Intercultural Awareness and Engagement (Abridged)

Introduction

This course is designed as an introduction to concepts and principles for intercultural awareness and engagement as it relates to faculty members in Christian colleges and universities.

Our primary motivation for engaging in concepts and principles of diversity and intercultural competence in the classroom is rooted in our faith commitment and value as taught to us in scripture. The Body of Christ by design is diverse (1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Acts 2:5-11; Revelation 5:9-10). Concepts such as acknowledging ethnic diversity, intentional crossing of cultures, and developing continued understanding of one another across human differences form the foundations of why we address intercultural competence.

Please understand, this course is designed as an introduction to concepts and principles necessary to build further understanding. It is meant to inform our practice as educators. It is not meant as an itemized checklist for intercultural competence. We submit that to effectively engage with a diversity of cultures necessitates that we assume the posture of a lifelong learner. It is also our hope that through this course, you will be stimulated to further explore the vast world of educating diverse learners. We invite you to engage this course with an open heart and mind in hopes that it will benefit you as you connect with students daily from “every nation, from all tribes, peoples, and languages” (Revelation 7:9). God bless you.