Concordia IS Shanghai - how religious? What's the story?
Concordia IS Shanghai - how religious? What's the story?
I know this is a well regarded school and is clearly only interested in hiring Christian staff but what is the real deal? Are they born again, evangelical types? If you get in at this school are you obliged to join prayer groups, organised church visits, and seminars? There's being religious and being RELIGIOUS :shock: and I am definitely not in the latter category. I would like to hear the real deal especially about their 'ethos' - any info would be gratefully received before I go ahead with my application.
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Honesty
Actually I was worried about their honesty/intentions. I am quite happy to state my personal situation (and in fact they ask for such) but what I wanted to know was as a believing but fairly lax churchgoer (the big festivals only really) would I be finding myself joining a strident, big C Christian school with expectations that I attend church every Sunday, prayer meetings and faith discussions? My religious background is not like that at all - very low-key and not in the slightest happy clappy, read the Bible every day/week, or Evangelical/Baptist/Born Again. I would feel extremely uncomfortable if Concordia was expecting that from me. So the question remains...
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My understanding: you need to be a Christian. Students are of all backgrounds and all religions, and while expectations are that faculty are Christian, they also emphasize an open mind towards others and their cultures/backgrounds/religions. Recently the "religious studies" course changed names and is now "spiritual studies" if that helps.
The package is very, very, very good.
The package is very, very, very good.
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My friends who are there are Christian, but certainly not the in-your-face, hellfire and damnation Christians you might read about. They are thoughtful people, practice their beliefs in their daily lives and interactions and are comfortable with who they are.
I can't see them being at a school that is not similar to that. That said, they are definitely faith-based, but from what I have seen, Concordia is a wonderful school.
I can't see them being at a school that is not similar to that. That said, they are definitely faith-based, but from what I have seen, Concordia is a wonderful school.
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- Location: Asia
I've never worked there, but I did meet some wonderful teachers from there, and not "in your face" at all.
Also, I just was on their campus for EARCOS last month--it is gorgeous--really state of the art. I was drooling over their library.
As far as clues to their religiosity, there _were_ Bible verses posted on the walls of many of the classrooms. But there were also posters advertising speakers, and one was on Evolution and Faith (didn't seem anti-Evolution at all), so that was a good sign to me of the climate at the school not being too dogmatic.
Also, I just was on their campus for EARCOS last month--it is gorgeous--really state of the art. I was drooling over their library.
As far as clues to their religiosity, there _were_ Bible verses posted on the walls of many of the classrooms. But there were also posters advertising speakers, and one was on Evolution and Faith (didn't seem anti-Evolution at all), so that was a good sign to me of the climate at the school not being too dogmatic.