John T. Willis

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Creighton University

Nestled in Omaha, Nebraska, along the Missouri River, is a Roman Catholc University called Creighton University. This school has approximately 4000 undergraduates and a few hundred graduates. Some of its strongest academic fields are education, science [especial medical emphases], exercise science, sociology and political science, art and the humanities.

Evelyn and I just spent five days on the campus of Creighton University living in one of the dorms to attend the national convention of the Catholic Biblical Association of America. We have been attending these meetings at various places all over the USA and Canada for many years, and I often give a paper [as I did this year] and participate in one of the Seminars [mine is on Divinity].

Several aspects of the CBA and Creighton are worthy of consideration. Briefly, here are some of them.
1. The Roman Catholic Church hosts these meetings, but the standing members belong to all denominations: Episcopalian, Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Churches of Christ, Roman Catholic, Jewish, etc. All of us are very close and work together very well.
2. St. John's Church is on this campus, and we have services three times each day. All the services are done very well, uplifting, and motivating. The Song Book used in this church has many wonderful hymns. All of us could learn much from this liturgical experience.
3. The faculty, staff, and students at Creighton are devoted, well-rounded, and aggressively helpful for all of us who come from other places. While we were there, they went out of their way to help us in every conceivable way--for food, transportation, help in the dorms, the works.
4. The campus is elegant. Everything is green. There are beautiful flowers all around. At certain spots, there are sculptures which communicate deep spiritual truths. One that is especially striking is a Surrender sculpture. An individual lies prostrate on the ground, lifting up hands in a gesture of surrender to God. What an awesome thought!!!

I hope YOU get to spend some time at Creighton University. There is much more to experience and learn from there. Basketball and softball courts abound, and we saw some women softball games in action from a distance. The crowd was well attended.

Tell me about YOUR university. I am personally very encouraged about the future of our young women and men--those at Creighton University, those at my school, Abilene Christian University, and elsewhere. What do YOU think. Share your thoughts.

John Willis

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