Heeding the call to wholistic mission

September 1, 2010 by Brenton Stacey

The Seventh-day Adventist Church and social justice

Joshua Zyderveld
Public relations editorial intern
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church’s strong voice for social justice is muted at its local level. Harwood Lockton noted what he called this “ambivalence” during his presentation of the Alumni Lecture, which is part of the Avondale College Alumni Association’s annual Homecoming.

Harwood is the international program director for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Australia and has been involved in international development for more than 20 years. His paper asked this question: “Is the Seventh-day Adventist Church yet ready for social justice?”

Referring to Zdravko Plantak’s book The Silent Church: Human Rights and Adventist Social Ethics, which studies the history of social justice within the church from its beginnings in the second half of the 19th century to the mid-1990s, Harwood noted how the church has with one exception—slavery—only advocated for social justice when issues such as gender discrimination and racism challenge the church itself. “There is a sense the Adventist Church does not fully embrace even social involvement, let alone social justice as a part of its mission,” reads Harwood’s paper. “Evangelism or conversion is given primacy and social involvement seems to be tolerated for its public relations value.”

Harwood outlined a theological foundation for social engagement, noting the 2030 verses in the Bible addressing poverty and wealth and oppression and exploitation. “How have we missed it?” he said. “We, like other Christians, have been known to build whole doctrines on less than 10 verses. Yet [social engagement] is a teaching that infuses the whole of the Bible.”

And Harwood argued the Adventist distinctive beliefs of wholeness and the Sabbath are a basis for social justice. From the Trinity triad (God the Father/Son/Spirit) he derived the human triad (mind/body/soul) then the Christian triad (God/me/others), the elements of which relate to each other through justice (me/others), mercy (God/others) and faith (me/God). Harwood also noted how the Sabbath commandment is the link between the first three commandments, which are concerned with our relationship with God, and the last six, which focus on our relationship with others. “It is the link between our theology and our ethics,” reads Harwood’s paper, and it “reminds us of the gospel value of inclusivity.”

In an interview after the lecture, Harwood suggested some simple ways for Christians to become more involved in social justice. “First, focus on either global issues such as poverty and slavery or local issues such as immigration and the needy in the community. Second, use something about which you’re passionate to make a difference. Third, join an established organisation rather than starting your own—you’ll work with experienced people and benefit from the community of skills.”

When asked, “If Jesus lived today, what job might he have?” Harwood responded, “He’d be a social worker or an activist. Look at the gospel accounts of his time on earth—He treated the needs of people through healing and teaching.”

Links
Podcast

Tags: ,
Posted in News | 1 Comment »

Character actor brings Bible story to life

August 25, 2010 by Brenton Stacey

Son of Jesse to make Australian premiere at Homecoming

Andrea Shotter
Public relations editorial intern
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Broken hair clippers, a family holiday and playing multiple roles in a choir-based musical have contributed to an Avondale Collage staff member’s flowing beard.

Eldon Rosenberg grew his beard and hair to play four roles in the Australian premiere of a musical that brings to life the story of Bible hero David. Credit: Ann Stafford.

Eldon Rosenberg, systems administrator in Information Technology Services, started growing his beard and hair after he put off fixing his clippers. He continued growing both because he and his family were visiting Sovereign Hill, a Ballarat, Victoria-based outdoor museum presenting Australia’s gold rush history. “I thought it would be cool to have the bearded goldminer look for the family photo,” says Eldon. On his return, the drama directors of Son of Jesse, which brings to life the story of Bible hero David, cast him in four roles: a psychiatrist; the prophet Nathan; priest Zadok’s son Ahimaaz; and God. Eldon thought the look would fit and kept growing his beard and hair.

Son of Jesse is making its Australian premiere at the Avondale College Alumni Association’s Homecoming this Saturday almost three decades after an Avondale lecturer helped write it. The strength of the story and the colourful life of the lead character appealed to Associate Professor Daniel Reynaud, dean of the Faculty of Arts, who wrote the musical with former colleague and friend Adrian Bell in 1981 before revising it in 1983. “The bible version of David is honest and I tried to reflect that,” says Daniel.

Producer Dr Robb Dennis, senior lecturer in music, says the musical has synergy. “David is a multitalented individual who let leadership and talent go to his head, but through some major blunders he found his ultimate purpose, which was to be a multitalented tool in God’s hands.”

This “deliberately anachronistic” new version of Son of Jesse includes a newsreader as narrator, two psychiatrists discussing King Saul’s health, Absalom talking on his mobile phone and a boxing gloved-clad Goliath.

According to Eldon, his new look does not conflict with the modernisation of the musical and may even stay once the performance is over. “I’m thinking of going with the easy option and leaving it, but I also like the variety of clean shaven alternating with short beard.”

Son of Jesse begins at 7.30 PM in Avondale College Seventh-day Adventist Church this Saturday (August 28). Entry is free.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in News | 1 Comment »

They love our students!

August 25, 2010 by Brenton Stacey

Avondale ranks highly in survey of independent schools

Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

Avondale College ranks highly in a survey measuring how many independent schools in New South Wales partner with higher education providers to support student learning.

