Windows and Bridges as Metaphors for Learning and Life

This past week my colleague, Dr. Keely Baronak, and I spoke with the campus community at the Carlow Forum about the launch of the new College of Education and Social Work and what it means for Carlow University. We focused our conversation on three themes: transformation, liberal arts as education for a great career and a meaningful life, and meeting the next great need. These focal areas, which are at the heart of the work our colleges do, seemed to resonate with the community and led to some rich discussion and feedback.

 Liberty Bridge, Pittsburgh. Source: Wikimedia Commons

In this post I offer just one facet of that conversation: a metaphor I shared that resonates with me and that  captures, in an affective and impressionistic way, what an education grounded in the liberal arts “does” for students on their educational journeys. In a previous blog post, I reflected on the skills of the liberal arts and how these connect with the qualities employers most seek in their employees. As important as that information is for understanding the relevance of liberal arts today, it also does not give the whole picture. This metaphor attempts to get at it in a different way. 

The way I’m beginning to think about an education grounded in the liberal arts is like a ride on the T. [Side note: The T is Pittsburgh’s public rail transit. Second side note: When I first moved to Pittsburgh in 2015, I assumed the T was a reference to the train. Not so. For Pittsburghers, it is actually the trolley. I thought yinz would appreciate this.] 

Think about it. As a student you are on an educational journey, a degree pathway. It starts at a particular station, orientation, and ends at another one, graduation. And along the way you are literally moving to a new place, a place you want to get to. 

Taking the T from the south hills, like I do most days, there are some great views along the way—especially coming over the hill through the Allentown neighborhood. Just as you crest the hill, all of a sudden the city view opens up. And it is just beautiful. To the right is the Cathedral of Learning and Oakland. Ahead is downtown and all its beautiful buildings. And to the left is Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park. And of course, every direction I look are the bridges, making connections possible across the rivers. This panoramic view often surprises me and always gives me a really interesting moment of perspective on where I work, where I live, and also the beauty in this world.

But one day I thought: imagine if there were no windows on the T. It would still do what it needed to do: take me from point a to point b. It would not take any less time or more time. But I would, without even knowing it, miss out on the incredible view—a view I would not get at any other point in my day. I would miss out on the perspective I could gain from looking out from that view, and just the enjoyment of the experience.

Pittsburgh Skyline. Source: Wikimedia Commons

In a way, this is what an education grounded in the liberal arts is like. If attaining a degree is a train journey from point a to point b, from orientation to graduation, as a student you need to get to point b with the foundational skills, experiences, and qualifications you need for the career you aspire to. Nurses need to learn a set of baseline clinical skills. Educators need skills in classroom management and curriculum and instruction. Computer scientists need fundamental coding and technical skills. That is what a student’s major provides them.

But at colleges and universities which offer an education grounded in the liberal arts, students also have windows to the world around them. The windows are an opportunity to see a fuller picture of human life, of nature, of the vitality of our world. Liberal arts—natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, creative arts, history, philosophy, ethics, theology— are like those windows, inviting a wider view. They not only enhance a person’s journey, but also invite new perspective on that journey. They might invite curiosity and even inspire a person to travel some new routes. They might help develop empathy for those they see along the way, who are in very different life circumstances than they are.

So we can think of those non-major classes (e.g., the classes in the Carlow compass, or electives, or a minor in a different field) as windows on the journey of education—enriching your ride, giving you a larger perspective, and enhancing your life.

John O’Donohue shared a similar concept which pointed me in this direction. He wrote about how we, as humans, can conceive of our lives as an expansive tower made of large and open windows. Unfortunately, most of us become quite comfortable remaining in one area of our tower and looking out of just one or two windows—the ones we are used to. The opportunity and invitation in life is to have the curiosity and courage to move around and explore the rest of the space in our lives, and to see what life looks like from other windows.

“Real growth is experienced when you draw back from that one window, turn, and walk around the inner tower of the soul and see all the different windows that await your gaze. Through these different windows, you can see new vistas of possibility, presence, and creativity. Complacency, habit, and blindness often prevent you from feeling your life. So much depends on the frame of vision—the window through which you look.” (John O’Donohue, Anam Cara)

To me, this is a beautiful image of opening ourselves to more of the experiences and opportunities that life offers us. This process of opening ourselves to more of the human experience is part of what a liberal arts education, when done well, can encourage within us.

Andy Warhol Bridge. Source: Wikimedia Commons

There is one further element of this metaphor I have been exploring. During my commute the windows also make it abundantly clear that you cannot get from here to there without crossing bridges.

