Grand Canyon University's History and Christian Heritage - Essay Example

With regard to GCU's mission, the method of its enforcement is compatible with the university's Christian heritage. As claimed by Dr. Ray, Christian education is an "education with a spirit and soul". He further said that the foundation of Christian training were moral, mental, physical, social and spiritual - all of which are based upon the holy scripture, the bible. To become global citizens, effective communicators, critical thinkers and responsible leaders are consistent with Christian education.

The university's four pillars, namely, academic advancement, Christian camaraderie, extracurricular excellence and wellness and well-being are all consistent with its history and Christian heritage. To note, academic excellence is one of the reasons why the Grand Canyon College was given accreditation in 1968. Athletic competition was the other reason. The school had long been active in sports and other extracurricular activities. These inclinations are all in line with Christian education as envisioned by Dr. Ray. . 28). He further said that the foundation of Christian training were moral, mental, physical, social and spiritual -- all of which are based upon the holy scripture, the bible (Ray, as cited in Helfers, p. 28). To become global citizens, effective communicators, critical thinkers and responsible leaders are consistent with Christian education.

The university's four pillars, namely, academic advancement, Christian camaraderie, extracurricular excellence and wellness and well-being are all consistent with its history and Christian heritage (“Four,” n.d.). To note, academic excellence is one of the reasons why the Grand Canyon College was given accreditation in 1968. Athletic competition was the other reason. The school had long been active in sports and other extracurricular activities. These inclinations are all in line with Christian education as envisioned by Dr. Ray. Diversity is one aspect that the university is trying to nourish.

The founders of the university wanted the school's name to be inclusive and all-encompassing (Helfers, 2000). Thus, the term Baptist was not included. According to Helfers (2000, p. 27), they aimed to welcome "students of all faiths or no faith." Presently, it has been accepting students of different religious backgrounds. Also, it has been employing faculties coming from over twenty denominations (“GCU,” n.d.). All these facts reflect the university's history and Christian faith. Personally, the university's statements correspond to my own set of values and traditions.

I have been a believer of Christian faith since I was a child. The Baptist and Catholic Church both believe in Jesus Christ. Thus, I found it easy to understand the school's history and Christian heritage. Basically, what differs