This verse jumped out at me last night: Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. (Luke 15:1, CEV) I was struck to the heart as it seems alarmingly obvious the disconnect between who should be finding my messages inviting, welcoming, comforting and those who in actuality crowd around. Perhaps it is… Continue reading Who’s crowding around?
Past posts have covered several key aspects influencing my intellectual development, including my: Undergraduate mentors Family Faith-based teachers and mentors Students Theoretical influences Each of these is an example of the many communities that have significantly influenced my intellectual development and are part of my intellectual genealogy. If you’ve glanced through these, you may be… Continue reading My Intellectual Genealogy: Community
In thinking through my intellectual development, it’s useful to look at a few theoretical underpinnings that have been particularly influential since coming to the University of Illinois. Community Inquiry First introduced to me by Chip Bruce and Ann Bishop and summarized in their Pattern Card in the Public Sphere Project: The challenges for constructive communities… Continue reading My Intellectual Genealogy: Part 5
I have been extraordinarily fortunate to find myself surrounded by top caliber students during my stint at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) at the University of Illinois. Students regularly have provided solid suggestions on how to improve my classes, both directly and through the end-of-semester Instructional Course Evaluation Survey comments. I… Continue reading My Intellectual Genealogy: Part 4
It is impossible to understand my philosophy and scholarship without understanding my faith-based teachers and mentors. I once had on a t-shirt that said “Jesus is the Answer”. A wonderful mentor of my youth approached me and asked “what’s the question?”. I thought she was joking at first, but I came to realize during our… Continue reading My Intellectual Genealogy: Part 3
