February 2011
Editorial
Editorial: Diversity in Christian Schools
As the gift of Christian education reaches into more and more communities, the reality of the diversity that exists generally in our world also becomes the reality in Christian schools. And that is a good thing. As will be clear from the articles in this issue of CEJ, many people in Christian communities have thought […]
Feature
A Theology of Ethnic Diversity: God’s Mosaic
There’s a lot of talk about diversity in the academic arena, in public policy, and in the marketplace. Why should Christian educators be thinking about this? The key reason is the nature of God and his creation. I believe the primary motive that drives the church to embrace ethnic diversity should be the conviction that […]
Feature
Christian Schools and the Issue of Race
I grew up in a very white area of West Michigan. I went to Christian schools my whole life, including Calvin College. Most of the non-white students I came into contact with on a daily basis had been adopted by white families. And though I had almost no experience with anyone who was different from […]
Article
Diversity is something that never seems to happen naturally. Because of our fallen nature, we tend to gravitate to people, places, and things that are like us. That way, we remain comfortable and in control. Everything makes sense in our limited minds. Diversity is something that is a work of the Holy Spirit. Diversity actually […]
Article
Open Enrollment in Christian Schools: Three Great Reasons
Why have we opened the doors of enrollment at Kleinburg Christian Academy? Is it because we, like many other small Christian schools, are faced with declining enrollment and are grasping for survival at all costs? No, not at all; our doors are opened to the interested public (Christian or non-Christian) because of our understanding/interpretation of […]
Article
Wonderfully Made: The Story of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was […]
Article
Guidelines for Respecting Diversity
These guidelines have emerged as a result of conversations in the Unity Christian School community on how to grapple with the issue of diversity. They are a work in progress and not a finished policy. They are designed to provide a framework for the discussion of a very important and difficult issue. These guidelines are […]
Article
Being a Hospitable Community for Those Outside the Heterosexual Mainstream
It was a story I’d heard before, but hearing it in the Christian school I’d graduated from brought a level of emotion that surprised even me. In ten years of engaging with those outside the heterosexual mainstream, I have sat with countless individuals who shared stories of unsafe environments within the Christian community. But hearing […]
Column
Question 1 How would you go about handling a classroom that has seven Individual Education Plans (IEPs) out of twenty-two students? This is a public school setting that is a culturally diverse environment. As a teacher, how do you go about looking out for the care of those who are IEP students? How will you […]
From My Window
Catching Rainbows: Sharing in Diversity
“The heavens tell of the glory of God. The skies display his marvelous craftsmanship … God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding” (Ps. 19:1, 4b–5a nlt). I’ve been thinking about rainbows lately: rainbow trout, the rainbow-colored Swiss chard that grew in […]
P@nel.edu
November 17, 2010 Al Boerema introduces the topic: The theme of this issue of CEJ is diversity. Let’s talk about this from the perspective of whether diversity is a value that Christian schools should seek. What does it mean for a Christian school to be diverse, and what are barriers to creating and maintaining diversity […]