And I now see that an education grounded in the liberal arts (and at Carlow, one grounded in values of mercy, service, and the dignity of every person), invites us to consider the bridges we need to cross in our world today. Bridges connect people, and metaphorically, they are a way of getting across differences.

In a moment like the present, with so much division and animosity, the skills of the liberal arts (listening, learning, considering others’ ideas and perspectives, empathy) can help us see the world from many different perspectives and imagine, and build, bridges to reconnect with others across those differences.

Our social media-driven world and the AI transformation we are going through also raise a lot of questions about how we all can preserve and foster meaningful human interactions and connections. Pope Leo challenges all of us to build what he calls “bridges of dialogue” that can help foster a sense of the brotherhood and sisterhood of all of us. In essence, this is a key part of creating a more just and merciful world.

In short, as I think about what an education grounded in the liberal arts offers students today, I think of windows and bridges: windows that expand our vision to encompass all the richness and beauty of the human experience; bridges to connect us across division and help foster connection and understanding.

What Liberal Arts Education Does and Why It Still Matters

Liberal arts education is doomed to an AI-fueled obsolescence. Or is it? With its focus on fostering deeply human skills such as empathy, creativity, and ethical reasoning, this might just be a moment in which a liberal arts education is more relevant than ever. Starting the new academic year in this transformational AI moment, many of us are asking ourselves what kind of education is needed now and into the future, and what value does a liberal arts education offer. 

Birmingham Museum of Art, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A high-quality liberal arts education does many things, but two are especially critical today:

A liberal arts education helps you develop skills for a great career AND develop skills for a meaningful life.

 

This is so because an education grounded in the liberal arts:

 

• Energizes analytical thinking,
• Boosts creativity,
• Nurtures self-awareness,
• Elevates empathy, and
• Unlocks an appreciation for life.

Interestingly enough, these abilities align directly to five of the top eight core skills that employers say they are looking for in their employees. “Soft skills,” as they are sometimes called, are in high demand, and increasingly so in our AI world. (See the World Economic Forum's "The Future of Jobs Report 2025" for the details.)

A liberal arts education is invaluable because it:

Energizes analytical thinking. "Analytical thinking" is the top skill employers say they need. And rightly so. In any work environment, learning to formulate meaningful questions; synthesize information from multiple sources; create coherent arguments; question assumptions; apply moral and ethical reasoning to complex situations, are invaluable skills. As one AI-engineer shared with me, “AI can do Excel but you need to be able to think critically, think deeply across different problems, in order to make use of it and not be replaced by it.”

Boosts creativity. "Creative thinking" is fourth on employers’ lists of core skills they seek in their employees. While AI-generated content is all the rage right now, many people are voicing concerns, dissatisfaction, or outright disgust with some of the types of output they are encountering. It is even possible that we may see a swing back to interest in human-produced content: writing, music, poetry, art, books. See Jessica Stillman's interesting take that "The Rise of AI Will Make Liberal Arts Degrees Popular Again: Here's Why."

Nurtures self-awareness and Elevates empathy. Encountering the experiences of other people through music, movies, literature, poetry and art, we learn to visualize the stories of others. Opening our minds this way invites understanding and compassion, engaging other people and ourselves as whole persons. Martha C. Nussbaum explains:

We do not automatically see another human being as spacious and deep, having thoughts, spiritual longings, and emotions. It is all too easy to see another person as just a body—which we might then think we can use for our ends, bad or good. It is an achievement to see a soul in that body, and this achievement is supported by poetry and the arts, which ask us to wonder about the inner world of that shape we see—and, too, to wonder about ourselves and our own depths. (Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities, 102)

And note also that the number five core skill on employers’ lists is "motivation and self-awareness" while the number seven core skill is "empathy and active listening."

Unlocks an appreciation for life. Employers seek people who posses the core skills of "curiosity and lifelong learning" (number eight on their lists). Philosophy, theology, and related disciplines remind us that there is a gentle radiance, a quiet but luminous presence, a spiritual dimension, in all aspects of being: humans, living creatures, plants, inanimate objects, the earth itself. Depending on your view you might call this transcendence or the sacredness of creation; or you might say this world is enchanted, charmed with magic. Regardless, whether we perceive this mysterious aspect of the world depends largely on our ability to slow down, quiet our minds, and, with awareness, offer reverent attention to the world around us and the world within us. “But the magic of life is not about definitions and labels; it’s about love. About finding the beauty in the everyday motions of life” (Courtney Peppernell, Watering the Soul, p. 30). A liberal arts education invites us to appreciate the beauty and wonder of this world in which we live.

