In 2009 Mississippi College adopted "The Journey for Life" as the university program for the integration of faith and learning. "The Journey for Life" provides a platform from which the various entities within the campus community create, promote, and coordinate regular lectureships, special events, and other activities to stimulate the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, and social development of our students, staff, and faculty. "The Journey for Life" highlights the commitment the university has made to assist individuals throughout their personal and collective journeys.
Our anchor verse for "The Journey for Life" is Proverbs 3:5-6 which states, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths."
Every year we create opportunities and experiences that foster and stimulate discussion and reflection concerning “The Journey for Life” a single component of the journey becomes our focus. The 2009 theme: “Walking with the Lord” helped capture the idea of personal and corporate development. Last year’s theme: “Growing in the Knowledge of the Lord” drew our attention to the responsibility each of us has to develop an accurate understanding of Jesus. And the theme for 2011-2012 “The Pursuit of Wisdom” encourages us to wrestle with the following:
"While the pursuit and transmission of wisdom historically has been at the heart of education, some critics of the modern academy claim that wisdom has been relegated to second-class status among the university's other goals. Separated from other aims—like discovering new knowledge or imparting marketable skills to eventual job seekers—wisdom too often is seen as the sole province of a few disciplines like philosophy and theology, and not at the center of the entire university's work and purpose.
"But without wisdom, how is new knowledge to be used—towards what end? Without wisdom, how are university graduates prepared to seek meaning and significance in their lives, whatever their employment? Without wisdom, how does the university fulfill its enduring mission to nurture our human nature and serve the deepest needs of our communities, nation, and world?
What is the nature of wisdom? Is it something that we construct, seek, or are drawn into? How do we encounter it in various disciplines? What curricular and co-curricular efforts might encourage wisdom's formation in students? How might educating for wisdom transform scholarly research? How might Mississippi College—drawing upon the resources of the Christian traditions—seek and share wisdom and a love for what is true, good, and most beautiful? How might such wisdom be offered in the service of others?"
(Adapted from The Institute of Faith and Learning at Baylor University)
This year’s theme has been included in the creation of our Summer Orientation programs, Convocation message, Welcome Week Events, and Chapel Programming. Our desire is to capture and promote those activities and events across the academy that call people to actively engage in “The Pursuit of Wisdom.”
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her.” - Proverbs 4:7-8