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The Purpose of Concordia
"The purpose of Concordia College is to influence the affairs
of the world by sending into society thoughtful and informed men and
women dedicated to the Christian life."
Concordia is a liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. As an institution of higher education, it seeks to enable students to develop as thinking, feeling, ethical human beings. A Concordia education encourages students to discover their interests, prepare for their careers, and acquire tools and motivation for a lifelong process of learning. As a college of the church, Concordia seeks to equip students with the knowledge, methods, attitudes and discipline needed for a lifetime of service to God and others.
Service is possible only in community. Concordia College is a community of people living and working together and caring about one another. The individual and the community are interdependent; one is not complete without the other. The college seeks to foster an attitude of caring, which ideally will be shared with other communities throughout the world.
The historic liberal arts education endeavors to impart to students a workable philosophy of life and to give them the best possible education for life, no matter what professions or vocations are selected. The broad knowledge, penetrating insight, sense of evaluation, self-discipline and ability to make adjustments, which come through a liberal arts education, are the ingredients of leadership in every worthy field of endeavor.
The integrating element for the curriculum and life in the liberal arts college of the church is the revelation of God in Jesus Christ. We confess that, in Christ, God is disclosed to humanity with love, forgiveness and grace and that he now calls us to faith by his Spirit.
This concept of our shared life in Christ holds vital implications for Concordia. It means more than the college's offering courses in religion or having a daily chapel service, although these are important features of Concordia. Rather, it involves the entire program of the college, for all of life is to be viewed as under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Considering education in the light of Christ, there can be no division between sacred and secular subjects.
Academic endeavor in the pursuit of knowledge is seen, therefore, as
a significant form of our service in Christ. The constitution of the
Concordia College Corporation states that the curriculum of the
college shall be in harmony with the Christian faith as taught in the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Therefore, Concordia is
committed to fostering the spiritual, intellectual, physical, social
and emotional growth in students that will help them achieve the
fullest development of personality and life. The college further sees
itself as seeking to prepare men and women for enlightened leadership
in a free society. Thus, in our view, the liberally educated person:
--accepts responsibility for the perpetuation of the best in
our social and cultural heritage and, in particular, for the
proclamation and expression of the Christian faith.
--appreciates the worth of knowledge for its own sake, is sensitive to
the means by which it can be attained and cherishes the freedom of
inquiry; has intellectual curiosity; studies and learns
independently, possessing the ability to master an unfamiliar body of
knowledge without guidance.
--writes and speaks with clarity and precision and has mastered the fundamentals of the use of
numbers.
--possesses the habits and attitudes associated with critical judgment. If information is insufficient for a given
judgment, this person is aware of the deficiency. This person
recognizes assumptions and understands their functions and their
effects, and makes clear, careful and objective analyses of
information.
--appreciates and loves that which is beautiful,in whatever form it may be found. -- appreciates and
understands the physical and biological world as revealed through the
methods of science; understands these methods and can apply them
intelligently to problems.
--understands human nature and the institutions and processes of society well enough to live maturely
and responsibly as a free citizen and help intelligently to analyze
and seek to solve the problems of human society. This person
appreciates the extent to which the scientific approach can be
applied to the study of human personality and human relations.
--is prepared to be a creative, useful and productive person
in a chosen vocational endeavor.
--possesses an understanding of self and of one's interests, abilities, characteristics and
values.
--possesses an understanding of other people who come from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.
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Date of last update: 7/8/97
Copyright © 1997 Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. All
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