Nineteen per cent of the 101 schools surveyed by the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales reported partnering with Avondale to support school-based action research, student learning improvement programs and teacher education programs. Thirteen per cent reported partnering with Avondale to support teacher education practicums. Only The University of Sydney, Macquarie University and Charles Sturt University ranked higher, which put Avondale above 14 other higher education providers.

Dr Peter Kilgour, a lecturer in the Faculty of Education and a member of the Independent Schools National Partnership Management Council, attributes Avondale’s high ranking to the quality of its students. “The correspondence we receive shows the schools love our students,” he says. Some 408 students are completing teaching practicums this midyear. “They spread themselves nationally and internationally and make quite an impact,” says Peter.

National Partnerships are a new form of payment established by the Council of Australian Governments to fund projects and to reward states delivering on nationally significant reforms. The National Education Agreement partnerships signed by the New South Wales Government focus on three areas: teacher quality; literacy and numeracy; low socioeconomic status school communities.

Avondale does not receive funding under the agreement, “but it does play a major role in supporting National Partnerships by providing quality teachers,” says Peter. “Given our small size, we’re making a significant impact substantiated by reportable data.”

Tags:
Posted in News | No Comments »

Avondale student sings for Chamberlains

August 17, 2010 by Brenton Stacey

Writes song to commemorate disappearance of Azaria

Kirsten Bolinger
Public relations assistant
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

An Avondale College student and award-winning songwriter is using music to commemorate the event leading to one of Australia’s most publicised legal cases.

Jackie Ward wrote “Paw-prints in the Sand” to promote truth and justice. Credit: Ann Stafford.

“Paw-prints in the Sand” is Jackie Ward’s expression of the events surrounding the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain at the then Ayers Rock on August 17, 1980. The Bachelor of Arts music major has a personal connection to the story—her father, Phil, worked as a freelance journalist during the subsequent trial of Azaria’s parents, Michael and Lindy.

“I’ve grown up with the story close to my heart,” says Jackie, “so it pains me that nearly two decades after Lindy Chamberlain’s exoneration, there still remains the unfounded opinion that she was guilty of killing her baby.”

Jackie wrote “Paw-prints in the Sand” to promote truth and justice. The lyrics make a strong statement: “The only hidden love is tucked in behind what you have seen/ Can the blind look past the lying headlines in the magazines?”

Jackie has written more than 400 songs and placed in the top 10 of the Australian Songwriting Contest for three consecutive years beginning in 2006. She won the contest in 2008, with nine of her songs, including “Paw-prints in the Sand,” shortlisted for the top 10 in different categories. The win led to a nomination in the open-age Australian Songwriter of the Year. Two more of Jackie’s songs are shortlisted for the award this year. “It’s the first time I’ve entered since 2008 and it’s encouraging because I’m now too old for the ‘Youth’ category.”

Jackie sings soprano with Avondale vocal ensemble The Promise. She is also negotiating a recording contract with Psalter Music. She plans to release a solo album through the label that will include “Paw-prints in the Sand.”

Tags: , ,
Posted in News | No Comments »

Ratings show students value quality education

August 11, 2010 by Brenton Stacey

Avondale ranks highly in university guide

Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

An independent survey of graduates has again provided tangible evidence of the quality of the Avondale experience.

Avondale College has received five five-star ratings, all in the key “The educational experience” area—for student–staff ratio, staff qualifications, teaching quality, generic skills and overall satisfaction. Credit: Colin Chuang.

The college’s five five-star ratings in The Good Universities Guide 2011 are all in the key “The educational experience” area—for student–staff ratio, staff qualifications, teaching quality, generic skills and overall satisfaction.

Avondale has consistently received five-star ratings in this area because, according to president Dr Ray Roennfeldt, “providing quality education is our core business.”

“We’re stoked with this result,” says Lorin Bradford, the director of advancement. “We almost always receive these ratings. They show we’re offering a product of significant value.”

Avondale also receives:

  • Four stars for access by equity groups (down from five this past year) and indigenous participation (same)
  • Three for the proportion of entrants who are school leavers (same)
  • Two for cultural diversity (up from one), entry flexibility (same) and student demand (down from three), and
  • One for gender balance (same), getting a full-time job (down from three) and positive graduate outcomes (down from two)

Ray and director of advancement Lorin Bradford acknowledge the ratings are not as high as this past year and note Avondale needs to improve in the “Access” area. However, Lorin also notes the potential negative influence of other external factors, such as the state of the economy, on the perceptions of graduates.

Graduates complete a Course Experience Questionnaire and Graduate Destination Survey in each of five different discipline fields. A federal government agency, Graduate Careers Australia, administers this questionnaire and survey and provides the data to the guide. All institutions must receive more than a 50 per cent response rate before the guide will include the data. This may explain why Avondale did not receive any stars for graduate starting salary this year, despite receiving five this past year.

Released on Monday this week (August 9), the guide is the only publication that contains independent five-star ratings and comparisons of all Australian courses and the universities and higher education providers that offer them.

Tags:
Posted in News | No Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »