Contemporary World Issues in Light of Micah's Challenge
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Bryan College joined with The Fourth Presbyterian Church of Bethesda, Maryland, and the Schnabel Foundation Company in the Summer of 2007 to educate a new generation of spiritual leaders to serve South Sudan. The vision of Dr. Robert Norris, senior pastor of Fourth Church, focused on the building of churches for and the spiritual nourishment of the noble people of God residing in South Sudan.
Sudan Can and the With Open Eyes Foundation were jointly created after five American citizens, led by one of America's foremost business leaders, Mr. Frank Harrison, traveled to South Sudan in the summer of 2007. There they witnessed firsthand the conditions in this impoverished land. In September 2008, the President of Bryan College, Dr. Stephen Livesay; Mr. Matt Benson, Bryan's Dean of Spiritual Formation; and Dr. Ron Petitte, Director of the Honors Program and professor of the Contemporary World Issues course at Bryan, agreed that South Sudan provided a focus worthy of a new venture for Bryan College's Commoner Hall Honors students.
Bryan College in 2009 partnered with Sudan Can; With Open Eyes Foundation; Mr. Robert Walker, one of America's leading business entrepreneurs; and Frank Harrison. Mr. Walker and Mr. Harrison challenged Bryan College to create a model of assistance for South Sudan that other universities and colleges across America and around the globe might emulate and build on.
Bryan's work on behalf of God's people in South Sudan proceeded with the full awareness of the political situation in the Sudan. Dr, Petitte encouraged individuals to decide for themselves whether (a) the International Criminal Court was right in charging Omar aI-Bashir with crimes against humanity; or (b) that such a decision should not have been promulgated with the people of South Sudan in such tenuous straits.
This innovative work of former Bryan Honors students, "Micah's Eleven," all of whom have graduated, was designed to generate public awareness and embolden action on behalf of the people of South Sudan.
The Future
Will you be part of the next Honors class that tackles such issues as The Sudan and the worldwide fight against human trafficking? To begin the search for an answer, consider Micah 6:8: "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
