Missouri Baptist University’s faith-based approach to education advocates a particular understanding of truth rooted in its Christian heritage. MBU faculty, however, recognize that truth is not a “one-way-street.” The University readily acknowledges the fact that competing claims for truth must be addressed in an honest and transparent manner. Our perspective is critical of what might be described as normative pluralism that advocates that there is no truth except the truth that there are a plurality of claimants and that all claims are equally valid. That view leads to what Frederic Jameson calls the “commodification of diversity” in which students simply pick and choose what they want to know without having to contend with the intellectual, moral, and scientific challenges posed by other cultures.

The University’s perspective on diversity may be considered a type of contested pluralism rather than a normative one. Contested pluralism begins with the premise that all participants in a debate have a responsibility to offer well-reasoned arguments about their truth claims in the various forums that exist for such argumentation. As Michael Cartwright contends, this provides the opportunity to look both ways; students have the opportunity to truly study and learn in a context that is “committed to the pursuit of truth conducted at the intersection of overlapping discourses” (212).

The University’s faith-based approach to education must, however, provide more than a context for good arguments. At the core of the Christian Gospel is the belief that its unique message must be lived and practiced if it is to be accepted by others. The Gospel is at its heart an experiential form of learning. It was from its inception a revolutionary and creative interpretation of truth. This truth that Christians profess is most faithfully performed when it is offered in the context in which it was first demonstrated, the context of mutuality and openness to others. This means a willingness to listen to persons with alternative or foreign ideas with an attitude of humility and respect. There is no question that culture is diverse and that a truly faith-based approach to education is committed to assisting students to understand and respond within such a varied world, even when there is disagreement about the truth. This means extending a certain “interpretive charity” to strangers if the intent is to hear their voices (Fowl and Jones 125). In such a diverse world, it is a rare gift when strangers are willing to speak openly and Christian education is about providing such a context.

In keeping with the University’s plan for addressing diversity, the Education Division seeks to understand, respect, and appreciate all types of diversity. It is readily accepted and acknowledged that students learn in different ways based on their speech and language patterns, learning styles, culture, tradition, and faith. The faculty must be proficient in meeting the needs of diverse learners in terms of curriculum, instruction, and assessment and modeling this proficiency so that students not only learn to respect diversity within the student body but also learn to be proficient in meeting the diverse needs of the students who will be in their own classrooms. Consistent with the Education Division’s recognition of the importance of linking instruction to students’ prior experiences and knowledge, Missouri Baptist University recruits and employs faculty who believe that quality instruction must be integrated with their students’ familial, cultural, social, and economically-based experiences. MBU faculty is cognizant and sensitive to the needs of members of diverse cultures and recognition and appreciation of diversity is actively presented in a number of courses.

At MBU the atmosphere of contested pluralism is exemplified in the programs and instruction of the Education Division. The concept of diversity is included in class discussions, particularly in ETOP 523 Classroom and Behavior Management, ETOP 583 Perspectives in Diversity, EDAD 563 Administration of Special Programs, and EDPS 383 Psychology of Teaching and Learning, as well as multiple courses in the counseling area that address children with special needs. Because our culture is so diverse in its make-up, our students must be prepared to confront the issues relevant to diversity from a knowledgeable and informed perspective. It is highly likely that our graduates will have students in their classrooms from widely diverse populations. Approaching the concept and constructs of diversity from the perspective of contested pluralism conveys the expectation that faculty will include in their class discussions and course content issues dealing with diversity which will challenge our students to engage in critical thinking, to practice reflective dialogue, and to make thoughtful inferences in matters of diversity. It is the intent of the University not only to provide our students experience with diversity in their college coursework and in a diverse faculty, but also to approach diversity from the perspective of preparing them to be effective and discerning among the people with whom they associate professionally and for whom they serve as educators, school leaders, and counselors.

Field experiences for undergraduate and graduate-level educators are provided in different cultural settings in order to prepare our students for the diversity they will encounter in their professional experiences. MBU students in the teacher education program participate in field experiences made available from both public and private school settings, as well as inner-city, suburban, and rural settings. Students in the counselor education program participate in counseling practicums available in both public and private school settings and residential facilities for children and youth in inner city, suburban, and rural settings. Field experience placement forms require that students address and reflect on the diversity of their students and in their classrooms in their journals and portfolio artifacts. During field experiences and internships, candidates for school administration are required to address the role of leadership in dealing with diversity in the schools in which they conduct their observations and research. Critical and reflective thinking are integral tools in structuring their philosophy for school administrators’ impact on diversity in education.

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