 

More than just practical in their own right, development of these skills and qualities prepares a person for "leadership and social influence," which is the number three skill sought by employers. Add “technological literacy” (#6) and “resilience, flexibility and agility” (#2) to your capabilities and you possess the top eight skills employers seek.

 

What can you do with these skills? Use them in all areas of your life to support meaningful relationships and meaningful work. A deeper sense of understanding who you are, appreciating the complexity of others, and an ability to engage each new circumstance with openness and creativity are qualities that will serve you well your whole life.

 

 

A Review of Social Justice in the Stories of Jesus

I am happy to share that the first review of my book, Social Justice in the Stories of Jesus: The Ethical Challenge of the Parables, has just been published in the journal Studies in Christian Ethics. Professor Edwina Pio concludes, “the book is a fabulous and crucial work of how the parables of Jesus are relevant at the micro (individual), meso (organisational/community), and macro (country/world) levels in our explosive, generous, wonderful world.” 

I am grateful for her careful reading and to see that the key themes of the parables come through to reviewers. According to Pio, the book “shows us how one can be contemplative and pragmatic on issues of social justice”—picking up on the focus of contemplation and action that marks the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy. In my view, one of the most exciting features of the book is the way it highlights the voices and perspectives of the Sisters of Mercy, with Sisters contributing a reflection on each parable that I explore. 

Pio also notes, “The parables are a call of sacredness, often a tiny speck of hope and light in our volatile, frequently dark world.” 

For those of us looking for light and hope today, the invitation of the parables to see our fellow humans in new ways and to engage the world through an ethic of love, mercy, and justice remains as timely as ever.

You can see the complete review here.

Celebrating Black History and Learning from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Mentor

In honor of Black History Month here is a reflection that I read at a university leadership meeting on MLK day a few years ago. In it I draw attention to a figure you may not be familiar with. You may know something of Howard Thurman, but I knew very little until doing research for my book on the parables and social justice. Thurman was an author, preacher, philosopher, theologian, and civil rights leader. He held academic posts as dean of the chapel at Howard University and Boston University, and also founded an interdenominational church in San Francisco. He has been called “a spiritual genius who transformed persons who transformed history” (Smith, xi). His particular relevance today is that he was a mentor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was reported that Dr. King always carried a copy of Thurman’s book, Jesus and the Disinherited, whenever he traveled. John Lewis and the freedom riders also circulated Thurman’s writings to encourage one another. In reading Thurman, it is really interesting to see the insights behind some of Dr. King’s powerful statements. As a leader at a Sisters of Mercy university, it is interesting too to see links with the teachings of the Sisters of Mercy.

Here I share five insights from Thurman and make some linkages to Dr. King, and to our work today at a Catholic, Mercy university.

Source: Howard Thurman: The Overlooked Civil Rights Hero

First, Thurman’s approach to social justice starts from the place of the value of each person. Each person has inherent worth as a child of God. Furthermore, this value is independent of social location, economic status, race or any other markers. For Thurman, this is the sense of identity as a child of God. At my university we speak of the value of the Sacredness of Creation which recognizes that we each hold this inherent value as children of God.

Second, for Thurman, this leads to a goal in human life of freedom to self actualize. To grow, to live, to live fully out of the center of who one is. A quote of Thurman’s you may have heard is this one: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” 

Third, recognizing this inherent value for oneself, one must also recognize this reality for others. And with this recognition comes a twofold threefold obligation: to work toward community (love); to support the freedom to live and grow for others (mercy); and to work against forces of oppression and dehumanization (justice). Ultimately, this amounts to working toward a community in which all may thrive; what Martin Luther King, Jr., called the “beloved community.”

Fourth, this activity is supported by the recognition of the inter-connectedness of all of life—humans and creation, because all of it is God’s creation, created out of love. So genuine religion, and in particular genuine Christian faith, aligns with love and fosters a sense of obligation for the well-being of all in the present world, regardless of its apparent brokenness.

Fifth, for Thurman, Jesus was the ultimate example of this, as well as the ultimate teacher. Coming into the world and living, teaching, and dying with the Jewish people under the domination of the Roman Empire, among the oppressed, his was a message for the disinherited. That they could live effectively in that chaos with the recognition that they were children of God. The kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed could be defined broadly as the conceptual space in this world where God’s highest values are enacted in human lives. Put more simply, the kingdom of God is the enactment of and participation in loving community. 

With those five points as background, I would like to return to one of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, quotes that has resonated with me in recent years. The quote is from his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” There is a lot of Howard Thurman behind this. In addition, King’s concept of the beloved community is one that is undergirded by Thurman’s insights on the value of all people, and the critical importance of working toward a community which supports all its members, and in which each person is free to thrive.

