President Campo Connects Christianity and Globalization



Regent president, Dr. Carlos Campo

By Amanda Morad

October 26, 2012

Regent University president, Dr. Carlos Campo, discussed the relationship between Christianity and globalization at the Wednesday, Oct. 24, weekly chapel service on campus.
Campo began his address with a scene from Regent's production of The Tempest, in which the native slave Caliban is called out by the foreign ruler and sorceress Prospera. The conflict and eventual reconciliation between them, "is the story of Christianity and its intersection with cultures around the world through history," President Campo explained.

In 1910, President Campo quoted, 66 percent of Christians lived in Europe. By 2010, only 26 percent of Christians lived there. Christians in the global north are shrinking in number while numbers in the global south (South America and Africa) are burgeoning.

While much of history has marked Western Christian missions and colonization efforts as "destroyers of indigenous cultures" and "alien cultural agents," the paradigm of modern missions has changed, President Campo explained.

"We've turned our focus from preaching the gospel to living the gospel," he said. "Missions now focuses more on service than on conversion of people groups, allowing unreached cultures to come to Christ through love, rather than compulsion."

Regent's role in the globalization of Christianity is ever-increasing, President Campo noted. With business centers in Africa, social justice efforts in Europe and educational initiatives in Latin America, Regent is expanding its borders to include service with traditional missions efforts.

"I'm impressed with Regent students who understand their vertical relationship with Christ compels them to reach across to all nations and cultures," President Campo said. "It is indeed our responsibility to see that God's purposes in the earth are fulfilled."

President Campo concluded the service with The Lord's Prayer, delivered by five Regent students and faculty in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Swahili and French, representing each region of the world where Regent's missional and educational efforts can be felt.

President Campo also welcomed two special guests during the chapel service, who greeted chapel goers: Ambassador Elkanah Odembo of Kenya and Reverend Louis Muvunyi, an Anglican Bishop from Rwanda. Both guests also held separate events on campus addressing the issues and opportunities of their respective nations.

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PR/NEWS CONTACT:
Mindy Hughes, Public Relations
Phone: 757.352.4095 Fax: 757.352.4888
E-mail: mhughes@regent.edu

Study Abroad Programs See Significant Growth

October 16, 2012

In the last year, Regent University students have traveled abroad to England, France, India, China, Ghana, Israel, Jordan, Panama and Rwanda for a variety of learning abroad programs. These trips mark a period of significant growth in the number of students participating and the distance they are traveling to study topics including law and human rights, political technology, missions, English literature, government, international holistic development, C. S. Lewis's work, theology, church history, and Spanish.

Photo provided by Janina Peppers.
First place winner of the OGA Media Contest

"Our study abroad programs grew significantly this year," said Dr. Sergio Matviuk, executive director of Global Affairs. "We have experienced a 45 percent growth in the number of programs, and we have seen a 43 percent increase in the number of participants enrolled in these programs."

The favorite destination, Matviuk said, was England. Four different study abroad opportunities were offered in England over the last year.

Most of these study abroad programs were led by Regent University faculty from the Schools of Divinity, Law, Communication & the Arts, Government, Business & Leadership, and the College of Arts & Sciences. One of the programs was a student-led opportunity sponsored by the student organization Christ for India.

"More and more prospective students are looking for their university experience to include an international or global focus," said Regent president, Dr. Carlos Campo. "At Regent University, we are committed to providing our students with the global competencies they will need to be successful in a 21st century 'flat' world."

"At Regent, we are focused on educating global leaders, and we are glad to see this growing interest in our study abroad programs among our students because we believe these types of programs increase global competencies of the leaders we are forming," Matviuk said. "Growth in study abroad programs is an indicator of internationalization of campus growth, which is one of the global goals of Regent University."

Preparations for study abroad programs for the 2013 academic year are underway. The first program will take place in March 2013 in Turkey and Cyprus, offered by the School of Divinity.

PR/NEWS CONTACT:
Mindy Hughes, Public Relations
Phone: 757.352.4095 Fax: 757.352.4888
E-mail: mhughes@regent.edu