Providence upholds five core values which permeate academic, community, and spiritual life at Providence: Christ-First, Diversity of Thought, Community, Exploration, and Academic Excellence.
Every year, a new theme is chosen as the focus of community chapel and student spiritual life. Last year, Providence dove into our first theme of Christ-First. This year, Providence will explore The Dignity of Diversity, based on Ephesians 4:1-6.
“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Home to a diverse community, many different ethnic backgrounds are represented at Providence. We believe this diversity is our strength. The Kingdom of God is created from people of every nation, tribe, and tongue, and at Providence, we can begin to see a small glimpse into that Kingdom. We learn best from people who are different than us who challenge us to see the world in new ways. God cannot be fully comprehended by any human, but through the eyes of those around us, we can begin to see more facets of who He is.
Our world is often divided and angry. At Providence, we believe that part of God’s call to love our enemies is learning to understand and empathize with those we disagree with and ensure we uphold the dignity of every person. As Leshia Verkerk, Director of Student Development says, “It is too easy to reject a person we disagree with. God doesn’t call us to agree with everyone around us, but he does ask us to disagree in love, and to argue with empathy and with humility.”
This year at Providence, we will dive into difficult conversations and reflect on the strength of the diversity of the Kingdom of God and the dignity of all people.