Having worked at a Sisters of Mercy university for ten years, it is so interesting to see that these statements connect at a deep level with the Sisters of Mercy concept of a more just and merciful world. They also resonate with Catholic Social Teaching and in particular the theological virtue of solidarity—a virtue which is much needed in our present, fractured world.

Bryan Massingale is a contemporary scholar who writes on racial justice and the Catholic Church and also points to the importance of solidarity. He cites Pope John Paul II who defined solidarity as a “firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say to the good of all and of each individual, because we are all really responsible for all” (116). Massingale also used King’s words to explain that “solidarity is based on the deep-seated conviction that the concerns of the despised other are intimately bound up with our own, that we are, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., ‘bound together in a garment of mutual destiny’” (116). Massingale also notes, “Solidarity entails a constant effort to build a human community where every social group participates equitably in social life and contributes its genius for the good of all” (117). These words inspire a powerful vision for the kind of world we all would like to live in.

As we wrap up our celebration of Black History Month may we all remember the legacy of leaders who have come before us, may we acknowledge the work still to be done in the struggle against the evil of racism, and may we make every effort to live into the best aspects of the rich heritage which we have each been given as we face the challenges of this moment.

The Parables of Jesus: An Invitation to Reflect on Our World in 2025

I recently had the opportunity to read a brief selection from my book, Social Justice in the Stories of Jesus: The Ethical Challenge of the Parables, at a dinner. I chose to read from the concluding chapter where I drew out the shared themes of the parables, those ideas that are touched on in different ways in different parables, but seem to be reflected in the parables as a whole. With that reading in mind, I am reflecting on the impact of some of the recent executive orders that many (including me) are experiencing as disruptive, disturbing, and cruel, and some of which the courts have paused due to their being illegal or unconstitutional. I am trying to discern my own response, particularly as it is informed by my work at a Catholic university, my scholarship as a theologian, and my values as a Christian. As part of that, I thought I would revisit the themes of the parables as I explored them in my book and see what insights that exercise might offer.

Here are eight themes of the parables as I discern them:

1. The parables of Jesus assert the dignity, value, and worth of every person.
2. The parables are infused with the theme of concern and responsibility for the needs of those whose dignity is compromised or overlooked.
3. The parables show us that compassion is not merely an obligation but rather a visceral, human response to the suffering of others that motivates action to relieve that suffering.
4. Parables remind us of the reality of the interconnectedness of all persons, whether it is recognized or not. Pope Francis put it concisely this way: “We are all really responsible for all.” Theologians connect this theme with the ancient concept of the Common Good—a state of being where everyone has what they need in order to thrive.
5. Just as they promote compassion, the parables draw explicit attention to matters of justice. True mercy attends to matters of justice and injustice and seeks to remedy injustice out of concern for those who suffer as a result.
6. In many parables Jesus gives attention to the beauty and intricacy of the created world, inviting readers to see themselves as part of this larger community of life. As an expansion of the notion of the interconnectedness of all persons we encounter in the parables the interconnectedness of humans with all of the natural world. Humans, while unique, are not separate from the natural world, but actually quite literally part of it.
7. The parables highlight that the small moments, actions, and choices of daily life are, in the divine economy, the big moments. Ordinary daily life encounters and decisions may seem insignificant but they are actually where God’s kingdom is enacted or contradicted.
8. Parables do not give simple instructions to do this or that but rather invite readers to open their eyes and imagine their world differently in light of values of love, mercy, and justice, and then to live accordingly. What that looks like will be different in each new and unimagined circumstance we find ourselves in.

Ultimately the parables offer an imaginative vision of a just and merciful world in which readers are invited to contribute to human flourishing. It is a world where all creatures are reverenced and respected as a part of all that exists. It is also a world in which pain, suffering, and injustice exist and must be faced. In such a world of chaos and struggle, compassion for others and a concern for the well-being of others motivates a response of love and concern for all such suffering. In addition, the response of love is one that faces reality head on, while recognizing the limited scope of our individual grasp of it. In such a way, the person who lives in mercy recognizes their need of others, and even the need of the oppressor to receive and experience mercy, so that the community can be restored and achieve its highest potential. The parables do not seem to assume that all will embrace this mercy and live into it; but they present the listener with the reality that the time to choose it is the present moment, and the place to experience it is wherever one is at the moment.

With these thoughts in mind, my hope is that we all may find in this moment of challenge an invitation to revisit our own values, consider the forces which shape our beliefs, and discern what love, mercy, and justice might look like in 2025.