Academy Roster Spring 1972 all
The Global Academy – Introduction
3444 West Congress Parkway, Chicago, Illinois
The Academy represented many years of experimentation in education. It was an eight-week journey, during which participants became a community of learning – , teaching, working, living and celebrating together in an environment of international collegiality. It was global in context, local in application and inclusive in scope. The curriculum delivered training in: cultural studies, practical methods and religious interpretation.
The Academy used a wide variety of methods:
- seminars provided depth study and pedagogy (the art of teaching)
- workshops engaged people in a lively analysis of contemporary issues.
- field experiences translated theory into practical reality.
The program encouraged participants to think comprehensively about their own futures in relation to the needs and possibilities of the world. Key questions were raised for participants.
- How can I effectively act on my concern for the world?
- How do I build a meaningful interior life?
- How do I live a fulfilled life?
Academy participants became part of a world society in microcosm and often represented 14-20 nations. It provided a rich environment for personal change and a provocative challenge to find ways of living effectively in an interdependent world.
The curriculum of the eight-week academy was built on decades of research and experimentation ranging from study techniques to complex global analysis. Long-range planning, consensus-making, image communication, data organization, teaching and motivation combined to form a rich fabric of practical experience. The emphasis on skills was given depth and context during theoretical modules. Direct applicability was experience during engagement modules.
The Global Academy was established in 1968 as The Academy for Global Churchmen. It was an experiment in education that took seriously the relationship of depth study and the corporate religious life. In 1970, with the birth of the Local Church Experiment (LCX), the Academy began serving as a training arm of The Ecumenical Institute (E:I) for equipping laity and clergy for work in local churches. People from all around the globe participated in The Academy. The Academy was accredited by more than 50 colleges, universities and seminaries.
Curated by Jim Wiegel