North American Christian Study Abroad Programs: Wheaton College and Whitworth University

Abstract

Study abroad programs are in vogue today, especially among Christian colleges and universities. It is, therefore, appropriate to ask tough questions of these programs. Do they help our students become more mature followers of Jesus? Are they respectful of people in the target culture? College and university leaders must focus in particular on how study abroad programs are framed to take advantage of the cultural interface between students’ sending culture and their receiving culture, the partnerships that are built between institutions and communities, and some of the key learning experiences we ought to seek and provide for all involved. How can Christian colleges and universities best engage with the opportunities and demand for studying abroad without turning them into glorified tourism experiences? How can institutions set up study abroad sites that are mutually beneficial to the sending institution as well as the host institution and their immediate communities? These questions are addressed by examining the effectiveness of two study abroad programs, one at Wheaton College and the other at Whitworth University, to see how well they embody four operating principles implied in relevant passages of the Bible: radical equality, deep immersion, transforming conflict, and respect for global Christianity.

Notes

In order to provide transparent disclosure: I have worked at both institutions. I taught at Wheaton College from 1995 to 2007. I led the Wheaton in Mexico programs in 1997, 1998, and 1999 and the Wheaton in Argentina/Chile programs in 2001, 2003, and 2005. I have taught at Whitworth University from 2007 to the present. I led the Whitworth in Guanajuato programs in January 2008 and 2009, I directed Whitworth's Costa Rica Center from 2010 to 2014, and I was one of the professors in the CASP program in 2011 and 2014.

See some fine exegetical work on the Old Testament's relevance for immigration in Carroll (2008) and Soerens and Hwang (2009). For my own understanding of Old Testament passages and their relevance for international studies, see Scott (n.d.).

As suggested by their Greek names: Stephen, Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (Acts 6:5).

The phrase “abstain from blood” has been interpreted in various ways throughout the centuries. Nevertheless, the distinction between universal rules and regulations limited to a certain culture is a helpful one.

For a further discussion of this idea of equality, see Scott (1980).

Paul knew the joys and frustrations of moving between different cultures. He was an orthodox Jew (a Pharisee of Pharisees), but he was also a Hellenistic Jew who lived most of his life outside of Palestine. He was also a Roman citizen with the privileges bestowed on its citizens by the hated empire. He was the apostle to the gentiles who were located in a variety of venues throughout the Greco-Roman world.

These included Sopater from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia, as well as his close companions Timothy and Luke (Acts 20:4).

One of the best books on this topic of mutual benefit is Smith and Carvill (2000). They argue that the biblical image of the stranger helps with understanding why we should study a second language: We can become better guests and hosts. Especially the section on guests provides insights that can help leaders consider the well-being of people in the target culture on overseas study programs. De Vries (2014) makes this same point in other words. His main wish for his students is that “they may engage with another and sojourn in that other's place” (p. 75). This means cultivating deep relationships and friendships with nationals prior to, during, and after the study abroad program.

This emphasis on immersion is also stressed in secular literature. Ogden (2007/2008) compares today's students in overseas study programs with European colonialists who wanted the comforts of home. They would look out on the new culture from the comfortable veranda of their hacienda. He urges students and leaders to get off the veranda, not just for quick forays into local culture, but for deep interaction with nationals on a level playing field.

Some of the most controversy happens when Christians from different cultures disagree on ethical issues. A book that is helpful in unpacking differing approaches to ethics is Adeney (1995).

See his analysis of the challenges to global Christian scholarship and suggestions on how to overcome them in Tiénou (2003).

Some of these faculty visits have unintended results. One tall professor visited his HNGR student in a Peruvian village. In the village, there was a strong legend of a foreign giant who would eat small children and perform other serious mischief. Many villagers thought the professor was that giant and caused some unexpected challenges for the student. Nevertheless, being immersed in the village for six months enabled the student to understand the legend and respond appropriately to it.

This is the same CCCU consortium in which Wheaton participates, but only about four Whitworth students participate in the CCCU BestSemester options per year. Many more go overseas with the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), which offers exchange programs in 150 universities around the world. See http://www.isep.org/.

As of two years ago, Whitworth began experimenting with a May option where students could swap out their January term course for an overseas program in May. This decision was made specifically with overseas sites in mind (Quebec and Ireland), where the warm May weather trumps the ice and snow of January.

These host family experiences provide some of the deepest lessons learned on the trip. During this past year, two students lived with two sisters and their respective families. During the semester, the grandfather of the clan died suddenly. The students accompanied the families in the wake and burial and other funeral activities, as well as the grieving process throughout the rest of the semester. Although this entailed missing some academic classes, the cultural and relational lessons learned were quite powerful.

For example, Whitworth students were astounded that some Cuban Methodists would not sing “Guantanamera” because they considered all secular music “unholy.”