Christian Engineering Education Conference
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An oft told parable relates how a frog, when dropped in a kettle of hot water,
will instantly jump out. But if you drop that frog in a kettle of cold water,
and slowly heat it up, the frog will not be aware of the gradual change in its
environment and will die in the kettle. I had formerly limited the kettle analogy
to the broad concepts of the “worldly culture” alluded to by pastors
who use this imagery. Then, after completing educational experience at major
state universities and a fifteen year career in industry, I decided to enter
upon a career as a professor at a small, Christian, liberal arts university.
This change has been quite a shock to my system, but unlike the clever frog,
I did not immediately jump out. This experience alerted me to the fact that
the kettles in which we live are much smaller and more distinctive than I had
previously thought. Furthermore, it is quite likely that the environment of
these kettles may be gradually changing, and the results of these changes might
place my very existence in jeopardy.
In having my eyes opened to this new culture, I have made quite a few observations
about how this kettle seems quite different from the others in which I have
previously existed. These observations include aspects about the people who
make up this institution, the purpose and mission of the institution, and the
operation of the institution. For example, I have been stunned by the diversity
of this small group of white, American, Christians. This diversity has profound
effects on the mission of the University, as well as the communities of the
students and faculty in ways that I did not expect. We have factions, battlegrounds,
independent agendas, differing personality traits, insightful viewpoints, and
all of these wildly different from what I have experienced in “other kettles.”
I suppose the greatest kettle analogy comes from an observation about my purpose
in being here. When I left industry to come to this University, I took my four
children away from both sets of grandparents and took a significant reduction
in salary. I did this as I felt that the Lord was calling us to serve his purposes
here (and I still do). Many others at this institution feel as I do that this
is a ministry. There are however, people I have met who consider this, in varying
degrees, a job. I have little patience with these people. I pray that I never
become one. However, I feel that this is the strongest aspect of the kettle
– the part that could actually kill me if left in here long enough. How
do I prevent my livelihood and sense of career fulfillment from usurping the
purposes for which Christ called me here? It appears that it is going to be
very easy for me to just "show up and do my job." In fact, I have
heard myself making similar statements. I have begun adapting. This frightens
me.
It is not my purpose in this paper to set about an agenda for change. As a
first year faculty, I think that it would be naïve of me to assume that
I not only have the answers, but that I can even adequately determine the questions.
This paper simply purports to put down many of my observations about this culture
and to ask myself to what degree I want to reject, embrace, or engage these
elements. I reserve the right to change my opinions in the future (which may
be seen as adapting to the kettle).
Finally, I would like to stimulate dialog amongst other engineers who have gone
through this process and ask them where they find that they have rejected, embraced,
or engaged this culture – and to what degree these actions were intentional.
It may very well be my Lord is asking me to be like the frog and to die in a
number of areas – that these observations might indicate not what is imbalanced
with this institution, but what is imbalanced in me and in the other kettles
in which I have existed.
Please forbear me any grievances you might have against my questioning of ideas
or institutions that you might hold dear. It is my desire that we all come together
in unity for the cause of Christ. It is my hope that this conversation might
help us to do so together.
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