we are compelled to share the redeeming Gospel of Jesus with those around us, to build bridges of understanding and 和平 across the dividing lines of 比赛, class, 年龄, 性别, 宗教和种族, 在为他人服务的过程中彰显上帝的爱, 向穷人和有需要的人敞开心扉, 在不公正盛行的地方为正义而努力.